Evening star., 1932-04-21
BATTING PRACTICE
ON 0FF-DAY SLATE
HurIers Must Get More Aid,
Says JohnSon-Burke Star
of Thrilling Win.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

- of courage the Nationals
have reached the heights
in the American League stand
After that stirring 4-3 win over
the Red Sox yesterday they share
the pinnacle with the surpriS-
ing Tigers. But Manager Walter
Johnson wants more than cour-
age to back that pitching, and his
charges will get extra batting
practice until they satisfy him
they are ready to pound the ball
plenty and steadily.
Although the schedule makers made
tomorrow a day of idleness for the
Washington club so far as a game is
concerned. there'n be no prolonged rest
for the playboys. All hands are to
report at Griffith Stadium in the morn
ing for a wand drill, and such a drill
will be the morning order for some
time to come.
They must swing into a real bat
ting stride" johnson insists. And he
doesn't mean maybe.
It's great break that we are get
ting fine pitching at present" says
Walter. What fix the club would
bein but for that. Why, outside of
those two games in Philadelphia this
week there hasn't been anything like
the hitting there should be.
THE Washington club has plenty of
power at bat, or it ought to have" the
pilot contends. "It will have, too, even
though the boys have to stick to these
v7anY1ai1o hoftirr lril i~t,%
With the lineup we have it's un-
fair to put SO much of the burden on
the pitchers. Then cannot be expected
to carry the load all the time" John
son argues. He ought to know, for he
had to shoulder the greater part of
the burden back in his early pitching
days when the Nationals were no great
shucks as hitters.
Our pitching has been wonderful
SO far, but it's time the batters were
giving some support to the fellows on
the HILL" according to the Washington
field general. With the season well
under way now the pitchers soon will
need a lot of help. It's up to the
batters and they must make good"
IF there's anything sore in Bobby
i Burke's arm today he wouldn't dare
admit it. Not after the natty mound
exhibition given by the stringbean south
paw yesterday in his season debut when
he set back the Red Sox.
Bobby may have had an ailing wing
during the training days down South,
but there's nothing wrong with q limb
that limited the Griffith Stadium guests
to five safeties and between a block Of
three hits was able to subdue 20 sue
cessive batters before yielding another
block of two blows.
Burke struck out but two batters and
those to end the first inning, but his
control was Of high order. Not a base
on balls did the Red Sox get of the
lanky left-hander.
Burke looked right In every way In
his first start of the campaign. No
doubt Manager johnson will find plenty
of spots" for Bobby this season.
MOT only did Burke hurl q nifty
IN game yesterday. but he hit his club
to victory 1t was Bobby who came
up in the ninth with the score tied,
two out and Bluege on third with the
potential winning counter. Bobby took
a cut at Specs MacFayden's first pitch,
the ball skidded between Van Camp
and McManus to right field and the
game was over.
There was plenty to thrill the few
thousands in the stands yesterday, al
though hitting was light The Red Soz
stepped into the lead In the second
session when Oliver singled and Nc
Manus parked a homer in the sun
parlor back of left. The Nationals
waited until the seventh to match that
count. Then two runs came from
singles by West and Judge with Rice's
triple sandwiched between. A fine hit
that of Rice's. The ball was slammed
TO the scoreboard back of right-center
Rhymes double and Van Camps sin
gle, that gave the Red Sox run in the
ninth, made the fans gloomy for out
side of that seventh-inning hitting the
Nationals had CLEANED but two bingles
of MacFayden. He looked a certain
victor.
There was more gloom than ever
when the first two batters up In the
home ninth went out. But Judge sim
gled and Bluege walked Then Spencer
singled over the tying tally and sent
Bluege to the far corner to set the
stage for Burke's big bang.
. ICE has been around the American
n League long time-since 1915, in
fact. But he's still a high-class
ball player. Sam was sent into right
feld yesterday because Carl REYNOLDS
still was nursing a mean cold and the
veteran not only gave a good account OF
himself defensively, but also showed
that there is lot of strength left in
those arms when he smote that telling
triple in the seventh. Reynolds may be
back on the job today.
The Nationals may be shy of reserve
strength In some departments. but thev
certainly are well fortified so far as
utility outfelders are concerned. Both
Rice and Dave Harris can step in at
any time should one of the regular
gardeners go out of commission. and
each is so good he wouldn't weaken the
club one whit. Rice still is star of
the nrst water and Harris. while not
so polished. is a much better than av-
erage performer