Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-20
EARLIER TIME SET
AT FANS REQUEST
Is Apt to Boost Attendance
Here-Kenna Let Out as
Bolton improves.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor The Star.

AOA4B N0loo'1 MdAOAA CIV
X will come as good news to
L. followers of the Nationals
that hereafter all games in
Washington will start at 8 o'clock
instead of $3.50 as has been the
case for many years.
In making this announcement
President Clark Griffith asserted
the change has been made in re-
Spouse to an insiStent demand on
the part of fans in the Capital, a
demand which cryStalized with
the recent granting of half holi-
days on Saturdays throughout
the year to Federal and District
government employees and which
inspired small army of them to
address letters on the subject to
club headquarters.
In setting 3 O'Clock as the starting
hour for all contests at American
League Park, including Saturdays and
Sundays, the Washington Club simply Is
adopting the practice that always has
been successfully followed by almost
every other. city in the two major cir
cults and is making q move that is
bound to prove popular with a very
great majority Of those vino regularly
patronize the stadium on Georgia
avenue.
As a result the attendance may be
expected to increase, for there no longer
viii be any necessity for the exodus of
punches Of fans during the seventh and
eighth innings and the cold dinners
those who stayed to the end had to put
up with happily VIII be no more.
The officials of the club, including
Secretary Edward B. Eynon, jr., whose
counseling carried much weight in the
decision to set the starting time up
half an hour, are in line for q hearty
vote pf thanks from the cash customers.
TN view of the rapid strides Cliff Boil
i ton has been making toward master
ing the intricacies Of a catcher's job
the fact that Ed Kenna has been
shunted back to the Chattanooga team
comes as no great surprise.
Kenna Is good receiver and If the
Nationals did not possess a youth of
such promise as Bolton would have
been a fine man to round out the
back-stopping brigade which has Roy
Spencer as chief and Red Hargrave as
first assistant.
Kenna, who liked his berth with the
Lookouts last season and is quite pop
ular with the fans CT the washington
Clubs Southern Association farm.
TETTING rid of Kenna means that
" Bolton is5to be fixture with the
Nationals and according to Man
ager Walter johnson the youngster
has q great chance to work himself into
q regular job.
I've never seen q young catcher who
displayed IS much improvement as
Bolton has since we opened camp
here" the pilot remarked today. Some
of those who had seen him play told
me there was no use trying to do any
thing with him, but in my estimation
be is anything but hopeless PROPOSE
don.
"Iu his games thus far he has han
6iSd himself about as well as any of the
other fellows back of the bat and he is
improving all the time. He has learned
to corral those foul flies in fine style
and is getting away from his former
habit Of lighting the ball when re-
ceiying it.
He has a strong arm and since he
has gotten onto the knack of shifting
his feet to be in position to throw, his
old fault Of pegging low to second base
has disappeared.
There is no question about his hit
ting ability and think he is going to
make q good base runner. too. had
him out on the lines yesterday and he
showed = surprising amount Of speed.
He also looked good in a drill on slid
ing into the sacks.
e"TXTHAT like most about him is his
w willingness to listen" johnson
continued, "he seems to be huStling to
make good and has the spirit that gets
a kid somewhere. He doesn't hesitate
to ask questions and remembers what
he is told. He still has a lot to learn,
Of course, and he may not do lot Of
catching for us this year, but he Will be
q great man to have around for pinch
hitting purposes.
II doubt II the youngster ever was
told anything about catching before
this Spring: don't think any one ever
took the trouble to point out things TO
him, and If he keeps coming on the way
he has for the last three weeks won't
be afraid to Use him back Of the bat,
especially with some Of our steady vet
eran pitchers.
He ought to develop into a capable
receiver in time. We are certainly going
TO give him every chance"
A RI FIDLER and Joe Smith were ex-
"A pected to make their mound debuts
with the Gridmen this afternoon in
the game here against the Spring Hill
College nine, which is said to possess
in Outhelder Murray, First BaSeman
Mettina and Shortstop Bellandea trio
Of promising young players. The latter
Is reported already in agreement with
General Manager Billy Evans of Cleve-
land for future trial with the Indians.
Tomorrow, when the LOUISVILLE team
comes to Biloxi for the first two games,
Bump Hadley Is expected to get his FIRST
trick OF box work, travelling about five
innings, with either Bob Burke or Wal
ter Tauscher finishing up, while against
the Colonies on Sunday Fred MarberTy.
Al Crowder and possibly Sam Jones will
get their initial pitching assignments OF
the year.
In the other sabbath engagement
which win md the Second-string Ma
tionals playing under the direction Of
Coach Pat Charity in Mobile against
the Southern Association club repre-
senting tiiat city, Lloyd Brown and Ad
Liska are expected TO do the pitching
with HaTsxaye probably receiving their
shoots.
a
TT IL likely when the Nationals again
i journey to Gulfport next Monday
for the fourth game Of their series
against the Orioles, Heinie Manush and
one or two other regulars will get little
II any wor<4o do.
The dianu3nd there is so hard and
the outneld % bumpy the athletes run
the risk of injury to their limbs.
Thus far the. leg which Manush in