Evening star., 1932-05-11
INF|ELD DECLARED
NO LONGER A SIEVE
Team Is Greatly improved
Around Second Base, Say
Western Critics.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

A NO1HER Qay, anOCner pail
~ club. Tomorrow we will
have with us for the first
time this season the Tigers
of Detroit, who are listed for a
three-game series with the Ma
tionals this trip.
It's not a Tiger outfit differing
much in personnel from last
year's-Harry Davis at first base
is the only new member-but
Western base ball sharps who
have watched Bucky Harris club
say it has a remarkably improved
defense.
Writers who were here with the White
SoX and those accompanying the In
dians, who were to wind-up a set this
afternoon, have noted an improvement
In the Tigers infield particularly. The
Detroit inner Gordon was sieve-like last
year.
The infield improvement is attributed
to the return TO fine playing form by
Second Baseman Charley Gehringer,
who was of color all last season; the
better work being done by Bill Rogell
at shortStop and the employment at
first base of the recruit Harry Davis
instead of Dale Alexander
In Gehringer and Rogell, the West
ern writers seem to believe the Tigers
have the best keystone combination to
be found in the inland sector of the
league. As to Davis at the initial sack,
the rookie picked up from Toronto on
the eve of the campaign, is regarded
greatly superior to the numbering Alex
ander Richardson again is at third
base and playing the high-clasS game
he did in 1881.
lack STONE, Gerald Walker and
Roy johnson again make up the
Outfield with Stone playing better
than ever, Walker about the same as
he did last season and johnson some
what unsteady.
Ray Hayworth. say the Western
ecribes, is a hkelier- looking catcher and
Muddy Ruel. who shares the backstop-
ping with Ray, the same dependable
man behind the bat he has been for
years in the big show.
Pitching is a great part of defense,
too, and the Tigers have an impressive
array of mound talent in Vic Sorrell,
George Uhle, Whitlow Wyatt, Tom
Bridges and Arthur Herring. right
handlers, and Earl Whitehill and Elon
Hogsett, left-handers.
The Tigers have yet to fash any
startling offensive power In the East.
They did right well while battling in
their own sector, but in New York they
got but one run in 18 innings of play
with the Yankees, and yesterday the
Tigers were held in check some time
by the Red Sox before crashing through
to score decisively.
Last wear the Nationals defeated the
Tigers Il times in % starts This new
Tiger defense may be tougher for john
sons charges this time But the Ma
tionals also have defense difficult to
batter down. and their attack. while
not sustained, is sharp when it hits.
WITH the postponement of yester-
w days scheduled tussle with the
Indians because of the generally
poor weather, the Nationals now have
five games to play off and the re-
scheduling CT four-those with the
Yankees and the Red Sox-rakeS the
going in the near future appear none
too pleasant
After finishing with the Browns here
the middle of next week, the Nationals
will Jump to New York to meet the
Yankees in five games in three days.
The twin bills in Yankee Stadium are
set for Thursday, May 10 and Saturday,
May 81.
The johnson band goes to Boston to
play six games the first four days of
June. The double-headers in Fenway
Park have been listed for Thursday,
June 2, and Saturday, June T.
That Yankee schedule very likely will
tax Johnsons slender pitching staff no
end. although the Red Sox list may not
prove so formidable. At that Boston
has been no nice double-header town
for the Nationals in recent years.
No date has yet been set for diSposing
of the postponement with the Indians.
The game may be played as part of
double header on July 6, when the
Indians next visit here.
TROWDER now will get shot at the
~ Tigers with Fischer having been
carried over to fling against the
Indians in the series final. That gives
Manager Johnson for service against
Detroits club Crowder. Weaver and
Brown, a good-looking layout.
Last year the General beat the Tigers
twice and took not licking from them.
Browns record in tilts with Harris club
was two wins against three defeats, but
as Brownie went against the Indians
Monday he ought to make plenty trouble
for any foe right now. Weaver of
course, did not get a chance at the
Tigers last season, but his work in the
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