Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-19
THREE-GAME GATE
IS LESS THAN 5000
About 500 See Griffs Down
Birds When Error Nets
3 Runs in Ninth.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor, The Star.

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- tice afforded the Nationals
and they certainly are in
dire need of all they can get
their Spring exhibition games are
proving a decided flop.
AT the opener here a week ago
today with the Orioles only few
more than 1900 paid admissions
were recorded, with the best seats
costing but rs cents.
On their return appearance last
Sunday there was an even smaller
crowd and yesterday at Gulfport, where
the BaltimoreanS train, the attendance
was of such meager proportions the
Washington club got only $133 for its
end, which means there were only about
500 cash customers on the premises.
The inhabitants of these parts ap-
parently just don't go for base ball, re-
CARELESS of the brand.
IN all fairness to the natives, it must
i be said the tits staged thus far
have not been of a superspecial,
de luxe type and that of yesterday,
which the Nationals won by a count of
s to 3, was distinctly lacking in appeal
from spectators or any other stand
point.
So far as fielding was concerned the
Griffmen had little opportunity to dis
tinguish themselves despite their re-
cording of three double plays, the only
commendable piece of defensive work
in the entire pastime being a shoe
string grab of low liner by Right
fielder Boyle of the Orioles that robbed
Manush of q bingle with the corners
crowded in the second inning.
But for this circus stunt the Ma
tomas would have sailed the game away
then and there, for they already had
registered twice in that frame on bin
giles by Sam West Ossie Bluege and
Buddy Myer, with pass to Red Har-
grave from the generous Beryl Rich
mond, who toiled during the first three
chukkers for the Birds, sandwiched be-
tween.
AS it was, however, the victimizing
IA Of Manush left the Griffs one run
in arrears, as a single by Denny
Sothern, Capital sandlot graduate; a
pass to Joe Hauser, the home run king
Of the International League, and fluke
home run by Jim Stroner had gotten
the Birds OF to the three-ruH advan-
tage. The round tripper in reality was
a single which struck one CT those holes
the bumpy GNlfport outfield abounds In
and took crazy hop past ManuSh Tor
q roll to the fence.
This all happened in the opening
canto when Carl Fischer was on the
slab for Johnson's outfit and came on
TOP of the whining of two birds. The
clIrly-haired 1efthander faced only IL
men in the four sessions he served there
after, the one additional hit he yielded
being nullifled by a double play, while
four of the dozen were victimi2ed on
strikes.
YNN GRIFFITH, his southpaw
IL brother in arms, then climbed the
hill with Cliff Bolton as his re-
ceiver, Harry Rice in place OF Sam Rice
in right field and Joe Kuhel on first as
relief for Joe Judge. Griffith duplicated
his feat of the inaugural skirmish in
hurting rtlnless ball during the four re-
naming frames, but did not perform
quite so impressively as he was located
for five clean swat5, in addition to is
suing a pair Of passes. Double plays
helped him out of holes on two occa-
Sions.
Harry Gumbert, a slimly built right
handler, who Is entering only his second
season of professional base ball, labored
on the mound during the second set OF
three frames for the Orioles and I'M
corked such nifty array OF stun, In
GLIDING some real speed, that the Grths
we're handcuffed. The only bingle cred
tied to them during his regime was q
loft by Myer, which went for two bases
only because Johnny Gill lost 1t in the
sun.
TT was not until Lutte Roy, who re-
i ceived a trial with the Griffmen
several season ago at Tampa, climbed
the nil in the seventh that the Nation
i ~ -, 80 Nta, II
then they were aided and abetted by
the enemy. 1t was in that stanZa the
Cspitalians 'knotted the count on a pass
TO Myer, Manush's single of Roy's glove
and clean swat to right by Joe Cronin.
They got nowhere in the eighth de-
spite a walk to West and safeties by
Hargrave and Bolton because dual
erasure that Bluege drilled into inter-
Vened.
The winning rally was reserved for
the final frame. Then Harry Rice led
off by wheedling a free ticket and
scampered TO third when Heffner I'M
leashed a bum chuck of Manush's roller
with an easy double play in sight.
Cronin followed with safety TO right
which Solters allowed to get through
him with the result that all thrse run
ners checked in at the counting block.
nRIOR to the game Manager john
I son was presented with a hand
wrought billfold by a disabled
war veteran, who voiced the hope II
would prove useful following the next
world series.
Only the regular workout at Biloxi
Stadium was on the program for the
Nationals today, but tomorrow they
will swing into action again with the
Spring Hill College nine as their op-
ponents while tits here against the
Louisville Colonies are listed for Satur-
day and Sunday.
, The Newark team, from which Bax-
ter Jordan was obtained by the draft
route, would be glad to get him back
This was the information conveyed
during call on Clark Griffith by Pres
ident Jim Sinnott Of the International
League club which Al Mamaux is boss
ing. It means the Washington man
agement would be unable to farm Jor-
dan even II 1t wished to, although re-
turning him would save half Of his
5000 draft price.
EIINHVE NAV 1nAHF nANH