Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-01

Culb COIlUCStS LIVE 0OklC tAAC 4N0-
tionals more good this Spring
than in several training seasons
past. The exhibitions with
major league outfits have done much to
make really good ball club of the lot
of material Manager Walter johnson
has been handling for five weeks, ball
club that knows and can play its game
and is ready to battle to the finish.
Hustle all the time" has been john
sons slogan, and his ball club does just
that. Every member is a more than
willing worker. and there is a remark
able team spirit, something not so no
ticeable in training games in other sea-
sons. And this fine spirit sent the Ma
tionalS steam rolling over major league
rivals in Florida. They finished their
Grapefruit League schedule with a far
better record than any other blg-time
club, record that shows 10 victories
in l3 starts against the major leaguerS.
Series with four National League out
fits were played and not one lost. The
Braves of Boston were trounced twice
in three engagements. the Cardinals,
senior loop champions, were beaten
three times in five tits. The Dodgers
of Brooklyn were licked three times in
as many meetings. The Reds of Gin
cinnati were played twice and beaten
SW4OCs "a S4Cnt Ok1OH1AASs
Games Keenly Contested.
With few exceptions the games were
keenly contested, and in several Of them
the Nationals had to stage garrison fin
ishes to triumph. Generally the club
faced good pitching, in several instances
batting against hurlers far more adj
vanced in training than members of the
Washington staff. Yet the Nationals
hitting was good, and there was gen.
eral improvement in it during three
weeks Of battling.
In defense, the club undoubtedly
benefited to a great extent in the scrap
ping with the major leaguerS. Infield
play was co-ordinated. Ossie Bluege, at
Shortstop for the first time in years, and
the youthful Jack Hayes at second were
made into a capable double play combi-
nation and various plans for checking
base runners were tested and perfected.
During the series, two young out
flslders were brought along to the peak
condition physically and form mechani-
cally. In Sam west and Red Barnes
the Nationals now possess pair Of the
best fly chasers in the business and it
looks as though both will be sturdy
hitters, too. Barnes already has proved
his worth with the stick. West is COM
ing along well and should be swinging
a threatening bludgeon when the cham
pionship race starts.
The games helped the batterymen
considerably. The younger pitchers
learned much of the art they pursue,
and their more recent efforts revealed
they had advanced much in effective
ness. The catchers got just the work
outs their throwing arms needed and
one Of them-Benny Tate-blossomed
into . really high-claSS receiver. Tate.
now in his seventh year with the Ma
tionals, at last looks big league back
stopper. ...ss.z. ~e-
Drop Final to Cards.
Unfortunately, the series ended with
the Nationals taking q 4-to-2 trimming
after winning seven games In row, but
the loss to the Cardinals shouldn't hurt
Johnson's club. The Nationals, as usual.
battled gamely yesterday, but the left
hand SpitballS of Clarence Mitchell and
the right-hand curves of Jess HaineS
were a bit too battling.
However but for q bad bounce taken
by ball Holm hit in the eighth inning
the teams might have been fighting yet
The bad bounce turned what probably
would have been a Side-retiring double
play into q single that chased over the
tying run and left the way open to an
other Cardinal marker before the round
ended. 800
sam Jones and Lloyd Brown shared
the Washington pitching burden. 1t
asked to toll only three innings. But
Sans arm felt so good he took an
extra turn. The Cards got nothing
more than three hits and two passes
off the veteran in the four frames
Brown they eombed for nine hits in the
last four innings. One of the blows
was a home run by Haines in the
seventh that matched the run the Ma
tionals had made In the fifth. In the
latter part Of the seventh Washington
went ahead again, but came the eighth,
the bad bounce and the game was gone.
The Nationals got only two hits
on Mitchell in the first four sessions,
then they reached Haines for four. Two
of these were punched in the fifth for a
run. Tate. pinch batting for Spencer
singled and Tailed when Brown dou-
bled. Haines home run Offset this run,
but in the last half of the seventh Tate
made second base when his hoist was
muffed by Douthit, moved up as Brown
was thrown out and counted when West
Then the Cards settled the issue ir
the eighth. Frisch singled, only to be
forced out by Bottomley. Holm batted
croun6er toward short, but just before
the ball got to Bluege it struck de.
preston, bounced high over OsSies head
and rolled to left center. To make II
worse, West fumbled when he attempted
a stop, 50 Bottomley scored and Holm
pulled up at third. Holm was run down
when Roettger bounded the ball tc
Myer, but Roettger reached the fal
corner during the play and crossed as
Colbert singled.
The Cards checked In with another
run in the ninth. Wilson beat out 9
bunt to Myer and Haines sacrificed
Douthit's single completed the making
Of the tally.
Though with major leaguers for Q
time, the Nationals now are to tackle
some minor league outfits. Today, to-
morrow and Wednesday there are games
here with the Smokers Of the South
eastern League. After tomorrow's game
the squad will be divided, the regular
leaving for Daytona Beach to meet TIT
Montreal team Wednesday.
Those slated to make the early geta
way from the training base are Benn!
Tate, Roy Spencer, Bob Burke, FreC
Marberry, Garland Braxton, Paul Hop
kins, Joe Judge, Jack Hayes, Ossi
Bluege, Buddy Myer, Joe Cronin, Coos
Goslin, Sam West, Red Barnes and San
Rice. Manager johnson, Trainer Mar
tin and Coaches Altrock and Schach
will accompany this squad.