Evening star., 1932-04-24

guests, the Athletics of Phila-
Y ! delphia, will show their wares
in Clark Grifiths ball yard
again this afternoon. Their visit gives
the Nationals an opportunity to get the
edge on them in this young season, each
outfit having defeated the other twice.
The Johnson bands showing against
the AS in Griffith Stadium last Sunday
was nothing to boast Of but since the
trimmings the Nationals gave the
league champions in Shibe Park Mon
day and Tuesday last, Washington
stock has risen somewhat.
Manager Walter Johnson will put 1t
up to his newest starting pitcher, Monte
Weaver, to stop the AS. Monte did
right well against Connie Macks
maulers over in Quakertown last week.
Mack served big George Earnshaw to
the Washington batters last Sunday,
which did them no coed. Today the
willy Philadelphia pilot is likely to stick
his other pitching ace, the lett-handed
Robert Moses Grove, on the hill. Grove
beat the Griffs the only time he has
faced them this season.
DIGHT after this afternoons engage
N ment the Nationals will hustle out
of town for New York, where they
have important business to care for the
next three days.
For the first time in the campaign
Johnson's charges will stack up against
the Yankees, next to the AS their great
est rivals in the circuit. The trio OF
tits is expected to prove severe test
for the Washington pitchers. Inc
Yanks have been Slamming the ball all
over the lots and specializing in home
runs. They have poWer-pluS this year.
Johnson plans to shoot Al CroWder
at the New Workers tomorrow in the
opener of the series. The General is
in the best of form right now. The
Washington manager has so few hurl-
ers at command, however, that he may
have to finish the series with a pair
of young left-handers. Lloyd Brown,
who claims he still is nursing a sore
arm, although he has done well in re-
lief roles, is apt to make his season
debut as starter Tuesday, while Carl
Fischer probably will draw the We'd
neSday pitching assignment
Whoever goes to the slab against the
Yanks will get more than a workout.
Washington's pitchers have been good
thus far If they get by those cloutlng
New Workers, though, they'll be more
than good, much more.
DOY SFENCER'S game leg is kicking
IN up again, SO the Nationals prob
ably will be without their first
string catcher for several days There
is torn thigh muscle in RoyS left leg
that refuses to heal so long as the
catcher continues in action.
Spencer suffered the injury when the
Nationals were playing an exhibition
game in Chattanooga, but the hurt was
considered so slight that he started be-
hind the bat when the Braves were
played here few days later The leg
panied him so, however, that he had
to leave the fray. Spencer returned to
the lineup at the outset of the cham
pionship season, but twice has had to
step out.
This time the catcher is to idle until
the injury heals.
C1AAIIY WEST has been swinging
- along in a smooth stride at bat for
more than a week. He has not
failed to hit in the last seven engage
ments and his average for that stretch
is 355.
During this streak West has made II
safetieS, one home run and two of
them triples.
With mark of 1873, Sammy was the
ltdulus UdlltI among the Nationals
last year. And he hit plenty for dis
tance, too. Now that he is in such a
hitting mood, West is very likely to
boost his average for this season con-
siderably. 1t can stand boosting, for
at present it is but .273. Sammy is a
much better hitter than that, though,
and should soon prove it.
A LTHOUGH his last pitch to Con-
1A molly in the fifth inning of the
Nationals-Red Sox game Thurs
day was called strike three" by Um-
pire Owens, Pitcher Al Crowder gets
no credit for the strike-out.
1t was then that Catcher Spencer
pushed his mitt against Connollys bat,
which properly was ruled an inter-
ference and the batter sent to first
base after Umpire MCGOWAN had
| tipped Owens to the fact.