Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-11

nan.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.
After more than six weeks of train
ing under Southern skies. Washington S
base ball club returned home today in
fine condition ready for the big
business ahead in the American
League championship race In trim
now for the flag fight, the Nationals
have four more exhibition contests with
the New York Giants beginning today.
the first two of which viii be played
here.
The Nationals not only are home
from their training tour in splendid
physical form, but also with high hope
of bidding strongly for the pennant in
the Barnard circuit. Well tutored un-
der the direction of its new manager,
Walter Perry Johnson, who for more
than two decades had performed for it
marvelously as a pitcher. the club has
reasonable basis for this hope, too. In
diyidually, its players are capable, and
there has been developed remarkable
team play and team spirit Generally
it is held to be WaShington's best rep
resentative in the American League
since 1924, when a pennant first came
to the National Capital, and there are
some critics who have watched it per-
form for weeks who hold 1t even better
than the 1924 aggregation.
The Nationals are home with won-
derful record for their exhibition series.
OF Is games played in Florida with
teams of the senior major league, john
sons charges triumphed in 10 to win
the mythical championship of the
grapefruit league as the combination of
major clubs that train in the Gator
State is called. Six games with minor
league clubs were played in Florida and
all finished in the Nationals favor
Then two of three tilts with minor
aggregations in Alabama went the way
of the Washington outfit.
20 Victories, Defeats.
After that came the series regarded
the most important test for the Ma
tionals before entering the flag race ic
their circuit, that with the Giants. UP
to today three games have been played
with the New Workers. The first two
were won by Washington and yesterday
only last-inning rally enabled the
Giants to deadlock contest that could
not be played to decision because of
ldlt1 anu Ald1As EAtI bOiu W udLG bllE ma
tionals have record of 20 victories,
four defeats and one tie in Is exhibition
starts. No other major league club has
approached this record this Spring.
It's something Of new team Wash
ington is putting on the field this year,
but likely looking team in every de-
partnent. 1t Is team that can hit,
run bases and perform inlpressiyely
afield. Its pitching staff is not so
strong in numbers. but well above the
average In strength of pitching ability.
Washington has catching staff that
probably is the best in the American
League. And, to man, the team is
striving every minute for manager
who knows the game in every way and
is an inspiring leader.
Youth predon1inates in this 1929
washington club. OF the "a active
than 80 years old, the age held the
dividing line between those nearing
their prime and those waning In base
ball. OF these five but one is in the
lineup daily. He is Joe Judge, captain
of the club and still held one of the
best first basemen in the game. Muddy
Ruel catcher, and Sam Jones, pitcher,
are veteran batterymen, but. despite
their long service in the pastin1e, are
rated among the finest in their de-
partments. In reserve are the veterans
Sam Rice and John Stewart, both with
plenty Of base ball left in them,
New Infieid Around Judge.
Manager johnson has built around
the veteran Judge new infield. AT
second base he has placed Jack Hayes,
seeming much improved by sojourn
with the Minneapolis club Of the Amer
ican Association the greater part Of
last season. In the shortfeld, the pilot
has placed Oswald Bluege, for years
regular third-sacker with the Nationals,
At third Is Buddy Myer, returned from
the Red Sux to which he was sent IN
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