Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-04
UNLIKELY TO HELP
!. ON SLAB THIS YEAR
Ads AiEing Wing Does Not
+ Yield to Treatment-Tie
81
= With BarGns.
BY DENNIAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor. The Star.

Judged by WnaC ne mas
l. shown thus far this Spring
AID Liska is not likely to
prove much of an asset to the Ma
tionals this year, certainly not at
the start of the season.
~ Due to a sore arm which has
tstubbornly refused to yield to the
miniStrations of Trainer Mike
Martin, the submarine ball ex-
sponent has been able to do but
little work on the hill, either in
games or the batting practices.
There is no way Of figuring out
when his tossing wing will round
into the shape that will permit
him to hurl effectively and those
connected with the club don't ap-
pear to be optimistic in that re-
.Spect.
Il So far as is known, Liska, who pro-
lceeded direct to Chattanooga with q
squad of others under the chaperonage
of Coach Pat Charity instead Of max
ing the trip here, has suffered no in
Jury, his arm simply having become
lame at almost the outset Of training
and remained that way.
He appeared to be in fine form in his
first stretch Of duty in the box in the
second game of the Nationals exhibit
ton series back on March Is. On that
occasion, facing the Baltimore Orioles
for three frames he allowed only one
hit and displayed splendid control.
He was net started again then until
two weeks later, in the final engage
snent at Biloxi last Wednesday, when
he relieved Sam Jones after the doleful
one had hurled runleSs ball for flve
sessions against the House of David
nine. Ad walked the first man to face
him, hit the next and then walked
another before he succeeded in retiring
= batsman.
Following this with q third free
ticket which forced in a tally, he was
excused from further duty by Manager
johnson, as it was apparent he couldn't
make his ailing ripper behave.
VTTHY Liska at the age of "A should
wv suffer with q disabling arm all
ment when every other finger in
camp including an old veteran like
Jones' has attained fine form under ex-
actly similar training conditions Is
something Of a puzzle.
VI Although not rated as q regular, 1t
has been expected the youth with the
underhand delivery would prove a de-
cidsd asset to the club in its battle for
the American League pennant this
year Last season he contrived to chalk
iip nine mound victories against seven
sstbackS and 1t was hoped he would
improve on that record this year with
spots picked for him and in a relief
capacity, but from the outlook at pres
es.f he Knf1ra cfaF7 r1I1Sf ha TRCaFda6
as a very doubtful quality.
r LLOYD BROWN was to climb the hill
IL for the Grihmen In the second
y. and last of their tits with Mana
ger Clyde Milan's Birmingham Barons
this afternoon and demonstrate by the
form he displays In q nine-inning effort
his fitness for the task Of facing the
Athletics in the inaugural of the cham
pionship campaign.
If he proves as effective as his pre-
yious performances on the mound
would indicate, the Mats should quit the
metropolis of Alabama without suffer-
ing defeat for the first time in Spring
training history. for they succeeded In
achieving 5-to-5 draw with the
Barons in the initial encounter yes
terday.
AL Crowder, who happens to be the
chief rival of Brown for the honor of
performing in the curtain raiser, was
the Grifhthian finger in this affair,
staged under threatening skies that
leaked a bit at times and held the at
tendance to a few hundred His show
ing was far better than the outcome
would indicate in view of the circum-
stances, which we're that he was at
tempting to travel the full distance for
the first time this year and was not
quite ready for the assignment.
nRIOR to this game Crowder had not
toiled for more than three frames
at any time. and until the seventh
ne turned the Barons back with only
one hit, and that scratchy bunt affair
that refused to roll foul for the waiting
BIuege. The General then began 70
tire, however, and In the next three in
fings yielded six hits which, with four
passes and an error by Cronin, allowed
the aliens to tally five times.
u The distance was a little too long
Tor me at this stage of the training,
that's ALL" Crowder said after the
game MY arm got weak toward the
end and I DIDN'T know where the ball
was going, but with that game under
my belt I ough. to be about ready for
a nine-inning fling the next time out
A GA1NsT the trio Of boxmen Milan
"A used the Nationals again looked
rather weak, only seven safeties
falling their way. Sam West, standing
at the tee where he was so badly
beaned Just a few years ago. alone Of
end his home-run clout into the right
field bleachers was sbout the only note
worthy feature Of the contest.