Evening star., 1933-04-17
B0SSA|M TO CASH
IN ON CLUBS SPEED
Local Park Too Roomy for
Straight-AWay SIugging,
Manager Contends.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

-HE current Nationals, al
though rated the punchiest
of the Griffith regime, will
flash an attack calling for
versatility more than mere slug
ging. There is speed galore in the
revamped GriffS and a pre-
Ruthian era base running attack
will be mixed generously with
swatting.
That's j. Edward Cronin's story and
tie hoy manager" says he'll stick to it.
Skipper Joe was just kid in short
pantaloons when the art of base steal
ing, stretching hits, squeeze plays and
inside base ball in general was at the
height of its popularity. When he was
old enough to play base ball in a serious
way the Ruthian type of slam-bang ball
was in its heyday but. Notwithstanding,
Cronin realizes the necessity of reviv-
ing and mixing the old arts with the
new.
ESPECIALLY here" said Joe, seated
IL in Prexy Griffith's Office and in
dicating with a sweep of his
hand the -gliStening Grlf Stadium
Joe and the boss man were busy plan
ming yesterday afternoon when the Sec
ond game with the Boston Red SoX
was postponed until today.
This Washington park is so big It
Is necessary to have varied attack"
Joe continued We've got some long
hitters-Goslin, Kuhel, Manush and
Schulte-for instance. but no team can
count socking home runs and triples in
a park where outfielders have so much
room to drag 'em down. And it takes
a powerful sock to put the ball in the
left-field stands or over the right-feld
wall.
with Kuhel, Myer, Bluege, Schultz,
Manush and Goslin We have some
fast men. In fact, the club is just
about as speedy as any in the league.
Well turn this speed loose"
WHILE the Nationals have yet to
w display their true speed so far
as pilfering bases is concerned, the
Cronin crew has taken chances in
stretching hits, and great deal more
of this will be in evidence.
Batting punch" points out Cronln,
sis swell when team has 1t. But lts
something you can't be sure OF every
day. One day it's there; the next its
gone When a club has smart, va
ried running attack it often can offset
lack of long distance clouting.'
The personable youngster who carries
the heavy burden of shortstop-
upon his shoulders as lightly as dam
druff. didn't have the cold "fggers" to
emphasize his statement, but numerals
aren't needed to show Joe how his
clubs stick attack begged down in the
last two games-the third with Phila-
delphia, which was lost, and Saturdays,
in which the crimson-hosed BoStons
were schnozzled out. 2 to l.
Actually the batting average for the
eight regulars in the first two victorious
games against the AS aggregated 1923,
while in the last two games it was
only 204.
IF any of the Griffs or Sox planned to
roll Easter eggs in Mrs. Roosevelt's
back yard today they were doomed
to disappointment yesterday when Prexy
Griff, anxious to determine whether
the Hubtown Hose are going to be
"cousinly" again this year, argued him.
self into agreeing to play the rained-
out game this afternoon, which orig
inally was scheduled to be an open date.
General Alvin Crowder was not to
miss his turn on the slab because of
the rain, however He was Cronin's
nominee, while Manager Marty Nc
Manus of the Sox was leaning to either
Ivy Paul Andrews or Henry Johnson
both eX-Yanks.
After their engagements today. to-
row and Wednesday with the Bostons,
Cronin and his Cronies will entrain for
Philadelphia for their first road" series,
which will be composed Of three games,
beginning Thursday.
And then the Yanks, drat 'em, drop
h Sunday for three-day visit.