Evening star., 1933-07-24
MACK SET STARTS
MOST TRYING TEST
Score of Games With Rivals
in East Apt to Decide
Flag Chase Fate.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

- Still groggy from Cne WeSt-
ern clubs battering that
showed them back to second
place, the Nationals now run into
a stretch of Eastern competition
that probably will decide their
fate in the championship chase.
Twenty games in all with the
Athletics, Yankees and Red Sox
are scheduled for the Capital
clubmen during the next three
weeks. If they come out of this
tough tussling at or close to the
top the Nationals might reason
ably be expected to make q great
bid for the pennant right down
to the finish of the campaign.
They encounter dangerous hazard
at the outset of this arduous route
through the Eastern division. The four
game series with the Athletics that was
to be opened here this afternoon with
. double-header promises to be = try
ing one Tor the Nationals.
Ten games out of the lead, the third
place Athletics will be playing in
carefree manner with little to lose. for
the White Sox, Immediately back Of
them in the race. The Nationals.
though, will be battling desperately to
keep right at the heels Of the Yankees.
who passed them yesterday to take the
lead with half-game advantage.
Unfortunately, under pressure lately
the Nationals have been far from their
best, and they'll be on the spot here.
Possibility Of gain tn the race by
them in this series is remote, for the
Yanks will be playing the Red Sox in
take the New Workers again Is they did
when they last met them.
Success Here S0rely Needed.
WET it is almost imperative that
Defeat in this set very likely
would leave them so unpoised for the
four games with the Yankees to follow
In washington they would fall easy
prey to the now league-leaders. Repeat
ed reverseS recently-they have played
poorer than 500 base ball tn their last
13 ngagements-have left the Capital
clubmen tottering. Another sound wal
lop and they might 60 down to remain
down for some while.
On the other hand, getting by this Sc
ries successfully probably would SO
hearten the Nationals they might out
game the Yankees the latter part Of the<
week as they have done in most OF
their encounters with Joe McCarthy's
club this season.
After these sets with AS and the
Yanks, the Nationals still will have
five engagements with the New York
leaders, SIX with the Red Sox and one
with the Athletics before heading West
for the last time this season.
With results this week favorable to
be difficult to stop in the remainder OF
the stretch of competition with Eastern
rivals
So Cronin is hoping his club will pull
itself together while here and play the
kind of base ball it really Is capable Of
playing His pitchers have been Oh
form, base hits have not been springing
from the Nationals bats with startling
frequency of late and the defense has
wobbled recently Despite these faults,
though, the boy manager Is not down.
cast.
With all our misfortunes. we're still
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be well satisfied II we still are in .
challenging position when We head
West next month"
Barely Beat Western Clubs.
"HEIR 17-game stand against the
West in Grinith Stadium this
month hurt the Nationals no
little Although they managed to play
a trifle better than 500 base ball against
the inland clubs-winning nine games
ond losing eight-the 0r.mth hireiings
were knocked out Of the flrst place they
had gained in battle on the Westerners'
own lots.
When they began their home stand
against the West little more than two
weeks ago the Nationals were leading
the league by three games. They I'm
ished the stand yesterday half game
behind the lead. Those wild and woolly
Westerners cost the Capital clubmen
exactly three and q half games.
Only the series with the Indians and
the Browns we're won by the Cronin
crew, although the only set lost was
that with the White Sox.
The Nationals have been able to take
the West this year when playing away
from home. In the inland sector they
have won 10 of 27 games. Against the
West in Washington, however, the Cap
ital clubmen have bagged only IS Of 28
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