Evening star., 1932-05-17


seen at Griffith Stadium
Friday, May 13. Liberal reward
If returned. Clark c. Griffith"
Should the Nationals offensive
slump of the last three days con-
tinue much longer, look for the
Washington club owners plea in
the classified advertising columns.
Since they collected IL safeties off
Whitlow Wyatt and Arthur Herring to
beat the Tigers in last Fridays game
Johnson's charges have been all but
helpless in attack. They were lucky
enough to bag Saturdays tilt with the
Harrismen, but since have been daubed
with two coats of whitewash by the
Browns.
As a result of the two successive
blankings, the Nationals fell back to
second place, yielding the pinnacle to
their most formidable rivals, the
Yankees.
In their last three games, Johnson's
men have batted at only a .135 pace.
Not a pace calculated to keep club at
the top of the league. The Nationals got
but five hits last Saturday made four
in Sundays game and yesterday they
garnered just three. Continuing to de-
cline at that rate, they would be easy
pickings for the league-leading YankS
in that big series in New York the lat
ter part Of this week.
Unless the Nationals snap out of their
slump quickly and decisively they'll be
so far back of the first position when
they start their next Western trip that
climbing to a respectable height again
would indeed be difficult task.
THIS batting decline has been gen.
l. eral throughout the clubs batting
order. 1t is most marked, though,
In Carl Reynolds case. This strapping
right-hander, who had consistently
slugged the Nationals to victory after
victory, has not made hit in the last
three games. Carl has been up IL times
for an average of 900. That hurts.
In fact, Reynolds has not driven the
ball to safety since his first batting
turn in the opener of the series with
the Tigers last Friday. Then he
singled to center to drive over run.
Since he has stepped up to the plate
is times without getting anything even
family resembling a hit. During this
slump Reynolds has famed twice.
Reynolds has company in the 600
average class Of the last three en-
gagements. Joe Judge has been up
nine times without safety.
Heinie Manush has made but 2
hits in IL times at bat in the trio of
tussles for a rating of 1872. Buddy
Myer, with three hits in dozen efforts,
shows a .250 average to put him at the
top Of the first eight in the batting
order. Joe Cronin has made just two
hits in 10 trials giving him a mark of
200. but Sammy West has batted for
only Ill. He has hit safely once in
nine times up.
Ossie Bluege and Moe Berg in the
last three games have batted at 125
pace. Each has hit once in eight legal
times at bat
The Nationals can't expect to get
anywhere worth while with that kind
of clouting.
A S was the case Sunday, more good
n pitching was wasted yesterday,
when the Nationals took a 2-to-0
beating. Monte Weaver hurled well
enough to have won un]er ordinary
circumstances, but with his club so
helpless against the veteran Sam Gray
the recruit took his second trimming
of the season.
Just eight hits and two passes were
given up by Weaver in the eight in
nings he toiled before giving way to
plnch-hitter. However, the first of the
passes and three Of the hits meant
scoring by the visitors from the banks
of the Mississippi Al Crowder, in the
ninth, easily disposed of the st. Louis
batters.
Weaver walked Ferrell with one out
in the second session end Melillo crack
ed a two-bagger to put across the first
run. After two were cut in the fifth,
Levy cracked the ball to left and with
a great burst of speed beat Manush's
throw to second TO be credited with a
double. Along came Gray to 60 to a
three and-two count with Weaver then
sock a single when the pitcher was
compelled to groove the ball. That hit
tailed Levy
The four other hits off Weaver were
spread over four frames and the second
pass of him did not come in a hitting
frame.
While Weaver was good, Gray was
much, very much, better. Sam scatter
ed his three Safeties and one walk over
four innings.
Manush got a single in the first. only
to be forced by West for the second
out. Two were out in the third when
Myer crashed triple against the right
field fence. Then Manush could do no
more than loft to the center fielder.
Cronin singled with one out in the
fourth and continued to second as
Schultz cuffed the ball about. Both
Reynolds and Judge popped cut.
West was the last National to get on
the runway. He walked after two were
out in the sixth ands watched Crontn
pop to the second sacker.
Gray's day. That was all.
COSLIN had a tough time of Vt on
~ the runway. after singing in the
second he was neatly picked off
first base by Weaver and after walking
in the fourth the Goose died stealing.
Berg to Myer Mver made a whale of
a pl9y on Campbell il the third when
he rushed back, on the grass and
scooped up a hot one. Levy came
through with tie banner fielding play
of the game, though. in the fifth,
Berg rifled the ball over second base,
but the St Louis shortstop sprinted
back of the bag for a lightning stop
and throw. this Levy is fast he
showed that when he made a hit Of
a slow one down the first base line in
the seventh, getting to the bag well in
front of Berg's heave. Rice and Harris
were sent up TO pinch bat in the home
eighth Sam sent an e2Sy grOunder