Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-03
PILOT BASES HOPE
ON HURL|NG STAFF
Sees Much Worth in Vets
at Hand-Center Defense
Is Strong.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor, The Star.

* WdlL6I JO1l1ISOLl WIAdb 4AC
thinks of his pennant pros
poets this year and he will
tell you simply that he is hopeful.
The pilot of the Washington club
has the old-fashioned notion that
flags are won on the playing field,
not in street. corner conferences
or hotel Hobbies. And experience
has taught him that the uncer-
families Of the game are such that
nothing can be taken for granted
in base ball, therefore, he is max
ing no predictions regarding where
the Nationals will finish.
his arrival he has been approached at
various times by any number Of friends,
acquaintance, plain fans and some of
those cftizenry who never, overlook an
opportunity to engage a celebrity in
conversation. All eventually pop the
question and Walters reply invariably
is II think we have q pretty good
chance" He means Just that, too, and
For instance 1t Is an axiom Of base ball
that no team reasonably can hope to
land at the top of the heap unless 1t
is well fortified through the center line
of defense; that is, from back of the
bat, through the box, at the keystone
corner and on to center field.
With Roy Spencer TO shoulder most
of the receiving burden, well-balanced
staff of fingers, the redouhtable Joe
oA d. "a xyfnfy1ffyy
OF the keystone sack, and that king Of
ball hawks, Sam West. holding forth in
the middle garden, the Nationals seem
well equipped to MI the bill In that re-
spect.
Good HurIers ut Hand.
As for pitching, they possess in
Jones. Marberry. Crowdsr, Hadley,
Brown, Burke and Liska greater num-
Der Of good fingers than Is boasted by
any other outfit in the circuit while
the fact that they, last season. compiled
q team batting average Of 800, mark
bettered only by the Yankees and In
dams. would indicate they are well
enough heeled in an attacking way. I
However, 1t is contended, and rightly
too, that a championship aggregation
must possess, not merely hurting
staff of high. general ability. but at
mounds Bob Grove. Yves Ferrell or
a Ted Lycns-who can BE- banked on
70 turn in at least 20 wins In the course
of q season and who ~ more nkeig
than not, with gsIt-edged stpp0rt Afield
andek bat, to top that mark BY nve
- 9hore.
Pursuing this premise. johnson was
asked which Of the FINGERS under DIS
direction he considered the most likely
30 apt1fnva the GtSktnEtlCFf
genearIly regarded as essential 70
teams participation in world series.
He pondered briefly and then bobben
UP. first, with the name Of General
Alvin r. Crowder.
"Crowder Is q good pitcher" johnson
stated simply. "You know he turned IN
q total of 10 victories last season, after
0etfinr away to a very poor start, and
under more favorable conditions could
have bettered that mark by VIDE
margin.
DID Best with Nationals.
cas- remember it, he had only three
wins to his credit when we obtained
him from the Browns along with Heinie
Manush In exchange for Goose GoSlln.
That was in the middle Of June, so he
won Is games for US after q solid two
months of the campaign already nao
passed.
This year getting fresh start under
circumstances more congenial than pre-"
vailed for him with the rather weak
st. Louis club last Spring, wouidnt oe
surprised to see him top all the p1tchers
in the circuit. He did 1t before, you
know, in 1923, when he led the PACK
with 81 wins as a Brownie. In my es-
timaticn he is better pitcher now tnan
he was then. At 81 years Of age ne
should be just in his prime as such
~ Slor 4Va haze hall
Then there Is Marberry. He really
didn't seem TO have his old-time stun
last season, but he got by in good shape
so far as the records are concerned,
with Is wins, and that despite late
start. It was almost June before FREQ
really get in shape TO do himself justice,
and although he looked none too Tor
Inidable at times, even in some OF the
games he won, when he came through
largely because his mates got him large
clusters Of runs, he is of the winning
stripe Of pitcher and II he stages
comeback in the matter OF stuff ought
to turn in a flock of successful efforts.
Brown Likely Finger.
II also rate Brown as a strong cam
dIdate for high pitching honors. There
were stretches last season, especially In
the Spring. when he was by far the
most effective pitcher we had and, not
wtthstanding that he has been around
with US for some time, he still is moth
ing but a youngSter. It has taken
Brownie several years to fully develop
his capabilities, but I am convinced he
really has, arrived now, and there Is no
telling how far up he will go.
There are couple Of others who
might come through in big way, too
Hadley for instance, or possibly Jones,
although Sans need for longer rests
between games somewhat restricts his
chances. Bump has as much stun as
any pitcher In the business, and II he
ever finds himself he'll be top-hight
performer It may be this year.
What any pitcher viii accomplish
in given season cannot be figured out
in advance, as too many uncertain fac
tors enter 4nto consideration. Which,
II any, Of our bunch proves able to
turn in around rs victories is problem
atical
Maybe none will reach that high
mark, yet we still might win the PEN
nant. Last season no fewer than five
Of our pitchers hung up IS or more
wins. II they do as well this year, with
a couple Of them adding three or four
more, that ought 10 turn the trick.
The average pennan-winning team
in the American League finishes slight.
1y above the 100 mark In total of VIC
tories, the Athletics last year notching
102. for example. Well, we turned In
81 TO land second, so YOU can see that
OILY q little more success here and
there among the fingers would be suf-
1icient to land first prize"