Evening star., 1932-05-19

Nj 4O4 AANN S1A14So IA Wan
Y days with the Yankees
there was to be twin bill
this afternoon and another is
listed for Saturday-the Nationals
had a chance to regain top place
in the American League, grabbed
only last Monday by the New
Workers.
But little more than a mathe-
matical chance, however. To soar
to the heights once more Manager
Walter JohnSon'S charges as they
entered the series needed to win
four Of the five engagements. A
big order for them as they have
performed the last four days.
As the Nationals have skidded, the
Yankees have moved forward with a
rush While the Washington club
was losing four in row to the Browns
in the series that ended yesterday the
New York club was sweeping its quar-
%et of tits with the Indians to eStab-
nsh an American League record for
consecutive victories by a club on its
home lot.
That triumph over the Tribe here
yesterday was the fifteenth in success
sion for the Yankees this season in
Col. Jake Ruppert's big base ball plant
up in The Bronx. 1t enabled the YAM
KEGS to better the mark set by the
Tigers back in 1909 and tied by the
Athletics in 1918.
The Yanks have been great "hom-
ers" this year. They have lost but
Of the II games played here. That was
to the AS on April 81. Since in Yam
kee Stadium they have trimmed the
AS once, the Nationals once, the Red
Sox four times and swept aside opposi-
ton from the West in nine tussles.
That's stepping.
EOR the series that was to get under
l. way this afternoon the Yankees
were In far better trim than the
Nationals. Their pitchers were in
finer condition for the arduous task of
handling five games in three days and
their offensive power was greater than
that of the johnson band.
During their sweep of the sets with
the Western clubs the Yankees rarely
had to use more than a pitcher a
game. The Mccarthy hill corps per-
formed in remarkable manner and evi-
IDENTIFY is at top form, something 1t
wasn't when the Yanks took those
three beatings in a row in Washington
little more than two weeks ago.
There has been no startling hitting
by the New Workers recently; that is,
they haven't been slugging so fiercely
Of late as they did in the early cam
paigning while tussling with their East
ern rivals. But their attack has been
sharp enough to spear through for one
good round. And as the New York
pitchers have gone along that kind of
attack has been sufficient.
However, those Yanks may be ex-
pected to break loose at any time and
scatter base blows all over the ball lot.
The power Is there to a greater extent
than in any other club in the Ameri-
can circuit. And once the Yanks rear
back and let fly there's likely to be a
great parade to the hill of pitchers of
the opposing club.
WHY the Nationals generally have
w been able to subdue notably strong
Eastern rivals, only to make moth
ing more than a mediocre showing
against Western clubs that almost al
ways prove easy for the Yanks and AS,
is difficult to understand.
For some years now the Washington
club has managed to play the YankS
and the AS evenly. but it has not done
~ 81 NC14 dSdlIloS LllC NCSI do lldNC
the two other big Seaboard outfits
This year the Nationals again seem to
be that way.
Against Eastern opposition Johnson S
charges have won IA Of 18 games. The
Yankees have won just 10 of 16 tits
with Eastern foes and the AS but
OF 16. Against the West in the recent
stand at home the Nationals played only
to an even break in 10 games. The
AS have won of II games played
with Western clubs both in Philadel-
phia and abroad, while the Yankees,
playing on their own lot against the
West clicked off 9 wins in as many
starts.
Remember back in 1880 when the AS
copped the pennant with an eight-game
advantage over the Nationals? That
year Washington beat Philadelphia IL
times in % games and New York II
times in % games Yet it licked the
West only 48 times in 88 games.
That same season the Athletic!
moved downed the West 81 times in 81
games and the Yankees did so SIS times
in 88 games. 1t was the West that
kept a flag from the Nationals just two
years ago.
THOUGH they snapped out of hit
l. ting slump at home il Griffith Sta.
dium yesterday, the National
again put forth poor pitching in spots
so the Browns walked away with al
11-to-7 victory that gave them a SWEEP
of the four-game series.
Sixteen hits, including a home
bounced off the top Of the right fielC
fence by Buddy Myer-his second cir
cult drive in two days-were cleaned of
the st. Louis hurting, but Lloyd Brown
Monte Weaver and Bob Burke Wer
generous, too OF the quartet of hurl
ers johnson sent to the hill only Mar
berry looked good.
In the four frames Fred toiled b
gave up but 5 of the IT safeties tn
Browns collected during the fray an,