Evening star., 1933-03-12
BALK SCORES KERR,
SNAPS TIE IN NINTH
Friedrich'S WiIdneSs Lets Foe
Match Early Runs-Nats
Hit Well. ~
Special Dispatch to The Star.

M KOBILE, Ala, March IL
I'M Opening their 25-game
H training schedule in tus-
sic with the Atlanta club
here today, the Nationals oot just
what they needed if keen competi-
ton was desired to put them on
edge for the more difficult times
ahead.
The Crackers, steadfastly re-
fusing to be awed by the big
leaguers, made the going plenty
tough before they cracked to yield
Manager Joe Cronin's proteges
4-to-3 victory.
1t was balk by Shorty Long, third
of the Atlanta hurlers to take the hill,
that handed the hodge-podge team of
Nationals its big run. Two were down
in the ninth inning when the slabbing
slip let Johnny Kerr get home from
third base with the telling tally. With
enc out, Kerr had singled, moved up
a notch on Cecil Travis blow and made
the far corner when Sam Rice
sacrificed.
Kerr helped to bring about the balk
by dancing to long leads of third base,
while the wrought-up Atlanta hurler
was endeavoring to concentrate upon
Dave Harris, who was at bat. Harris
had made two hits, but after Kerr
counted the burly batsman went out on
an easy tap.
THE Nationals, with only two regulars
i in action all the way and two part
of the time, helped themselves to
a flock of hits. They nicked the trio
of Cracker curvers for IL safeties, but
after punching five in the first inning
for three markers Cronin and his crew
were all but stopped in their tracks
until the final frame.
Buddy Myer, Manager Cronin and
Fred Schultz of the regular forces got
hit apiece off the Southern Associa-
ton pitching but Joe Kuhel, the only
other first-Strine National in the fray
went without safety. However, Kuhel
did some nifty fielding and figured in
two sparkling double plays. Kerr,
Travis and Harris got two hits each,
little Johnny and burly Dave rapping
doubles. Bob Boken, the recruit from
at shortstop, went hitless, but he took
good care Of his position afield.
I'D LINKE, Bob Friedrichs and Bud
IL Thomas-rookies all-did the serv-
ing for the big shots, each going
three innings in the order mentioned.
Linke was raked for three hits and as
many walks, but appeared to advantage.
Friedrichs, though, was as wild as a
gale off the nearby Gulf Of Mexico at
the outset of his term and the Crackers
quickly tied the score in the fourth
inning. A double play initiated by
Schultz kept Bobs wildness from being
costly in the fifth, then the bespectacled
pitcher settled for q sterling sixth.
Thomas, steadier than either Of his
predecessors, pitched impressively to get
credit finally for the first National VIC
tory of the year.
IT was Myer who launched Washing
i tons th-ee-run attack in the first
frame. He hit the second pitch made
E Ca-ruthers, left-hander, to right
center for two bases The first heave
to Travis was lined through the box for
a single, counting Myer. Rice's liner
went directly to the first baseman and
q two-way erasure followed, but Harris
and Cronin doubled in succession down
the line and Schultz singled to send
over the third run.
This advantage was swept aside i'm
mediately after Friedrichs took the hill
in the fourth Finding the plate on
swings, Bob walked four Crackers and
forced a run across. Then Red Barron,
who once galloped over foot ball fields
for Georgia Tech, but now works at
base ball for Atlanta, singled past third
base to shoot over two more markers
and deadlock the game.
After the Nationals had broken the
tie in the ninth. Thomas set back the
Crackers in order in their final turn
at the plate. 1t took slick stop and
throw by Boken when Freddy Sington,
of Alabama foot ball fame, socked a
wicked one to short, though, to turn
the trick.