Evening star., 1931-05-10

~ tionals, fretted and fumed
about the hotel lobby to-
day because rain prevented the
scheduled tussle with the Tigers.
But Sam managed to put little
more into his kick against the
weather than the others.
I'm just beginning to feel right
and I want to be in there every
day." complained the outfielder
who because of a flu attack and
a sore working arm failed to
crash the lineup until the season
was two weeks old. "A lay-of
after starting never did do me
much good. Man, I want to keep
going"
How about that left arm, Sam7 Do
you still get a kink In 1t when you
swing a bat or does it bother you
throwing?"
mo, sir" Sam flashed back. "1t
gives me no trouble at all now. And
am confident the arm will not bother
me, or bother me enough to keep me
out of there any length Of time Why.
I am throwing now as well as ever
did. I cut loose with two throws In the
game here Friday and never even no
ticed putting an extra strain on the
arm.
and at bat I feel more free and
easy than ever before. can still no
tice that little lump on the inner arm
at the elbow, but 1t doesn't hurt in any
way when throw or swing. I'm ready
tell you, and want to keep going.
VYTESTS record since he returned TO
w the game on April 28 IS pretty
good proof the young, outflelder Is
ready" In the nine games he has
played throughout Sam has batted
way above 400. And he has smacked
both left-handed and right-handed
pitchers, too. They all look alike to
him now. he declares.
Sammy has had but one hitless
game since returning to action in CEN
ter field. He missed in the second one
| of the double-header at Boston last
Saturday. But he has more than made
I'D for that failure. Sam has been
specializing In two-baggerS. In his
nine games he has smacked seven.
That's getting plenty Of distance:
There's nothing wrong with VESTS
speed this season. II anything, he Is
faster than before in dusting from the
plate to first base. He Is making the
| inflelders hustle their throws and has
beaten out two inf1eld taps for Safeties.
Afield he has been roaming as he did in
the past, when he established himself
as one Of the best hyhawks In the ousi-
ness. Among his % catches to date
have been several Of sensational va
riety.
Sam feels in fine trim and isn't wor-
rying about that arm. No wonder he
wants to keep going" And If he does
keep going" West will be great help
, to the Nationals this season.
i town. And the weather man says
today's showers may carry on
through tomorrow and force another
poStponement. Lay-offs never seem to
have benefited the Nationals. How
ever, though down In the second divi-
sion, they are within such easy strik-
ing distance of the top that three
or four wins in a row might land them
there. With the players eager to snap
out of their slump the return to the
diamond likely will find them at high
pitch.
johnson Is not to change his pitch
ing plans because Of the poStponement.
Sam Jones, originally slated to hurl to-
day, will go to the hill If the Sunday
tilt is put on. Manager Harris, too,
expects to stick to his slabbing pro-
gram which calls for the use of Waite
Hoyt, formerly a teammate Of Jones
| with the Yankees. Bucky, who, by the
way, makes his Detroit home at the
same hotel where the Nationals stop
and greatly enjoys chinning with his
former pals in the lobby every morn
ing, figures to use Waite Hoyt TO-
morrow.
VXTASHINGToNS top heavy, left
| w hand batting order means that
again this year, as last, the club
will be called upon to face much south
paw slabbing. Already the club has
looked over a lot Of this kind Of pitch
ing and not so successfully. Unless It
soon shows better results Manager
johnson may resort to alternating
players In two positions according to
the style of hurting employed by the
It may be that Jack Hayes and
Dave Harris, now warming the bench
most of the time, will get the call over
Buddy Myer and Sam Rice while the
enemy left-handers are on the job.
That would give the Nationals bat
ting order of five right-hand swingers
and three portsiders down to the
pitcher.
Such a change might help consider
ably. Myer and Sam Rice have been
weakening to a great extent lately
against the southpaws. Hayes at times
has had fair success against them and
Harris when swinging well hits all
kinds of hurting. The change ought
not to weaken the defense. Hayes can
field with any one at second base
and Harris, despite his heavinesS, can
go and get 'em in the garden. Dave
can throw well, too.
TODAY'S postponement leaves the
i Nationals with three games to
play of later in the campaign and
they have been scheduled. The posts
ponement of April % in Philadelphia
because of rain and cold will be taken
care of in q double-header In Quaker
town on July Is. That 14-inning tie
with the Yankees in Washington on
April 28 will be played over on June
/, an of day in the original scheduling.
Todays game will be settled Is part
Of q twin bill here June %.
MICHIGAN TRACKMEN WIN