Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-02
AS GET FEW RUNS
TO LEAD FOR FLAG
Huriers Who Hold Foes to
Small Score TelI-Set
With Tigers Starts.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.


batterS, these owners of big
Il league ball clubS-and the
fans do, too-but cold sta
tiStics indicate that pitchers are
more necessary if an outfit Is to
be highly successful.
The Indians, the Nationals and
the Yankees are outSwatting the
Athletics in no mean way now
adays, but the world champs are
setting a dizzy pace in the Ameri-
can League and threaten to get
so far ahead of the other clubs
in the first division that there will
be no race for the pennant after
the season Is two thirds gone.
The Athletics haven't been making
many runs, but they don't require many
runs to win game, 1t seems. Their
pitchers see to it generally that the
opposition gets less runs. Pitching,
which the AS have plenty-and that
despite a so-called "three-man" staff
is why Connie Macks herd Of White
Elephants is heading the flag parade.
CONSIDER these Athletics, for in
~ stance. They have made only 205
runs thus far this season. The
Yankees have made GAG runs, the Ma
tionals have made 234 runs and the
Indians have made 221 runs. Yet the
AS are we'll ahead of all this lot.
What's the answer? Pitching only.
The AS have the stuff that stops the
other fellows even when they can't
cross the plate often themselves.
When it comes to getting ahead in the
race it certainly seems that the big idea
is to have the pitching to keep the
other clubs from making many TALES
instead of having to make so many.
r Asst figures published showed the
IL Indians to be batting at $40 rate.
The best in the league. Yet the
Indians today are behind three clubs in
the race. The Yanks and the Nationals
are batting 295. What does it get them
in the struggle with the Athletics, who
are clubbing the ball at only .278 clip?
Why, the Browns are hitting as well as
the AS. hut the Browns do not figure
In this years race.
proposition it comes down to the best
pitching. A club must keep its foes
from making runs, regardless OF what
It may club over the plate.
TAKE a look at the batting figures
i of the first division clubs. The In
dams are at the top Of the league
60 far as making hits is concerned.
They have batted at a great pace, with
- 1~1aA
lead-off man down to the occupant OF
the eighth notch hitting above 300. OF
course, the pitchers cannot be reckoned
with In this argument. That's big
batting ball club.
Consider the Yankees. They have
nve of their first eight batters hitting
we'll above 800, and the big Bambino is
walloping above 400. The Nationals,
too, are we'll equipped with clever bat
tiers. They also have five Of their eight
regulars above the pitching position
swatting in the 800 class. But without
the strong pitching these three clubs are
getting nowhere.
The AS, with no infielder hitting in
the 800 class, only two outf1elderS swat
ting that way and their catcher batting
the ball hard, are knocking this league
race galley west.
It's the pitching. and you can't get
away from 1t.
TOO wet to play the Yanks yesterday
l. to get rid Of the argument that
was postponed from April 90,
when a 14-inning tie was staged in
Griffith Stadium, the clubs finishing at
Tall, so the Nationals will have to carry
on against the Western clubs for 16
days in a row. The Tigers were to open
q four-game series this afternoon. AL
though the Detroit club has been taking
beatings with startling regularity lately
It cannot be regarded a weakling. Any
outfit led by Bucky Harris, the man
ager that led the Nationals to two sue
cessive league pennants and one world
championship not so long ago, must be
looked upon as worthy foe.