Evening star., 1930-05-21
ROSTER NOW But z
ABOVE LIMIT OF Is
Shifts of Players Likely to Be
Made Soon-Burke Held
in Good Trim.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

BY JOHN b. KELLER.
nEFORE the Nationals return
from their first Western
swing of the year, the clubs
of the big leagues, in order
to conform with their rules, must
reduce their playing rosters to not
more than Is players each. Un-
less some shifts are made in the
meanwhile, this means that on
June Is the roster of the Wash
ington club will have to be re-
duced by two, for at present there
are on the Nationals active list
~ players.
Those now listed as active members
Of the outfit are 10 pitchers, 4 catch
ers, Z infielders and 6 oufielders. The
pitching staff includes Herbert Pyle,
drafted from Chattanooga last Fall,
but never brought to Washington from
the South this Spring. Among the
catchers is Ed Charity, who really
serves the club as coach. In the In
field group Is Harley Boss, first sacker
returned by Chattanooga when leg
, injury made hir1 useless to the South
ern Association outfit.
So far as Pyles case Is concerned,
ulSIG UEOUdOky S uOtilkl1S W w
than formally turn him back to the
Lookouts.e This very likely will soon
be done, for In his training camp trial,
necessarily brief, because he suffered
with neuritis and could do little work,
Pyle did not seem to possess major
league possibilities. Charity perhaps
win be carried on the active list as long
rs room for another Is not needed. II
some new talent comes up, the veteran
catcher win have hts contract changed
from that of player to coach, just
as was done In his case last season.
IT'S different with Boss The Nation
ais are eager to get a good understudy
to Joe Judge, who has been first sack
ing for them for many seasons, and
now that Harleys leg seems well on
the mend, the youngster is apt to stick
around for another trial. It was hoped
regular toll with the Lookouts would
benefit ossrthis season, but his injury
kept him-out of the Southern ASsocia-
that he has come back to the parent
club those in command believe the
rookie might better be kept at hand.
nTHER shifts may occur, though,
~ before June Is rolls around. The
status of Carlos Moore, pitcher pur-
chased conditionally from Birmingham
last year, still Is uncertain. Moore's
purchase was made with the proviso
that II he failed to make the grade by
o certain date the Nationals could re-
turn him to the aBarons, Of course for
feiting the deposit made at the time
ance Of the purchase price, s6ad 60 be
considerable, would be paid on the date
In question.
Moore has had scant opportunity to
show his worth thus far, but 1t seems
the Nationals can, Ill afford to let 60
any pitching talent at hand until some
other Is bagged by them. At present
nothing in the way Of trades appears
In sight and Scout Joe Engel declares
he has seen nothing OF any real worth
in the minors that Is purchasable. All
the good-looking young pitchres In the
smaller leagues, according to Scout Joe,
are tied to some big league aggregation.
T Unless change In pitching plans
~ for the series with the Red Sox is
made today, one Of the games Of
tomorrow's double-header will find on
the hill for the Nationals Robert Burke,
the 23-year-old left-hander, who halls
from Joliet, Ill. For several seasons
now young Robert has been striving to
win his spurs as big Lacquer. but with
Indifferent success. Every once In a
while he has stepped out as q starter
and made good, but more often he has
been employed In relief roles.
Burke has been on the hill five times
this season. all In games here. He
opened fire for the flrst time against
the Red Eox on April 20. In the first
four rounds he yielded five hits and
three runs, then gave way to Liska.
That was the extent Of the Red Sox
scoring, but the Nationals had to 60 to
the twelfth inning for victory. April
80 he relieved Brown IN the eighth In
ming snd checked q New York rally,
but yielded q score In the ninth.
On May he relieved Thomas In the
second inning when the Browns were
hitting everything pitched to them. No
out had been recorded and Bob COM
pleted walk Thomas had started to
put two on. He made wild chuck to
left field after picking up sacrificial
bunt and three runs crossed, the bunter
rounding the circuit. The next batter
socked Bob for a triple and Hadley took
over the pitching, but the three-base
hitter later was sent home by O sacri-
nee. .'
Bob's next time out was May z, when
he relieved Hadley in the fourth inning
with two Tigers on the runway and two
out. He checked the rally superbly and
went on to pitch three more innings. In
which the Tigers got but one hit be-
fore he gave way to a pinch-hitter.
Bob was right that day and the next
time out, May IL, scored over the White
Sox in going q route and allowing just
flve hits. Two of the five hits and
wild pitch were mingled In the first
inning to give Bush's band two runs,
all they counted during the fray.
It took Bob some little time to get
started, but once under way he appar-
emily arrived quickly.
THARLEYHORSE or no charleyhorse,
~ Goose Goslin was expected to take
his place In left field for the Nationals
this afternoon, when the Red Sox were
to be tackled in the first of two sue
cessive double-headers In GrifYith
Stadium. The Goose's leg was still
quite sore yesterday and he was ex-
cused from the morning drill that had
all other Nationals In action, but Goslin
isn't the player to shirk when duty calls
and . muscle soreness probably viii
not keep him idle.
ID oY SPENCER has just about
N bagged the first-string catching
berth with the Nationals. The more
one sees of Roy behind the bat, the
more one Is impressed by his excellent
receiving and good throwing. He ap-
pears much better as batter, too. than
he did the little he was used last season
INJURED FIGHTER GAINS