Evening star., 1932-06-10
CARL FISCHER BAIT
IN ST. LOUIS DEAL
Youngster Is Regained From
Browns in Exchange for
Erratic SouthpaW.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

" eral weeks, Clark Griffith,
president of the Nationals,
finally has completed deal that
may help his ball club consider
ably.
Although he had to let out Carl
Fischer, pitcher, to get Dick
Coffman, also a pitcher, from the
Browns, the move really strength
ems the Washington hill staff.
The left-handed Fischer for some
time had done little more than
warm the bench, but the right
handed Coffman should be able to
take a regular turn on the firing
line.
Coffman did much good hurting for
the Browns in the little more than
four years he spent with them. While
not constant winner, Dick has re-
vealed more ability as slabman than
has Fischer in this campaign. Coff-
mans finest effort as Brown was his
victory over Grove in a great mound
battle last season, victory that snap
ped the Mack left-hander's long win
ming string.
Fischer had been expected to help the
Nationals greatly this year. While at
training camp he was regarded a sure
fire prospect. But soon after the sea-
son started it was seen that Carl lacked
the speed that had made him SO effec-
tive at times, and the curve ball he de-
veloped in Biloxi faced out quickly.
Manager johnson couldn't see Fischer's
pitching satisfactory in any way, and
1t was no secret that Carl wasn't to be
called on for service so long as any
other hurler was available.
Coffman comes back to the club that
brought him up to the big show. The
Nationals got him from Chattanooga in
the Fall of 1926, and he Joined them at
the Tampa, Fla, training camp in '27.
Dick didn't stick long. He was farmed
to Jersey City of the International
League. only to be recalled. and with
Earl McNeely, the outfelder. sent to
the Browns in exchange for Milton
Castor, the pitcher now with the White
Sox.
Coffman was a mere youngSter when
he came up to the Nationals, and as he
Is but Is years old now, his new club
ought to get much service from him.
For the Washington club the deal looks
good. It doesn't lose a pitcher In
Fischer, for he was all but shelved. 1t
gets a pitcher who probably will prove
quite worth while-something the Ma
tionals have needed for some time.
DIGIT after today's ball game ends
X the Nationals are to board train.
st. Louis bound, that they may
have a good nights rest in hotel rooms
instead of curling up in Pullmans be-
fore opening a four-game series with
their ink club. the Browns.
For years now the St. Louis outfit
has been a curse to the washington
crew. but this time the Nationals are
hopeful Of getting even with the
Browns for those four successive lick
ings suffered in Griffith Stadium last
month.
Although still patchy club with
rocky pitching the Johnson band real
ly has an idea 1t will take the meas
sre of Bill Killefer's bunch in the I'M
pending set That it should after the
poor showing it made against the
Browns in Washington doesn't seem
reasonable. However, the Nationals
aren't even playing reasonable base
ball these days, SO looking Tor sue,
cess in tussles with club that trounceo
them so easily Is consistent with their
attitude toward everything in genera.
It looks as If, though, Manager john
son will have some difficulty muster
ing pitching strength that might up
set the Browns. Not one OF MS huli-
ers now seems capable OF turning IN
a good performance over g. 1ull route.
The pilot probably will call upon brown.
Burke. Weaver and Crowder to start
the contests in Sportsmen's Park, but
a. this quartet goes as it has been going
Marberry. Ragland and Coffman also
will see plenty Of action in the series
Washington's pitching staff Is nothing
dependable these days.
THERE Is a chance that Heinie
IL Manush, out of the lineup since
last Saturday when he pulled a
leg muscle in one Of the tilts OF the
Boston double-header, will go back to
left field at the outset OF the st. Louis
series. Manush has been having the
injured leg baked daily and this morning
he declared it felt well enough 10 permit
his return to action.
In the game again, Manush might
do much to bolster Washington attack
that hasn't been SO sturdy during the
soiourning In this town. Fol- three
weeks before he was hurt Heinie was
driving the ball high, wide and hand
some. The Nationals could stand those
long hits of his they haven't been
getting this week.
Joe Cronin, who Is nursing cracked
thumb bone, isn't expected do any play
ing in St. Louis, however. The hurt
digit Is healing nicely and Joe daily
dons his uniform to 60 through condl-
tioning work on the field, but Trainer
uTiC n
risk using the star shortstop until the
thumb is back to normal.
DEAT1NG these White Sox is nothing
ID easy for the Nationals. After piling
I'D a good lead yesterday the
Johnson band had to fight off battling
lot Of Chicagoans to cop, 6 to s., .
The White Sox, apparently licked, got
upon their hind feet to push over four
runs in the last four frames, then topple
in the ninth when they had q potential
tieing tally on first base with only one
out.
The Nationals scored their victory at
the expense of Art Smith, rookie
pitcher who reported to the White Sox
only last Sunday Smith, with the
seventh-place Toronto club in the Inter-
national League. had won seven games
and lost two this season. His seventh
win was a four-hit game against
Rochester. But in his major debut yes
terday, he was merely another Smith.
During the five rounds Smith toiled
he was nicked for nine hits and four
passes. Two Of the passes were con-
verted into runs and seven of the hits
figured in the tallying. One Of the
Wallops was a homer hit into the lower
right field stand by Sammy West in
the third frame. No one was on the
runway.
Two of three White Sox errors helped
the Nationals dent the counting block.
One, tumble by Red Kress of Carl
Reynolds roller at the outset of the
fifth frame. paved the way to the de-
cisive marker 1t was followed by Joe
Judges triple down the right-f1eld line.
1t was well the Nationals bumped