Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-03
JOHNSON TO NAME
!. MIDDLE MAN SOON
viii Select Myer or Hayes as
Club Travels North Next
/. Four Days.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Snorts Editor. The Star.

~ BIRMINGHAM, Ala, April s.
K Here for two of the five
- games that will punctuate
the return trip to the Capt.
tai, the other three being listed for
Chattanooga Sunday, Monday and
Tuesday, the Nationals are ex-
pected to display a little more OF
the dash and fire that will be eS-
Sential in their play If they are to
make a good start in the Amert-
can League championship race
week after next.
Up to this point the members OF Wal
ter Johnson's squad have performed IN
rather haphaZard fashion, apparently
not caring much about the result OF
their training camp games, which they
looked upon merely as aftording the
means for necessary exercise, but with
the opening date now close at hand
they may be expected to step out and
demonstrate what they can do when
they really are trying.
In their final drill at Biloxi yester-
day, an unusually long affair held I'M
der perfect weather conditions, newly
devised set of battery signals and signs
to be used in the various situations that
arise when instructions have to be
flashed by the manager to coordinate
the efforts of the batsmen and base
runners were thoroughly rehearSed, and
are to be perfected in the course Of the
10 exhibitions battles scheduled before
the curtain raises with the Philadelphia
Athletics at Griffith Stadium April IA.
u IGHT now it is virtually settled the
N Nationals will take the field against
the AS in the inaugural consti-
tuted just as they were when presenting
what was regarded as their strongest
front last season, with possibly one ex-
ception, it still being moot question
whether Buddy Myer will retain his
berth as regular at second base or be
supplanted by Jack Hayes. In that con-
nection Pilot johnson today asserted he
had not yet been able to make up his
mind between the two, but that he ex-
pected to reach decision by the time
the club gets back home.
"Myer has been bit OF his feed for
the past week, but another reason for
stationing Hayes exclusively at second
in the last few games was to get good
line on how he is shaping up" the team
leader asserted today. Thus far Jack
has put up his usual game in the field,
which means a good one, and he has
had his eye on the ball better than q
majority of the others. plan TO keep
him at second for a few more days, at
least, before taking final look at Myer
and settling the question. Jack Is the
better of the two in fielding, but Buddy
has an edge on him in an attacking
Snh DC eti1 L
TO see a little more OF both of them"
CONTINUING his discourse, johnson
~ intimated he would assign more
toll TO his reserves in the practice
games to come. especially to Joe Kuhel
and Harry Rice II would have played
Kuhel more than have except for the
fact Judge seems to be little slow In
getting started this Spring he said,
land has been left in the lineup in order
to get as much work as possible, Tor
that is what he needs.
"I want to get a better slant on Harry
Rice too, but that frisky old fellow out
in right field (Sam Rice has been
anxious TO play all the time and it Is
hard to run him out Of there. Manush
is looking fine this year and If he avoids
accidents ought to hold forth in left
field through the stretch Of l54 games,
WIlue west Is SUCH N4lAlS VI a ASA0Cl
! don't like to lift him from center even
for few innings at time, so I guess
III have to put an anchor on Sam Rice
and send Harry to right field for parts
of the practice games remaining.
THE latter looks good in a fielding
way and so does Kuhel, but both Of
them need some brushing up on their
hitting and the only way they can OBJ
tain it is TO get into the games, for we
won't have any more morning drills
now until We get home"
A L CROWDER was expected to start
IA in the box for the Griffmen this
afternoon in the first Of the two
games against the Barons here which
get under way at 4 o'clock, Washington
time. and go the route If he feels up 10
it. with Fred Marberry otherwise I'm
ishing out whatever part Of the battle
the General bequeaths him.
Tomorrow Lloyd Brown IS to get his
first shot at a nine-inning game and
thereafter whoever opens fire on the
mound for the Nationals will carry on
through to the finish unless he proves
unequal to the task.