Evening star., 1933-03-28

N BIRMINGHAM, Ala, MdTCIl
X 28.-A pitcher slated to be-
IL come a regular starter for
the Nationals in the Amer
lean League championship cam
paign and another quite likely to
get many starting turns should the
slated one crack up will show their
wares against the BarOnS tomor-
row in the final set-to of the
series here.
Alphonse Thomas, m en- d darn
moundsman prominent in the Wash
ington clubs 1888 pitching plans, will
make his training season debut. Jack
Russell, youngster yanked from CleVe-
land in a trade, again Will strive TO
show he'd be the Cne to look to should
AIS doctored wing prove not strong
enough to withstand the grind OF heavy
campaigning.
Ali in charge of the Nationals are
saying that Thomas arm, from which
were removed by a Chicago surgeon
last Fall bone chips that had made it
ineffective, should prove sound.
Thomas himself declares the arm feels
fright" again and that the rigorous
training it has withstood indicates it
Is right
With the club officials, though, the
wish seems to be father to the thought
in Thomas case. While they insist
the arm should be in trim, it is plain
they are somewhat skeptical concern
ing its strength Several times, both
Manager Joe Cronin and Trainer Mike
Martin have been on the verge OF
testing the mended wing under fire
only to call off all plans for the test
after much head-shaking.
PPARENTLY they never have felt
II certain the muscles strained for
several years by the irritation
arising from the bone chips and then
subjected to some shrinking and setting
after the operation last Fall again
were quite plant enough to permit
their full use in pitching. Up to now
when both Cronin and Martin declare
Thomas will go through with the test,
1t has been better wait a while as we
have plenty of time to find out about
the arm with them.
They cannot we'll afford to delay the
test longer, however. Two weeks from
tomorrow. the American League cam
paign gets under way. Even now, Man
ager Cronin should know whether
Thomas will fit into the plans made Tor
a big five" starting staff for the Wash
ington club AS it is, with Thomas not
getting his first trial until tomorrow, the
pilot will not know fully how much he
may depend upon the mended-arm
pitcher until after the flag fight is
well under way. Should Al not round
into form as quickly as he is confident
he willard it is obvious the pitchers
confidence is not shared by the Ma
tionals' oficials-the hill plans will be
pretty we'll shot, unless Russell comes
through in fine stye.
Russell. regarded nominee for the
main berth with the Nationals relief
hill corps. would be the logical choice
as a starter should AL Thomas be un-
able to fill the bill. Jack has had
deal of big league experience-he mas
been up in the major show sven years
and has revealed much natural pltch-
ing ability.
TACK may not have so much on the
bail as Ed Linke or Bud Thomas,
Washington's prize rockies. but al
present these youngsters aren't inquired
for more than relief work should they
stick with the club. 1t looks as though
they will. Neither Ed nor Bud has the
polish or poise for starting service as
yet.
In his seven seasons in the league
Russell has a record of only IS wins
against SO losses. But excepting little
more than three months Of the past
campaign all of Russells service as
a major moundsman has been with tne
Red SoX, almost a chronic last-place
club for nearly Is years. At that, JACK
has had a season in which his average
earned run yield per nine innings were
as low as 357 and it has never been
higher than 5.44 Last year it was
5.24. A good mark, considering the
club back of him most of the time.
Should Alphonse Thomas fail to
stage comeback and the Nationals be
compelled to revise their pitching plans
suddenly, Russell might prove very
handy hurler to have around.