Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-22


season began last week, the Ma
tionals were to encounter the
Athletics here this afternoon in
the inaugural not only of four
game series with the world cham
pions, but also of the junior major
circuits season in this city. Al
though hopeful of his clubs sue
cess in the battling here, Manager
Walter Johnson is beginning to
fret over some of his supposedly
star batterS who are not batting
and wondering how his pitching
staff will shoulder the burden II
these swatsmiths do not deliver
more frequently in the near fu-
ture.
In their seven games at home the Ma
tionals batted for only puny PIT
average and they had to do deal Of
hitting yesterday to make it that high.
Nothing like the batting that must be
done over a long stretch by club with
championship aspirations. The Wash
ington club is fortunate indeed to have
bagged SO many wins while hitting so
lightly. There's really but one reason
for its fine progress to date-super-
pitching.
But putting it up to the pitchers to
carry on day after day while the batting
order isn't functioning properly is likely
TO result in a collapse of the entire
works. It's too much to ask Of the
pitchers, no matter how good they
might be under pressure at times. john
son has every reason to be fretful over
the lack of hitting.
It is well that the Washington pitch
ing staff with perhaps one or two MEM
bers excepted is in such splendid con-
dition. It looks as though it may have
to bear the brlnt of the battle for some
time before the batterS get into their
true hitting strides. So far those here
tofore looked upon as stalwartS in attack
have failed badly and have not In
dicated they may step out soon and
begin banging the ball as formerly.
TTHoSE Of the washington club who
4 hit for fine averages last year have
been trying to figure what is the
trouble with themselves at present. One
says he is as free at the plate as ever,
but his timing is poor. Another says
he still is t'too tight in the arms" mean
ing really that he is pressing at the
plate. Still another admits he Is en-
deavorinR to adopt q new stance at the
plate and finds it Is parring his effect
iveness now, but is confident that when
he masters it he will be better hitter
than formerly.
OF ali the lot, though, Heinie Manush,
the Nationals best batter last year, Is
the only one to admit that "the pitchers
seem to be way ahead OF us this
Spring"
Heinie declares he Is swinging in the
same manner, thinks his timing Is as
good as before, but knows he Is going
after more poor pitches than he has
for some time. II don't recall preW-
Gus season in which so many pitchers
were In such great form this early. Most
of our pitchers are in midseason trim
and judging by the reports Of other
games in the league most of the pitchers
are way ahead of the batters."
do you think the bigger stitches in
the cover account in any way for the
better pitching, Heinie?"
well, I've thought of that, OF course,
but don't know whether they are
helping the pitchers" he replied, 81 do
know that the new ball shouldn't bother
the batter. If it is hit right it will go
Just as far as the one in use last season
and before. It does seem, though, that
the pitchers have something they didn't
have before at this stage Of the season.
Maybe they'll lose it before long, how
ever. Then watch the hitters knock
'em on that hill"
CAMMY WEST is having trouble with
his throwing arm again. The fiashy
outfelder has fully recovered from
the flu attack that laid him low not so
long ago and feels strong in every re-
Spect except in that left wing.
Only last week Sammy reported the
swelling gone from his arm, but yeSter-
day complained of it again and today
is receiving treatment from Trainer
Nike Martin. An examination Is TO be
made of~the ailing membsr and wnile
none closely connected will admit the
trouble is especially serious 1t may be
that the outfelder will have TO undergo
an operation on the left elbow.
It is rumored that surgeon VINO
helped examine Vests arm in WASH
dngton last Winter when the player
went there from Texas at the order OF
the club has limited that the original
diagnosis Of the ailment-inf1amma
ton of the elbow, due TO bone CHIP
embedded in the joints likely to be
substantiated by another examination
and that an operation TO remove the
cause Of the trouble would be neces-
sary.
LOW a ball club can be perfectly
i i awful one dav and how classy
the next was demonstrated in no
uncertain way by the Nationals in their
last two games with the Red Sox. Fol-
lowing the rough beating they took
Monday when they were all but help
less JohnSons hands turned on the
hapless Boston bunch in Griffith Sta
dunn yesterday to give 1t l2-to-3
drubbing
In doing so they collected 16 Safeties
OF three of the four pitchers Collins
trotted out. OF the quartet only Ed
Morris escaped a pounding Milton
Castor was driven from the slab by h.
old teammates before the game w.,
two innings old and when he left the
ball game was over as far as the Req
Sox were concerned. Jim Brillheart
came on to be the goat: then. after
Morris hurled three hitless innings,
young Walter Murphy was pasted.
Two of the hits of Washington bats
were homers driven inside the park in
the third inning. Bluege cracked one
past Oliver TO deepest center. then
Myer slugged one to the angle back
Of right center. Each home-run hitter
scored a runner ahead.
Fred Marberry started his first OF the
season on the hill and yielded seven
hits, keeping them well scattered. But
for brace Of errors by Cronln, the
Red Sox would have been blankeo.
None of their runs was Of the earned