Evening star., 1930-06-23
PRACTICE MAY END
BLUNDERING PLAYS
GriftS Hurt Recently by TaC-
tiCaI ErrorS-VanquiSh
ChiSox in Final.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

BY JOHN B. KELLER.
A 4 ORNING practice for the
I'M Nationals may be ordered
f unless they buck up quick
ly and acquire the habit
of winning more games than they
lose. While Manager Walter john
son has had his club out for
few forenoon sessions this season,
he has not favored making the
practice a daily affair, but with
the Nationals victorS in only 7
of their last 81 engagements he
Is likely to call them out. Despite
the hot weather, too. Too many
tactical blunderS have been made
recently by the players, and it is
believed the knowledge gained in
drills would prevent the Nationals
repeating these blunders often.
Then. too. it is felt the pitchers OF
the Washington club could contribute
more to its attack than they have. Cen
orally the stepping to the plate of
member of the Nationals hurting corps
has meant just another out this sea-
son Now pitchers are expected to
pitch rather than boost batting aver
ages but there seems no reason why
Ditcher should not be able to help in
the offensive when teammates are on
the base path. Yet thus far none OF
the washington hurlerS has shown he
can bunt well enough to shove along
q runner.
In fact, almost every National could
well afford to have a few lessons in
bunting While the club has resorted
to the sacrificial tap little this season,
preferring rather to follow the hit-and-
run system, it is believed the time has
1zsy ton afA
be diversified 1t lacks the element OF
surprise and the bunt might supply
this.
TT NAV be the Nationals outfield or
4 ganization will be changed during
the current series with the Indians.
Sam Rice, veteran gardener, was
Whacked twice by pitched balls yester-
day. The first of the whacks was not
particularly severe, the ball landing In
dhe small of Sans back. The second,
Hhough, was on the inside OF the IeIt
Kep Immediately above the kneecap. IL
Sanded while Rice was at bat in the
fourth inning and he had to give way
10 Dave Harris after reaching second
while no time was lost In treating
Me bruise, it was feared Sans leg
would stiffen to such an extent ne
Rould have to remain out OF action
Nav or two Should this be necessary,
Earris or Loepp will play in right field
When the opposition uses right-hand
hurler and Loepp in center with Harris
IA right against left-handerS.
Perhaps a day or so OF rest mgnV
benefit Rice other than permitting the
hurt leg to become sound again. Sam,
kho led the league at bat so many
&eeks, has been in something OF a
Hump lately. True. he has been get-
Ing hits, but he has not punched as
SoiidIy as he did up to the middle OF
This month. A bit of idleness might
bring his batting eye around once
b1ore.
ERRATIc fielding by the Nationals
~ in the last two games OF the series
with the White Sox left Washing
ION faudom commenting on a supposed
bump In the clubs defense. Many be-
heyed the Nationals had fallen far be-
SDy the standard of play aield they
established before encountering the
trouble they have in their last 81
names. AS a matter of fact, the Ma
EonalS have averaged fewer errors per
game during the past Fl games than
they did in the 81 previous engage
nnerts, when they were burning up the
kague. They made Al errors in the
,6rst six weeks of the season when they
scared to the top Of the league. In the
past three weeks the Nationals have
been charged with 26 misplays. Per
haps the making of seven errors In the
kast two White Sox Tits misled the
bans.
lad LISKA Is something Of a flelding
n pitcher. In the IA games in which
he has participated the Submariner
Aar y,,aIa cevyaT1 rf1tnUtq and "A assists.
Not one error has been charged against
him. That's averaging S.21 chances
accepted per game. But Liska has
pitched but 81 2-3 innings, so for each
block of nine innings he has averaged
k37 chances accepted. Super-heldlng
Npr a pitcher these days.
The greatest fielding pitcher was Ed
Walsh Of the old White Sox club Back
n 1907 Walsh accepted 262 chances
Remarkable when it is considered the
kecord for chances accepted in a sea-
son by a pitcher in the National League
k but 1853. Christy Mathewson made
It in 1908. But Walsh was in Sc games
kn 1907 and Mathewson in the same
humber in 1908. Pitchers these days
bon't work like that.
K ISKA chucked the route against the
IL White SoX In the series final yes
Vas inclined to be wild frequently-he
Issued six passeS-he allowed only five
kafeties spread over as many innings.
&Ae Nationals backed his tight slab
birg with 13 hits and tucked away the
game, 10 to g. The win gave them an
Sven break with the White Sox in the
bRt
Manager Bush sent three hurlers to
Me firing line and the first two yielded
Scores The left-handed Bob Weiland,
who started, pitched to five batters
Eithout getting any one out. Loepp
Eingled, Rice was hit and Manush filled
S1e bases with nifty bunt. Cronin's
walk pushed Loepp across and Shires'
Nngle scored Rice. Hal McKain re-
blaced Weiland and Myer greeted him
BY singing. The hit sent over two more
huns and a wild chuck by Clancy after
he had erased Myer, who was caught
krying to scramble back to first. let
shires tally.
With Myers error, a pass, a single
had a sacrifice, the ChisoX garnered
no runs in the second, but the Ma
kionals came back to score once in the
kame frame and in the fourth. after
McKatn departed with one run over
knd the bases filled hit and a sacri-
bee off young Ed Walsh accounted for
nc last of the home tallying
After the second Liska had but one
formy inning, the sixth. Then a sec
bnd error by Myer, hit and two passes
A,,T Nol ho 1aV-lya