Evening star., 1933-03-05
FIGURE PORTS|DERS' |
WOULD SPIKE GUNS|
Whitehi|I, Stewart, Better
Backed, Expected to Stem
Left-Hand Attack.
BY TOM DOERER.

~ 1LOX1, Miss, March 4.-An
X early offensive against the
II Yanks is the plan being
mapped out down here in
Camp Griff as the Nationals
board of strategy gathers in the
evening to 60 over the blue prints
of their 1888 schemes and ideas.
Involved in the plan as principal
characters are Walter Stewart and Earl
Whitehill, the southpaws obtained in
trade from st. Louis and Detroit dur
ing the Winter months.
While neither Walter nor Earl was
successful against the powerful New
York club last season. the showing
made by the pair has caused Clark
Griffith and Joe Cronin to believe that
If the fork listers get the superb
Nationals support and the punch OF
Goslin and Manush, along with the
other hitters, they will close up those
close scores by which the Yanks top
pied them last year to win by similar
margins.
AS the Nationals were the only out
fit in the younger loop to split even
with the heavy clouters of Gotham,
making it II and IL, Cronin believes
that the southpaw Tipping of his two
stellar hopes will be more than match
for the lefthand power of the Yankees.
''TF We could get break wit with the
i Yanks without effective left-hand
hurting against their wrong-Side
power last season." argues Cronin, Il
see no reason why We cannot get a
good margin over New York this year
with men like Stewart and Whitehill
to shoot southpaw slantS at Combs,
Gehrig, Ruth and Dickey, the cham
pions' wicked lefthanders.'
While Whitehill was unable to down
the Yanks last year, Stewart managed
to nick the heavy-hitting outfit for one
victory and lost four by narrow mar
gins Those scores were close enough
Io- me to have taken the Yanks if I
had had punch behind me at bat or
swifter fielding" says Walter.
Cronin AYERS that Stewart will get
the fielding next season. The master of
double-play also promises Walter that
he will get plenty sock from Manush,
Goslin and the manager to give him
some runs with which to start.
DUT the main issue in this left-hand
ID campaign against the world cham
pions is the manner in which the
Nationals hope to beat them. 1t is
cleaned from the chin chatter at the log
lire festivals that Uncle Clark and Joe,
his Boy Friday, are scheming to get at
the YankS in flying start, toss every
thing they have at the champs, get out
in front and then maneuver during the
early season to keep gap between the
two clubs.
Which uncle admits is going to be a
problem, but can be done. Back in
1925. uncle mapped out like campaign
against the Athletics with Bucky Harris.
1t took place at training camp and when
the smoke of battle cleared in Septem-
ber, uncle's team was out in front by
the margin which had been planned.
There is feeling down here among
the hurlers that Babe Ruth is not going
to be the mighty man of war at the bat
next season. The boys do not lack ap-
probation for the Bans power, but be-
lieve the time has arrived when the big
and that when he does he will not be
so effective as he used to be, Pap Time
at last showing his hand.
Uncle Griffith and Cronin hope the
boys are right, but they warn the pitch
erS that Babe is a dangerous man and
always will be one so long as he can
walk up to the platter with a mace in
his mittens.
From Dickey and Gehrig most of the
players expect the dynamite to come.
Combs Is fading, it is believed, 80 the
left-hand power is coming from the
first baseman and the catcher. both of
whom will be worked on plenty by the
southpaw pitchers next semester.