Evening star., 1933-05-08

~. AOOAo, way ~ NNAJ
Myer will not be in the
series with the Browns here,
but the Nationals will have
a good man filling the shoes of
the injured second baseman it
seems. Bob Boken, fielding and
hitting up to the form he flashed
in the set with the Tigers in De-
troit, would take care of the job
admirably.
For a little -heralded utility infielder
the blond bought from Kansas City
proved sterling ball player as soon
as he got an opportunity to get into
a game for more than an inning Or
two and he went about his work in
a manner that convinced those in
charge of the Nationals his high-class
play was no flash in the pan.
It was to be 'Boken day" at Sports
mems Park this afternoon, with a flock
of the players pals coming over from
his home town of Collinsville, Ill, just
across the Mississippi, to give him the
glad hand. Bob, though, put on a
day himself yesterday in Detroit.
AS the Nationals split the twin
sketch with the Tigers, winning, 6 to 2,
after taking 10-to-9 ten-inning de-
teat, Boken not only put up a sur
prisingly good game afield, but he also
cracked soundly the best of the pitch
erS the home side rushed into the
battling. In the two tussles Bob made
nine putouts and six assists for flaw
less defensive record and in attack he
helped himself to three safeties in
each fray.
IN the opening encounter the purchase
of hi
hits off the left-handed Elon
Hogsett. He first beat out a bunt then
rif1ed a spare one to right. He got his
third hit, looping single to left, off
Tommy Bridges, high-rarking hurler of
the Detroit club.
All three of Boken's hits in the sec
ond Set-to came off schoolboy Rowe.
The first two were cleanly clouted sin
giles to center. The third was a loft
over the left field wall for a home
run. No mean wallop that third one.
at Navin Field used to be considered
somewhat cheap. but this year there
is screen towering 80 feet above the
top of the WALL SO sending ball soar
ing over it requires plenty of power
Boken perhaps is much better
batter than his record with Kansas
City indicated. He seems able to gauge
a pitch we'll time his swing nicely and
whip lot of strength into the swing.
And he can field. There's no doubt of
that. Those shovel hand sof his scoop up
everything that comes near them. His
is an awkward looking style afield but
it does the work.
Washington probably did well when
1t picked up Boken. 1t is understood it
got him at reasonable figure too. De-
troit was after him last year. The
Tiger pitchers couldn't keep him off
the base paths in an exhibition game
in Kansas City and Bob so impressed
Harris the Tiger manager tried to buy
him from the Blues. But the price
was too high for Owner Navin of De-
troit. Looks as though Detroit's loss
was very much Washington's gain in
this instance.
A LII the good pitching the Nationals
"A could muster went into the second
part of the Sunday double-header
in Detroit and that enabled them to
get an even break. They got IA hits in
each encounter. But none of the six
hurlers employed in the opener was
able to check the Tigers, whereas in
the nightcap Walter Stewart left
handed handsomely from start to
finish.
Stewart limited the Tigers to six
safeties, five of them not coming until
the last three rounds. By that time
the Nationals with a five-hit assault
had driven Rowe to cover, for School
boy" had managed to work in among
the hits four passes, and his support
had faltered to the extent of one error
at critical moment. The Cronin crew
was checked thereafter by Art Herring
and WhitloW Wyatt.
Stewart moved down the Tigers
right steadily until the seventh. Then
they wasted hits, but they got brace
Of markers from two more hits with
a pass sandwiched between in the
eighth before batter was retired.
Stewart braced, though, and breezed
along to the finish.
IN the first fray the Nationals took
i a beating they should not have
taken. They not only hit Hogsett
hard, but also were aided by four Tiger
misplays and in five innings had made
six runs. But the Tigers kept tapping
Monte Weaver freely and he kept walk
ing Tigers to first base. Monte got
himself out Of pair of serious situa-
tlons by bracing to strike out string
OF 'batters, but he blew sky-high in the
fifth and the home side got four runs
to become only one back Of the Ma
tionalS before Jack Russell was rushed
to the hill.
Russell was yanked in the next
round after the first two batters up
had reached him for singles. In went
AL Crowder to pitch to five batters.
Walker was the first one and he doubled
to send across the two Russell had
left on. Rogell tripled to make the
Tiger lead two runs. Bob Burke then
took two-inning turn and in the
eighth the Tigers with pass, steal
and wild throw over second by the
pitcher got Walker on third with one
out. A squeeze play with Davis bunt-
ing meant another marker.
Bridges, who had relieved Rowe, had
the Nationals all but helpless until the
ninth. Then with Boken's single, pinch
batter Harris double and Blueges
home run hit over the scoreboard back
Of left center they deadlocked the game
That was all eff Bridges, though,
while Thomas, after holding the Tigers
at bay in the ninth, took the beating
in the tenth. He pinked Owen with
pitch as starter, and after Stone
fed out, single by Gehringer sent
Owen to third. Here Bill McAfee was
rushed to Tommy's relief, but Bills
first pitch was wild one that wound
up the game the wrcng way for Wash
ingtOn.