Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-18
ELDBROOKE RATED
AREAL CONTENDER
Four-Man Pitching Staff Its
Main Reliance in City
Championship Series.
BY FRANCIS f. STAN.


r. town Church Base Ball
4 League, ever hopeful, but
always denied the pleasure
to witnessing church nine sweep
to triumph in the sandlot classic
the city series, are waiting in
silent assurance for the barrier
to go up on the 1881 series, a week
from tomorrow.
1t has been some time since any
Georgetown League winner has
been regarded as possible city
series champion-the honor now
bestowed on Eldbrooke, which re-
Gently clinched the church title.
The Eldbrooke crew itself. albeit not
overconfdent, thinks it will bring to
the Georgetown Church League its first
city series championship, basing its be-
lief on its superiority over the Calvary
brakes, last years church loop champs,
who bowed only to the Pullman club,
city series winner in 1890 Convinced
that the Pullman team of last year was
stronger than any which will be in the
n,
BROKERS are confident without being
coeky.
Fine Mound Quartet.
1t is q clicky four-man curving corps
that Eldbrooke is banking on What
ever it may lack. comparatively. in
punch and fielding skill, the church
league outfit nevertheless, can hold its
pitching staff up for comparison with
any Of its week day league rivals.
The quartet of hurlerS is enyiable
Not one is standout among the four
Each is almost certain to get starting
job.
Bill Payne, who twirled the Saks
Clothiers to victory over the Dixie Pigs,
is the probable choice In the first game.
George Fletcher, Bob Freeman and
Clarence Walker may follow in that
order
Not until this season has Payne bios
soTned into real mound menace. He
catapulted into the spotlight in the
Saks-D Dixie Pig series by twice turning
back the Pigs after Charley Mannix,
No. hurler for Saks, had been beaten.
Fletcher, few years ago, was rated
one of the best schoolboy hurlers in
the city while pitching for Western
High. Freeman, in addition TO being
a clever moundsman, holds down first
base. Walker is the only southpaw Of
the quartet.
Team Well Balanced.
While the pitching staff appears to
be Eldbrookes main forte, the rest of
the team is well balanced. Schneider
is at third base; Scheele in eenterfield;
Thompson in left; Hunt at short; H.
2 Duryee in right; Fuchs at second, Free
man on first and Custard behind the
bat.
Eldbrooke won both halves of the
Georgetown League. Ia the second
half. with the Calvary brakes reigning
favorites to cop, the Eldbrookers won
10 straight games.
They may be kidding themselves
along. those church fans, but they APP
pear confident they'll go places in that
series.
I EON RILEY, ex-Griff rookie pitcher,
IL opened the Departmental League
season by pitching a no-hit moran
game against District Repair. Yesterday
ne closed the season by turning in a
six-hit game that enabled Commerce
TO down District Repair, to 2, and
win the league Championship.
Commerce started yesterday by manu-
featuring run In the first frame but
its rival came bsck in its half To knot
the count. The prcSceure was repeated
in the second inning hut Commerce
took one-run lead in the htth and
scored another in the sixth and last
inning. Darkness curtsiled the fray
BY its victory, Commerce won the
right 10 participate in the Weekday
League championship series, scheduled
to open August rs.
NAVAL HOSPITAL assured itself OF
~ the second half Government League
flag Yesterday by routing NAVY
Yard, % to s
The Sailors had a 15-run lead at the
end Of the third inning, toyed with the
CSunmakers during the next three and
then staged a rampage which was
stopped only when Navy Yard couldn't
get the side out IN the seventh and
called the game.