Evening star., 1933-06-05
-FOUR NOW PR|MED
FOR TRIO OF T|LTS
HurIers Begin to Show Signs
of Improvement After
Much WabbIing.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

SClll 1ull OF nag IanCleS
i the Nationals were to enter
three-game series with
the Athletics here this afternoon
with a lot of pitching talent lined
up for the tussling with their ole
rivals. Manager Joe Cronin hao
AL Crowder, Monte Weaver, Ear
Whitehill and Walter Stewart
available as starters as the Wash
ington outfit breezed into this city
shortly after noon today.
None of these four took lick
ing the last time he started a
game, although Weaver is the
only one to have finished what
he started. Washington's pitchers
are beginning to get their heads
up.
This series doesn't call for any bat
Ting by the Nationals to keep ahead OF
the AS. The worst could happen to
the Cronin crew here, and 1t still would
set
But the Nationals have a fight on
their hands at that to remain in second
position. The Indians are only game
and half behind them, and the White
Sox, now fourth, are but 21a games to
the rear.
Loss Of the three games here could
put the Washington club dangerously
near the second division.
MAYBE the Nationals are about to
1Vx take an upward swing, however.
They've been hitting the ball right
soundly in recent games, and the last
three days some of their pitchers have
indicated they might be ready for a
stretch of good slab work. The Wash
ington club. has the defense and lot
OF offensive power. Give it good pitch
ing, and it should make much headway
In this American League race.
Most of the time recently, members of
the Nationals curving corps have per-
formed as though punch drunk. They
either have been beaten of by heavy
bombardment before settling themselves
in the box, or after four or five good
innings have faded suddenly, to be over
wheimed by an avalanche of hits. And
the more runs the Nationals got, the
worse their pitchers became.
A decided change for the better has
been seen lately, though. It began
when Weaver hurled that fine game
against the Tigers in Washington nearly
two weeks ago. He took a beating be-
cause his club happened to be up
against Tom Bridges, who specializes
in hurting one-hit games against the
Nationals.
Crowder and Whitehill followed with
great games against the Browns, and
WhitehNl came back to do some strong
pitching against the Yankees on Memo
rial day. But for Owens odd vision
that made that umpire see Gehrig's
drive fair and home run, Nationals
and Yanks might have been battling
yet.
THE greatest Improvement in the
j Washington pitching has been
qe noted during the past three days.
Yankees on Wednesday, went back to
the hill Friday and pitched himself a
corking good game as he bowled over
the Red Sox. He looked more the Wea-
yer Of last season that won 20 games
and lost 8 than at any other time in
the current campaign.
On Saturday, Jack Russell was
rushed in as relief worker when the
Red Sox threatened to grab a game
they had tied only the inning before,
and he hurled lot of high-class base
ball. Toiling in relief role against the
Yanks three days before, Russell had
given an excellent exhibition of pitch
ing prowess. Continuation of the fine
pitching Saturday as he scored his
first win of the year indicates this
young boxman soon may be ordered to
duty as starter. He looks primed for
the task.
Right on top of the good efforts by
Weaver and Russell came another by
Alphonse Thomas yesterday. Tommy
opened fire against the Red Sox and
toiled manfully for IL innings, the long
est term any National pitcher has had
in game this year. He was eliminated
by q pinch-batter in the eleventh when
the Nationals had chance to end the
game then and there, but he had given
. splendid account of himself.
1t does look as though the Washing
ton pitchers at last are beginning to
know what they are supposed to do
when they go to the peak. The curving
corps is showing signs of coming to
life. This may bring about a general
improvement in the Nationals all along
the line. Manager Cronin has an idea
II will