Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07


L. tionals' training for the Ameri-
lean League championship CAM
paign of 1929. On that day will be
started series which Manager Walter
johnson expects will round off what
ever rough edges his team may have
and leave it in tiptop trim for the big
business ahead. The seven-game set
with the Giants will, it is hoped, prime
the Nationals for great fight in their
circuit.
These Spring series with the Giants,
which began in 1925, always have been
regarded the best bit of training the
Washington club can get in preparation
for the flag race. There's nothing
soft" about the tits with the New
Workers. Any team John McGraw
sends to the field plays base ball
smart base ball, up and at 'em base
ball-and any team playing series
with a McGraw aggregation ought to
get much from it.
Unfortunately, in several recent train
ing seasons the Nationals did not seem
to take their early exhibition games
seriously. They loafed through many
Of them and no winning spirit had been
developed by the time the Giants we're
encountered. The Nationals fought
valiantly enough once they were against
the McGraw men, but they lacked the
poise and confidence that comes from
victory and consequently took many
lickings.
It's Different This Time.
It's different this time. JohnSons
charges have been accustomed to win
ming from the start of their exhibition
y1lo Thu faxr 4afoofc
suffered have been something to null
over, to discuss frankly and place the
blame for the losses where it seems it
should be placed. There has been no
bitterness resulting from defeat, but
rather strengthened determination to
remedy mistakes and do better next
time. That's how the Nationals are
going into this set with the Giants and
they ought to give these New Workers,
now the pick Of many to cop the Ma
tional League championship, a mighty
tuSsle.
Manager johnson plans to start
against the Giants the same lineup
he has had in the field for more than
two weeks and the one he expects to
send into the American League title
campaign. For the opening game here
Monday the starting battery more than
likely will be Garland Braxton on the
slab and Muddy Ruel behind the bat
The left-hander will have had four
days rest following his appearance
Beach. Irving Hadley, who seems fully
recovered from the stomach indisposi-
ton that annoyed him the last two
days Of the Tampa training camp, also
may do some hurting against the Nc
GraWn1en Monday
Other road games with the Giants
will be played Tuesday and Wednesday
at Augusta, Ga, and Charlotte, N. c.,
respectively. Then the athletes will
jump to Washington for tits at Griffith
Stadium on Thursday and Friday, to be
followed by a brace Of contests at the
Polo Grounds, the Giants domicile in
New York.
Play Montgomery Today.
The Nationals are leaving Birming-
ham Sunday for the day, being Sched-
uled to tackle the Southeastern League
club at Montgomery. Ala. The first team
will start against the minor club with
Arch Campbell and Paul Hopkins slated
to divide the pitching duty.
One great benefit the Nationals ex-
pect to derive from the series with the
Giants is improvement in batting.
True, the Washington athletes have
been banging the ball for fine average
in the exhibitions, even though they fell
down miserably in the first game here,
but they have not been swinging against
the class Of pitching they are likely to
ind when they encounter the New
Workers. Then they will see some fast
ones, many curves and screw balls"
too. hurled mostly by pitchers who know
how to pitch. Nothing helps the batterS
more than looking over such heaving.
Several of the Nationals need ia
brush up in offensive, particularly
Sammy West, slated to be the clubs
regular center fielder. Sammy has not
been swatting with any regularity. He
has not been so very strong against
right-hand burlers and seems almost a
total loss to the club in attack against
the southpaws. One watching West the
past week would think he never was q
hitter and stood little chance to become
one. However, it will be recalled that
this young man last year hit for a lit-
tie more than .230 until the first part
Of August. then breezed through two
months at batting pace fast enough
to make his figures for the entire CAM
paign soar above the coveted 800 mark,
So Sammy can hit.
Pressing" Vests Trouble.
1t isn't timiditv that makes west 50
weak against left-handerS now. accord
ing to Manager Johnson. The pilot
thinks Sammy has overcome the fear
that resulted from a series "beaning"
done by a southpaw before the young
fellow came up from Birmingham to ths
Nationals. Rather, Johnson thinks
West is overeager at bat that he is
pressing too much. and that in doing
so he Is utterly unable to follow the ball
on its course toward the catcher. John.
son is hopeful that West will relax soon
and begin smacking the horsehide az
he did in the latter part of the past
campaign.
But it seems that West will start the
season in the lineup even though he
fails to get into a good hitting stride
before April is, when the Nationals are
to battle with the Athletics in Wash-
ington in the American League cur ain
raiser He is a remarkable f1y-cnaser,
fine at checking grounders and possesses
a powerful arm. Once he hits he win
be one of the best outf1elders in the
business. And. with number of good
hitters In his lineup johnson figures
he can afford to carry for a time one
somewhat weak with the fail in order
to keep the club sturdy defensively.