Evening star., 1932-08-02
SERIES TO Be FIGHT
FOR FOURTH PLACE
Johnson Thinks Bobby Burke
Can Qualify as Emergency
First BaSeman.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

~HICAGO, August Post
ponement of yesterdays
" game with the White SoX
because of a wet field in
Comiskey Park isn't to bring
about any alteration of the Ma
tionals pitching plans for the
remainder of this swing through
the West. The rotation of starters
established at the outset of the
tCur-Brown, Weaver, Crowder
and Thomas-will continue, Man
agar Walter Johnson declared
today.
This meant that Crowder and not
Thomas was to face the Chicagoans this
afternoon if a contest could be staged.
Weather conditions this morning were
not so favorable.
With no game today CroWder would
be held for tomorrow's opener OF the
four-day games series with the Tigers
in Detroit. otherwise, it will be up to
Thomas to face the Harris horde in the
Wednesday tussling.
TTHOSE Tigers have been tough for
l. the Nationals this season. They
have licked Johnson's charges 6
&meS in IL starts and it may be that
the set to finish the week for the Wash
ington and Detroit outfits may turn out
F. struggle for fourth place in the
American League race.
The Tigers took that position from
the Nationals early in series in Grit
fifth Stadium last month. only to have it
wrested from them before the fitting
ended. There was a chance, however,
that play today might narrow the gap
between the two clubs so much that
with a clean sweep of the impending
seyies the Tigers would throw the Ma
tionals back to the second division of
the championship chase.
Unless the Nationals brace and put
forth a better brand of base ball than
they have thus far in this second inva-
sion of the West this year, they likely
will run into plenty of trouble on Navin
Field in Detroit The Washington club
since leaving home has not been doing
much timely hitting. its base running
has been rather unintelligent and its
pitching has been spotty. Afield, there
has been a decided slowing up.
There must be improvement all along
the line if this western swing Is to be
successful.
THAT postponement yesterday-the
i first. by the way, for the Nationals
out West this season-gave Lloyd
Brown an opportunity to get into bet
ter trim for his next pitching turn,
which, according to Johnson's program
should CCme Thursday at the earliest.
Since landing in Chicago last Satur-
Gay, the southpaw slabman has been
suffering with a severe cold. Sent home
! from Comiskey Park after brief work
out Sunday, Brown was ordered to bed
and spent all of yesterday undergoing
treatment for his ailment,
Last night there was noticeable i'm
provcment in the pitchers condition
and Trainer Mike Martin believes the
additional rest Brown is getting today
will bring him around for early toli1ng
in Detroit.
CHOULD Joe Kuhel become incapaci-
: y tated with Joe Judge still nursing
an ailing leg, the Nationals VIII
have another first baSeman at nand,
says Manager Johnson.
bob Burke could take care OF that
post, 1 am sure" the manager declares.
, 81 know it might seem odd to put
j pitcher there. but Burke is ball player
and not a pitcher only" Johnson con-
Hes tall and long and could
get the high and wide throws. In field
J Ing drills, Bob has played around the
infield as we'll as shagg:d high ones IN
the outfeld. And he's shifty, tco.
"Of course. one couldn't expect Burke
to be a wonder at first base," Johnson
admits, "but he wouldn't be any poor
player there"
And johnson says there are worse
hitters than Burke. Bob hasn't made
MANY hits this season, but those he has
made have been sharp ones" is the way
the manager regards Burke's batting:
''He takes a good cut at the tau ana
he has a keen eye, too"
Which may make Burke a first base-
man. but probably the Nationals Will
not have to depend upon the strmgpean
slabnnan for such work.