Evening star., 1932-05-18
GR|FFS SELECTIONS
FOR T|LTS GAMBLE
Five-Game Series Is Trying
for Slim Mound Corps.
Browns Win Again.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

WOITy IllIH Uu1IIIS IllC llChO CAAA SS
days, when the Nationals are
tussling with the Yankees in five
games in New York.
The Washington pilot will have
a pitching problem to wrestle
with in the important series, and
should his calculations go awry
his charges would suffer a severe
setback in the struggle for Ameri-
can League laurels.
With a pitching staff of slender
proportions, even though some of its
members are hurlers of high order, Sir
Walter is compelled to do much close
figuring in planning his mound pro-
gram for the New York invasion. He
must employ a hurler who thus Tar has
failed to shine as a starter and he must
come back with another who Will nave
had but two days of rest following an
engagement.
Fortunately. the Nationals are pre-
pared to thrust into the first three
games pitchers who should be in trim
TO deliver. But for the twin bill to be
played on Saturday Manager johnson
will have to gamble.
A CCORDING to Johnson's tentative
n plans, Crowder and Fischer will
get the call tomorrow for the
double pitching. Crowder has
not started tilt since last Friday and
Fischer's last appearance on the hill
was on Sunday. Each gave great eX-
hibition the last time out. A likely
selection for the twin bill opening the
series.
For the solo affair ON Friday the Ma
tionals will have in line their prize
rookie, Monte Weaver. This big right
handler hurled on Monday against the
Browns and did well even though
suffering defeat Weaver is sturdy and
should be able to give good account
of himself with three days of idleness.
But that pitching gamble will come
Saturday. For those two games 1t seems
that Johnson must turn to Marbe1ry
cnd Brown Marberry has started only
three times this season, each time
without getting along so well. Twice
he has lasted six innings, but In one
engagement he was driven from the nil
in the fourth Although Fred has done
we'll as a relief worker, he certainly has
not impressed as a starter.
DROWN, pitching en- Saturday, would
- be back on the slab with only two
DAYS of rest, for he was slated to
tackle the pesky Browns this afternoon
in the final game Of the series here.
Generally, Brown is strong pitcher,
but shooting any mcundsman at the
powerful Yanks when he has not had
his accustomed rest between starts Is
a rieyv thing tn dO
The Nationals staff is so slender,
however, that johnson very likely will
have to take that risk.
Should the Nationals be successful in
the early going Of the flve-game set,
the enforced employment OF Marberry
and Brown Saturday would not be so
much a gamble But if Crowder, Fisher
and Weaver, the pick Of the Washing
ton hill corps, are unable to give their
outfit an edge on the New Workers IN
the first three games there probably
will be no profit to the Nationals in
their New York visit.
CALAMITY kowlers-and there are
~ plenty among Washingtons tickle
fandom-are having their innings
now. For the first time this season, the
Nationals have lost three games in a
IOM anu 1Ol tliC 1lAob tAAA1t IA4Ao oSoSOAA
they have lost a series. The crepe
hangers, who apparently think the
Washington Club is doomed every time
1t lcses, regardless of its numerous sue
cesses, are yelling long and loud.
Those who go to Griffith Stadium to
jeer the home club forget that 1t has
built up a very creditab'e record for
current stand here OF the Is games
played in the stretch beginning April
% the Nationals have won II. That's
moving along at a 1888 pace. Fast
travelling in any league.
The Nationals have failed in this
st. Louis series mainly because they
have net hit. In two of the games the
pitching wss certainly good enough to
win under ordinary circumstances. Not
until yesterday YVES the hill work Of
the home club poor And as the bat
ting was not timely the Nationals took
an 1l-to-2 drubbing.
That was the worst drubbing of the
season for Johnsons charges. Only once
before had II runs been scored against
them. The Athletics trimmed them to
that extent here on April IT. But in
that game the Nationals made three
runs.
JOHNSON turned to his second-string
hill talent yesterday and all his
choices were manhandled. Burke
started and gave up two runs in the
first inning. His mates promptly leaped
upon George Blaeho.der to get back
those runs. Myer cracked a homer
over the rightfield wall and West and
Cronin doubled Burke couldn't make
the grade however, while Blaeholder,
after his poor start, settled comfortably
and checked the Nationals with ease.
Seven hits spread over five frames
were all the johnson band got on the
St Louis right-hander after that nrSt
inning. The Nationals following their
early splurge never looked dangerous:
not even in the ninth when they had
the sacks loaded with only one out.
Burke blew in the fourth and after
two were out. too. The Browns had
converted a pass into a run to break the
tie then Schultz bounced single on
BLrkc's glove to register two more tai
lies and chase the southpaw from tne
slab Before Ragland could stem the
onslaught the Browns got three more
markers to make their inning-total SIX.
Bob Friedrich. making his major
league debut, pitched the lasI tW0
rounds against the visitors. He olo wen
enough until he got two OUT IN tns
ninth. then he walked two batters ano
hit another to crowd the stations. Along
came Levy to single two across.
DEYNOIDS finally snapped that hit
X less string by singing in the eighth
his last time up II was the
first hit since last Friday for Carl. who
had missed connecting in ID consecu-
tive legal times at bat Kunel, pat
ting for Berg in the ninth, got his hrst
safety of the season, a single In
Yesterdays game the Nationals gol
almost as many hits as they had in
their three previous tilts Maybe
they're getting tuned for those big bat
ties with the Yanks they prob
ably will need some hitting in New
York. ... 80