Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-17
SUB FILLS VESTS
BERTH ADMIRABLY
Apt to Remain in Lineup
Some Time-SaveS Game
by Great Catch.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

V Y turned over to the New
York Yankees a sum of
money supposed to have been
$4,000 for Harry Rice it made a
corking good buy. At that time
the club was looking for an ex-
perienced righthand hitting out
fielder, but found nothing In that
line, so it picked up Rice, who
swings from the left side, and
President Clark Griffith said then
that Harry was the best procur-
able. And what Harry has done
in battle this week makes Grif1th
sound right.
At bat Harry has been banging the
ball savagely; afeld he has covered a
wide expanse of territory most accep-
tably. Several of his catches have been
Of high order. and yesterday in the third
game of the series with the Athletics he
saved the day for the Nationals with q
spectacular fielding feat.
In the seventh inning with two AS on
the runway and two out the hard-hit-
ting Al Simmons was purposely passed
to bring to bat the light-hitting Phil
Todt. It seemed, however, that Phil
was to cross the strategy when he sent
D scorching liner toward right center.
The drive looked good for at least two
bases for Todt and three runs for
the AS.
Harry Rice, though. streaked across
the turf to his left, lunged for catch,
grasped the ball as he fell and though
he rolled over several times, chung to 1t
fast. A great catch in every way.
WITH Harry playing at such dizzy
w pace, Sam west, regular center
fielder. may have plenty OF time
to recover the strength he lost recently
when he suffered slight flu attack.
Manager johnson is In no hurry to re-
move this efficient substitute.
Instead. when West is ready to get
back into action he may for time re-
place one of the other outfielders.
Eeinie Manush Is having trouble clear
ing his batting eye and Sam Rices
fielding has been spotty from the start
Of the campaign. The latter, however,
managed to get hold Of the ball at the
plate yesterday after failing to do much
in the earlier games. He collected three
hits, all singles, in his I'VE times ut bat.
West was hitting vigorously In the
exhibition games before he became Ill,
and 1t was feared a serious blow had
been dealt the club when the fiu swept
him OF his feet just before the season
opened. Harry Rice, though, has done
so well that West has not been missed.
And so long rs Harry continues to do
well he isn't likely to be lifted from
the lineup.
THAT bane Of ball clubs, the injury
l. ink, has hit the Athletics early
this season Jimmy FoxX, their
clouting first baseman was hurt more
seriously than first thought when he put
on the brake after rounding second base
in Wednesdays game and twisted his
left leg. A hasty examination OF the
injury indicated Foxx had pulled a mus
Gle back Of and Just below the knee.
He left the club and returned to Phila-
delphia for q more thorough looking
over of the hurt by the surgeon to the
Athletics. so was out OF yesterdays en-
gagement.
Foxx may have 10 idle several days
and his absence certainly would be no
help to the Athletics. Connie Macks
club Is not so well balanced. 1t de-
Cochrane to get anywhere. The loss OF
one Of these stars Is q blow TO the AS.
Todt. now filling in at first base, may
be a better fielder than Jimmy, but he's
no Foxx at that plate. Foxx last year
batted for 1886, while Todt batted for
.269. Foxx helped the AS greatly with
81 home runs Todt hit only ii for the
Red Sox.
The world champions are quite likely
IN mics Jimmy while he is having that
leg repaired.
n ECRUIT pitchers had their innings
n Yesterday when the Nationals licked
the Athletics. TO T. and both Hank
Mcdonald and Walter IauScher looked
good
Mcdonald. = strapping 1s-year-old
pchooIboy Mack picked up In Portland,
Ore. started for the AS and was moth
ing easy TO solve. In four OF the seven
rounds in which he appeared he held
the Nationals hitless. He yielded only
three runs. the third crossing in the
seventh to break tie before ne gave
way to George Earnshaw with two out
Earnshaw was no better than on We'd
nesday and took his punishment IN the
eighth.
Tauscher. after Miller banged a dcu-
bic at the start Of the sixth, was sent
10 the relief Of Al Crowder, who had
Detn wen DdtltItu IIOHi llic ohtSth va
hostilties The AS promptly got 10
Walter for the tying tally, but then
he checked them until the ninth, when
two alien runners crossed the plate.
Only one should have counted. IN NIgh,
for it was Joe Cronin's tumble OF
thrown ball that gave the AS their
second run OF the frame.
CCORING was started by the AS.
hung in tho
fourth when Simmons, opening
the inning. pasted the ball into the
left-held sun parlor for his first homer
Of the season. The Nationals came
right back for two tallieS. Sam Rice's
single, Heinie Manush's hunted hit,
Cronin's one-baser and Judges infield
retirement producing them. MillerS
double of Crowder and Dykes single
Of Tauscher let the AS tie in the sixth.
The deadlock was broken by the
home side in the seventh, after two
were out. Spencer single, Tauscher sac
rifced and, after Myer popped out
Sam Rices single that Bolev cut down
moved Spencer 10 third. Manush'S two
Dagger Tailed Spencer. Harry Ricc's
triple. a squeeze play with Spencer
bunting a boot and hits by Myer ami
Sam Rice accounted for two runs of
Earnshaw in the eighth.
Then the AS threw scare into the
$500 crowd by picking up TWO marklrs
in the ninth. With one out Cramer
picked up Earnshaw's bat. and got a
single with a high bounder in front Of
the plate. Hits by Bishop and Haas
filIed the sacks Cramer crossed as
Cochrane grounded out. Then. for the
second time in the game, Simmons was
purposely passed to bring Todt. Phils
best was . grounder TO Judge. who
elected TO get Simmons going into sec
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