The Washington times., 1931-03-14
LEFT T-HANDER
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BY JOE HOLMAN
Times staff Correspondent

BY JOE HOLMAN
Times staff Correspondent
BILOXI, Miss, March 14.-Left.
handler Lloyd Brown may hurl the
opening game for the Washington
club against the Philadelphia Ath'
letics in Griffith Stadium on
April IA. Manager Walter John
son today said, when asked regard
ing the assignment:
81 like Brownie, although 1
can't say definitely at this early
stage of the training season.
I'm not forgetting the way
Brownie went last spring. He
was our most dependable man.
I'm looking mostly to him Of
all the pitchers to get an early
start. You'll remember he
pitched the second game Of the
season last year and won after
Fred Marberry had lost the
first game.
"Of course if one of these
big right-handers like Marberry
or Bump Hadley comes through
before we hit Washington, 1
may pitch one of them.
But for the present l like the
chances of Brown to stack up
against the AS in that opener.
He's been down here almost
two months, getting in trim.
You know he came here vOlun-
tariIy a month or so before the
first squad. Fishing and hunt
ing helped him a lot. At pres
ent I regard him as the best
conditioned pitcher in camp.
IF the southpaw hurler does his
stuff it will be the first time ne
has been awarded the honor OF
pitching an opening game.
May Keep Rockies
Don't be surprised if Lynn
Griffith and Walter Tauscher
are among the Griffs' MOUNDS
men when they steam into WASH
ington early next month. Man
ager johnson likes both, but espe-
cially Griffith. He said today:
.eThis Griffith is going to
make a good pitcher. l can't
saw right now if he'll DE with
ms when the season opens for
M's a little too early, but l
still wouldn't be surprised. He's
got a good fast one, an excel-
lent curve ball and a knuckle
hail that surprised me. 1 liked
his performance in the game
with the Orioles Thursday"
AGAINST the Baltimore clu
Griffith, a left-hander, Wen'
three innings and pitched hltless
hall. Walter also brought out tne
fact that Lefty has his snare OF
The first Washington players
heard of the portsider was lasl
summer. While on one OF the
western swings, it was an
rounced by President Clark Grl1
fifth, who was along, that Joe
Engel had wired he had signed
a pitcher.
rWhat's his name?" queried
sports writer's.
"Same as mine," came back
Prexy Griffith.
'WeII, how about the first
name?" persisted the scribes.
81 haven't the Least idea.
All 1 know is that Joe Engel
wired saying he was a left
handler and pitched for Joplin
in the Western Association.
Guess you all can call him
Lefty"
So Lefty" it was. Until II
was found he was baptisec
Lynn"
"Say, we were breaking our
necks going after those 'buI,
letS'."
Thus spoke veteran Griffmer
and others last night. They
were talking about Bump" Had
ley's curve ball in yesterdays
batting practice.
Bump" given permission by
Manager Walter johnson, bore
down with everything he had
against the would-be hitters
Fence-buSters were forced to con
tent themselves with trying tc
get one out of the infield. Very
many others could not touch
Hadley's smoke" at all,
Raised Stitches Help
Not the least of the flatterine
things said about Bumps" hurl
ing yesterday was the comparison
made by batterS between th'
Griff finger end George Earn
shaw, of the Athletics. They de
clared that Hadley's curve was
every bit as good as Earnshaw
whose round house" is considered
best.
The raised stitches Of the
new dead" ball was given as
the reason for the big hurler'S
ability to BATTLE his teammates.
Ad Liska, Lloyd Brown, anC
Rohbv Burke were given Specia
tutoring in today's drill in prepa
ration for their pitching assign
ments in tomorrow's game witt
the baltimore orioles here. Eacl
will do a three-inning turn.
Tomorrow's tilt will be the sec
ond exhibition Of the Griffs