The Washington times., 1931-09-10
GR|FFS OPEN
LAST HOME
STAND
BY GARRETT WATERS


left before the 1881 major league
baseball season is thing of the
past. In the case Of the Griff-
men, every day will be an impor-
tant one, as the winning of Sec
ond place will be at stake.
Inability to defeat the Western
clubs has been failure Of Man
ager JohnSon'S men this season.
Fortunately, they have been a lit
tie better against them at Grit
fifth Stadium, but this question
still arises: will they be able to
defeat them during the last home
stand of the year, which begins
today?
Pitching to Decide
It's a cinch Manager JohnSon's
men must play up-to-the-minute
ball or find themselves the trail
ers for second place. The Yau-
KEGS certainly are hot after the
position and are playing the
game of their lives at the pres
enN moment in an effort to
snatch things at the first break.
Once more the old battle
Scared argument Of pitching
comes to mind.
Pitching, and nothing else,
will rut the Griffmen over. and
it is being demonstrated every
day by the good work one day
and bad the next Manager
JOhnsOn's hurlers are display
ing at this time.
A few favors in the breaks will
help the Grifs also. That is to
say, a few Griff victories at times
when the Yanks are losing will
help and make the battle a one
sided affair-if the GriffS can
only be the team to win in the
instance, and not the
Yanks. as it would be turned
around the other way.
There is one important consola-
ton left, going on the thought
that the Griffs have trouble in
defeating the Western clubs. And
that is the final four games Of
the season with the Yanks at the
Yankee Stadium.
Play Indians Today
This series might decide the
battle. These contests, by the
way, are scheduled on September
%. "a. IS and 26. The next day
the Griffmen return home to
Griffith Stadium to end the sea
son once and for all by playing
the Boston Red Sox in a game
that should be gravy" for them,
in view of the fact that the Yanks
will be finishing with the AS as
their opponents at Yankee Sta
dium.
But to get to the present.
The Cleveland Indians are here
today for the first Of a three
game series. Lefty Lloyd Brown
is to start against Manager
Peckinpaugh's men, while Mel
Harder is likely to oppose.
The remainder of the Griff
hurlerS for the set will be Mar
berry and Jones. There will be
no game tomorrow as it's an Off
day in accordance with the sched-
ule. Too bad, ladies, better luck
next week.
General" Alvin Crowder GER
tainly played the hero role yester-
day as the Griffmen defeated the
AS, 2 to /, in a 10-inning thriller.
Not only did he pitch a splendid
game-in fact, his best of the
it fell to his lot to
sock out the hit which decided
the issue.
CrOwder in Star Role
It came in the tenth, with no.
body out and two on base. Bluege,
first up in the tenth, drew a walk.
Spencer singled Ossie to second.
Here Crowder's duty was to sacri-
flee. He tried twice, but his at
tempts rolled foul each time. He
then picked out one of Walberg's
choice pitches, sending it to cen
ter field for the hit which regis
Tered the deciding run.
CrOwder granted the AS six
hits all told. One was a homer
by Jimmy FOxx in the AS
fourth. This tied the score at
the time at IL, as the Griffs
took q 1-tO-O lead in the Sec
Ond when Cronin scored from
third on an infield tap to FOxx
by Kuhel. Frisco Joe opened
the inning with q double and
advanced to third as Harris
was being thrown out.
Crowder's victory marked the
fourth straight he has turned in
against the AS this season. It
also was the fifth time he has
beaten the AS. And, finally, it
marked the fourth time he has
won in his last four starts. Has
the General come into his own