Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-30
ROOKIE is STEADY
IN 5-FRAME TRIAL
Shows Good Screw Ball and
Fields WeII-SchaCht Is
Hurt Severely.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor, The Star.

considerable value 10 the
Nationals this season is being fur
niShed as the training campaign
progresses. The curly haired
draftee from Dallas of the Texas
League displayed enough stuff in
the hitting drills to warrant the
belief he will be a handy man to
have around during the cham
pionShip campaign, and yesterday
at Gulfport, when the Griffmen
registered an 11-to-4 verdict over
the Orioles, he flashed an assert
ment of shoots and exhibited pose
to a degree that entities him to
serious consideration as a disable
member of the staff.
In the Sabbath encounter, staged in
good weather before crowd of about
500, Tauscher officiated on the hill dur
ing the first five frames and, despite a
foot lame from being struck with a
batted ball, yielded only four SafetieS,
with never more than one to an inning.
Although with a tendency to wildneSs,
evidenced in the fact he walked two
and also hit pair of Birds, which was
due in measure to his injured hoof, he
hurled runless ball under circumstances
that would have unsettled less bal
anced performer.
Due to the hit batsmen, the passes
and the safeties he allowed, in addi-
ton TO miSplayS by Harry Rice and
Jack Hayes, there wasn't single round
in which the Orioles didn't have one or
more men on the runways. With the
l.. -
body out and the first two men up
reaching base on another, Tauscher
contrived to emerge unscathed. Double
plays helped him out twice, one of
which he started himself.
AL SCHAcHT, who volunteered to
IA call the balls and strikes in the
absence of Umpire Van GRAHAM
and who did splendid job of it until
knocked out by a foul tip from the bat
of Second Baseman Byrne James in the
seventh, today was enthusiastic over the
showing of Tauscher. Being former
pitcher of parts himself and having in
spected the former Texas Leaguer's rep
ertoire from the best possible point OF
vantage, the coach's testimony is both
authoritative and relevant
Tauscher convinced me he Is quite
a pitcher" Schacht aserts. HE couldn't
get his curve ball to behave. keep
ing it in too close instead of out
side, where 1t must break to be effective,
but he showed plenty otherwise, includ-
ing first-class ability at fielding his
position. He has a sort Of screw ball
that is deceptive and fast ball that
will fool some Of the best of them. 1t
is speedier than it seems to the bats
man; kind of sneaks UP on him, and
takes a sharp, although not very wide,
break. 1 think he should be able to
get by under the main tent in nice
style"
Schacht also had good word to say
for Lynn Grifith, the raw-boned south
paw who finished up the fracas and
yielded the Orioles their quartet CT
tallies on as many hits and a trio OF
passes in his first two rounds on the
rubber, although turning them back in
order in the eighth and ninth innings.
THE youngter has lot OF stun,
spoke Al land instead OF being two
years away as some Of the boys seem
TO think, ought to be able to show you
something along about September If he
gets scme steady work in the mean
while to polish of the roughsedges."
THERE never was any doubt, after
i the second inning, when the Ma
ticnals collected five safeties and
four runs. how the game was going to
terminate, only as to the final totals.
For a change the Grifhthian gang
stepped out and amassed safeties in
punches, an aggregate Of IA being cred
tied to them, and in commenting on
this unusual fact Schacht reminded all
within earshot that 1T took my sec
ond-string squad to do it,"
This observation was prompted by
the fact Judge, Myer, Cronin, Manush,
Sam Rice and Spencer we're excused
from making the trip and had nothing
more strenuous in the way Of exercise
during the day than whacking golf balls
around the course back Of the Biloxi
hostelry.
The catching department was espe-
cialiy prominent with the fail, Pinkie
Hargrave collecting a double and two
singles for his three trips TO the pan,
while Bolton got a two-bagger as well
as a single for his two efforts Hayes
and Bluege also we're prominent on at
tack, JACK getting a double and two
singles in SIX times up, while Ossie
registered a two-bagger and single on
his two official trips TO the tee before
Baxter Jordan relieved him OF MS
duties at third base.
This win for the Nationals was their
fourth in seven contests with the
Orioles, with one having been tie.
Manager Maisel's men will have 10 grab
both Of the games remaining in Wash
ington and Baltimore to finish the series
on even terms with them.
THERE is no question, schacht had a
i narrow escape from fatal injury
when he was felled in the seventh
inning. Grifith put everything he had
on the pitch, fast ball, and it merely
tipDed the bat of James and struck Al
squarely over the heart, missing the
skinny catchcr's chest protector he was
wearing.
schacht reeled and then slowly crum-
pied. At first it was thought he
vas Glowing, but it soon became
apparent he was seriously hurt. Arti-
fetal respiration was TeSorted TO under
the direction Of Trainer Mike Martin,
as Schacht seemingly had ceased TO
breathe. A physician then was located
in the stand and after getting hypo-
dermic injection to stimulate heart ac-
ton he slowly recovered and finally was
able TO walk from the field unassisted.
Today, aside from being a bit weak
and sore, he seemed TO be fully recoy-
cred.
AL missed few" as the umpires
n put it, during the time he was
calling them, but in the main his
Judgment was good and his decisions
prompt He gave the impression of be-
ing q good prospect for an arbiter, but
after his experience Of yesterday may
be expected to pass up the business,
volunteer or otherwise, and stick 10
coaching at third base.
TTTHE Nationals tomorrow take on the
House of David nine for a skir-
misn at Biloxi Stadium, their last
before breaking camp. Next Friday
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