Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-16
Spencer Proving Great Asset
To Criffmen as Receiver; Has
Fine Record in Baking Thefts

ut. LOUIS, Mo- August 15.-Among
the Nationals getting along right
well this season include Roy
Spencer, catcher He has been
behind the bat In 102 games, more than
he ever took part in during any pre-
vious season as a big Lacquer, and has
been a sterling receiver. He is batting
in the high .27o's, having picked up
more than 30 points over his 1880 aver
age. And he has been winging out
would-be base pilferers in excellent
style.
In the 102 games in which Spencer
has been behind the bat. runners of the
opposition have stolen % bases. Those
% steals were accomplished in II games.
Early in the season the Yankees ran
wild on Spencer's arm, stealing four
bases in one game Nearly three weeks
later the Browns managed to steal as
many as two bases in one game. That
was here on May Is. Only once since
has the enemy managed to steal as
many as two bases in game at Roy s
expense. The Red SoX did that in Bos-
ton on May IS.
The last IL beatings Roy's arm has
taken have been spread over as many
games and the IL games spread over q
stretch of nearly three months Of play.
Spencer has a fine score against those
who have tested his arm. While %
bases have been stolen with him behind
the bat, his sturdy wing has frustrated
So theftS. The opposition respects
Spencer's arm greatly. Compared with
the number of runners challenging the
ay4y aE all ankaNarc ~ the America
League, those daring Roy's right wing
are few.
When Spencer, after being declared a
free agent BY Judge Lands in the early
Spring of 1929, sold himself to the
Washington club for $4,000 there were
many who questioned the wisdom of the
buy. Now 1t looks as though Clark
Griffith knew Just what he was about
More about that Chicago setback.
just before the Nationals left the Windy
City fans there were wondering why the
club stood so high in the league. Why.
our punk bunch beat you times In IL
games in Comiskey Park this year.
making your club look about the weak
est visiting here" They were right
about the showing made by the Ma
tionals in Chicago, but there were good
reasons for that last three-gameS@to-
0L3C ARbAAAGs A@AGNEC At ~ eAAAA~19 ~ N-Nt
got but one hit, and that in the first
game, in which MaTberTy's fine pitching
earned the Nationals their lone victory.
0ssie did not score run or drive one
across Six Washington pitchers were
helpless before the White Sox attack in
the second and third games!s They were
Crowder. Hadley. Fischer. Liska, Burke
and Brown. Crowder. took two lickings
In as many days, the first in three and
one-third innings and the second in one
and one-third innings. Kuhel went TO
bat IA times for just two hits, and he
got those the last two times at bat Be-
fore getting those hits he had had nine
chances to advance a base-runner. And
missed. Crorin and HSrris forgot TO
swing their bats. then gave the umpire
dirty looks when strikes were called.
And the Nationals made seven errors in
the four games, five helping the White
Sox toward runs Much wrong In that
series. But perhaps the johnson band
has all that poison out Of its system
now.
Two games here Sunday. with Fred
Marberry and Lloyd Brown doing the
pitching for the Nationals. Sam Gray,
who has trimmed the Washington club
four times in five starts against 1t this
year, Is slated to huri one OF the games
for the Browns. Either Wallace Hebert,
youthful southpaw, or George Blae-
holder, right-hander. is likely to go to
the hin for the other.
The washington business manage
ment learned today that Mondays and
not Tuesdays game is being moved up
TO make the Sunday bargain bill. This
means the Nationals must idle here a
day. And ii it rains on Tuesday the
scheduled engagement win be trans
ferred to washington for play-0H when