Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-29
PUNCHLESS KUHEL
FIXTURE AT FIRST
Captain in ExCeIIent Shape
and Would Seem Asset
in Runner-Up Race.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

J
i on at first base for the
Nationals to the finish of
the season. Any plan Johnson
had of lifting the youngster and
sending back to the initial sack
the veteran Joe Judge appears to
have been abandoned. 1t was
thought certain Judge would be
given the chance to show how fine
is his condition again when the
club met the Boston Braves in
that exhibition in Worcester on
Thursday, but the captain did
nothing more than coach at third
base.
With Kuhel hitting so lightly and the
Yankees threatening to wTest second
place from the Nationals at any time
early during the recent Western tour
johnson was about determined to bench
the young fellow and put Judge back
on the sack. Kuhel happened to re-
cover his batting eye for day or two,
though, and the manager decided to let
him remain at first little longer He
said at the time that he still intended
u IEtukh JuGSC W Alho OAA PDSASASA4
should Kuhel not continue to clout
consistently
Kuhel's batting on the Western trip
was not strong and with the Yankees
closing the gap between them and sec
ond place it was believed the veteran
would get in the game soon. Asked
whether Judge would play at Worcester,
then continue as a regular TO help the
Nationals protect their second position,
johnson replied most emphatically
mo
Judge is in excellent condition phys
ically. His underpinning is as sound
as 1t ever was before he was stricken
by appendicitis here in May. And his
batting record for his major league
career is sucn that ne might be ex-
Eccted to do more hitting than Kuhel
for the club in its struggle to keep
ahead of the New Workers.
But it does not appear likely now
that he viii get back to the game in
any way other than as a pinch-batter.
TWO games with the Red Sox this
i afternoon. if it doesn't rain, and
the Nationals can help themselves
with victories. Their engagement here
Yesterday washed out by repeated show
ers, Johnson's charges picked up half
q game on the pressing third-place
Yankees and they can well afford to
gain all the ground possible before
tangling with the other big fellows of
the league all next week
Fur pitching in the twin bill today
Manager Walter johnson expects 20
use Fred Marberry and the left-handed
Carl Fischer. He had planned to en-
pioy Marberry yesterday but suddenly
switched to Al CrowdeT In announcing
the change. johnson said he again had
decided to hold Marberry in reserve for
the Sunday fitting with the Athletics in
Washington. That's of now. according
to the pilot.
Fischer is to get the assignment for
enc Of today's games instead of Lloyd
Brown, named only yesterday morning
sS the likely Saturday hurler Brown,
it seems. has developed thumb trouble
On the hurting hand, only a slight all
nlent. a mere Inflammation due to too
close clipping Of the nail, says Trainer
Mike Martin, but Brown declares it
would handicap him considerably.
Other than Brown there are two Ma
tionals ailing. Thev az Sam Rice and
Heinie Manush Rte pulled I'D yester-
day with q stomach disorder that kept
him from the lineup in the rain-cur-
tailed tusSle. Dave Harris took the vet
GRAMS place in right, but Rice is ex-
pected TO be on the job again this after
noon. Manush has a greatly swollen
knee. the result Of humping into Catch
or Hayworth at the plate in one Of the
Detroit games Heinie hobbies about
painfully, but insists upon remaining in
action.
The battered knee that worried Joe
Kuhel no little during the Tiger series
is wen healed now and the young first
sacker IS as spry as ever.
THREE times yesterday Nationals
4 and Red Sox tried TO stage a ball
game, but each time rain baked
them. They started on schedule and
went into the second Red Sox batting
turn when a sprinkle came and UNI
piTe Ormsby suspended play After a
delay Of 80 minutes the game was re-
sumed, but with two out In the Ma
tionals third turn at the plate down.
pour again halted proceedings This
time the clubs were of the field SO
minutes before trying it again Then
the game was carried into the Ma
ticnals fourth batting turn when an
other shower. heavier than any pre-
ceding one, made Ormsby cali it day
for all hands.
1uS as well for the Nationals, per-
laps for in their third inning the Red
Sox had smacked Al Crowder Tor
three hits and as many runs, while all
the Nationals had made of Danny
MacFayden's pitching amounted to two
Singles and as many passes.
should one or both Of today's games
be rained out one could be Transferred
TO Washington for a play-off on Sep
TENDER 81 If necessary for settlement
Of a money position in the league
standing. The Red SoZ invade Crl-
fifth Stadium that day to end wash