Evening star., 1932-04-11
GOING TO Be ROUGH
IN FIRST s WEEKS
rs Games With AS, Yankees
May Make or Break Mats
Before Trip West.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

speed IIOHl Tile very OuCSSb VI G1lC
campaign. The schedule for the
season to be opened today
weather permitting-makes the
early going so difficult for the
Nationals that any slackening of
pace within the first eight weeks
of tussling might very easily
eliminate them as serious con-
tenders for worthwhile laurels.
Manager Walter Johnson's band, in
fact, should about realize what it is to
get out of the pennant race before it
begins its first Western invasion of the
year early in June. Dates arranged by
the league Schedule Committee call for
the Nationals to complete before that
time more than half the number Of
engagements they have this year with
the Athletics and Yankees, their most
dangerous rivals.
When the Nationals make their bow
IN the West on June s, they viii have
played - given favorable weather - IL
games with the league champion AS
and IS with the Yanks, the club that
beat them out for second money in the
race last year.
1ney also Will udNc p1dHCO-PEONlOcO
their schedule be maintained-14 games
with the Red Sox and l3 with the
Western clubs, all Of the latter block
here. The Nationals ought to get much
out of these 81 games. but those Is with
the Philadelphia and New York clubs
will Just about make or break the year
for Johnson's jousters.
Unless the Nationals get the Jump on
the AS and the Yanks in the early
campaigning, it probably will be just
too bad for them. While sturdy at
home, the Washington club for several
years has been not so good on foreign
fields. particularly those in the West.
Should the Nationals fail to make much
headway in the scrapping with their
big Eastern rivals before attacking the
inland sector OF the American League.
their hope of doing things in this years
fac fight might well be blasted before
midseaSon.
COMETHING in the way of break in
- the schedule comes to the Nation
ais right of the reel. though. It's
sweet for them TO be tuSsling with the
Ped sox the first five days Of the cam
p3ign while those old enemies, the
Athletics and the Yankees. are banging
a-av ct one another in their first four
Ths Red Sox for some time have
been pleasant pickin's for the johnson
crew. so the early arrangement of game
dates may enable it to get head start
on IT'S arch rivals.
Then again the fact that the schedule
calls for AS and Yanks to ny at one
another Il times before they head
Westward in June may be of some help
TO the Nationals. It does not seem
ifkelv af Y1raSo1f that nffhar nf fha<a
clubs will make q runaway of their
series.
WITH Lloyd Brown returning from
w Chattanooga yesterday johnson
has all his pitchers under his
wing, but already he Is finding 1t
difficult to decide just who to use as
starters in the early campaigning.
Late last week he considered both Al
Crowder and Fred Marberry for the
pitching assignment in the opening
game here and did not definitely swing
to Crowder until Saturday That choice
apparently indicated the Nationals
would have on the hill for the season
Inaugural in Boston tomorrow Marberry.
Now johnson says Fred may not go at
all for he thinks Carl Fischer would be
the better selection.
Fischer is in excellent trim and the
washington manager feels this speedy
beft-hander has about the stuff that
would set the Red Sox on their heads.
Brown comes back to the club declar-
ing his portside pitching limb in fine
shape again and says he ought to be
ready to take turn on the hill in two
or three days. He is confident that
muscle manipulation who treated him
down in Chattanooga got all the kinks
out Of the arm and did the job 50
thoroughly that there will be no recur-
renee Of the ailment
A MOTHER erstwhile casual was to
"A report to the Nationals this after
noon. Joe Cronin, the peppery
shortfielder who spent several days in
Georgetown Hospital getting a sinus
cleared and having unruly tonsils sub
dued, quit the institution yesterday and
was to break into the starting lineup
today.
Cronin may be well enough not to
need further disqualification, but
whether he is in good enough condition
to Withstand the strain of playing is
questionable. For several days Joe
had a weakening fever and one doesn't
recover from the ravages of sinusitis
and tonsilities in a hurry
The Washington shortstop has plenty
of spirit and is as game as they are
made He'll be itching to play from
the outset. but with Joe it may be
case Of the spirit being willing. but
the flesh weak
Don't expect this peerless shortstop
10 be at top form for several days.
WASHINGTON now has an extra
w infielder it did not expect to get
He is Jimmy Mcleod, who blew
IN yesterday from Chattanooga. Nc
Leod. it was thought, was making
place for himself with the Lookouts
to which he had been optioned this
year. but President Joe Engle OF the
Washington farm surprised President
Clark Griffith Of the Nationals by
shipping the player to this town
Griffith says Mcleod now will stick
around with the Nationals instead of
being moved on to a minor outfit. The
Washington prexy thinks highly Of
Jimmy as a fielder and as the young
fellow can get along at second, short
or third IL Is figured he would be a
handy player in pinch.
TONIGHT the Nationals hustle out
l. of here not to return until next
Sunday. They have four games in
b. row with the Red Sox in Boston.
are slated to tackle the AS in Phila-
delphia SATURDAY. then jump to their
home lot for a Sunday tussle with the
league champions.
Too damp Yesterday for that exhibi-
ton with the Buffalo Club so the
Nationals are hopping into the cham
pionship season with three days Of idle
ness behind them.
COAST LEAGUE RESULTS