The Washington times., 1934-08-09
GOTHAM[TES
. FLAG HOPES
ON WANE
BY FRANK ("BUCK") O'NEILL
Times Staff Writer

If the New York Yankees win
the 1884 American League pen
nant, they will win it at home,
and without help from Washing
ton.
With two victories already won
in three games, the Griffs hope
to make it three out Of four to-
day. If they do, and Detroit
beats the Browns again, the
Yankees pennant chances will
receive another jolt.
The Yanks are two and one
half games behind the Tigers,
who won an overtime victory yes
terday over the st. Louis Browns.
This is as far off the lead as the
Yankees have been all season,
but the situation is assuming a
serious tone now. The pitching
of the Broadway boys in this
series, with the exception OF
Johnny Murphy'S fine effort, has
peen less Cnan Meu1OCIe"
Need Best Pitching
With their known lack Of speed,
the Yanks cannot hope to ad-
vance without gilt edge pitching.
In the last two weeks New York
has been held to two runs or
less nine times.
Lefty Gomez, ace Of the Rup-
pert forces, will not pitch here,
and If you think the Griftmen
are busting out crying over that,
you're wrong, partner, all wrong.
It looks like either Johnny Allen
or Jimmy Deshong for New York
today.
Either AL Thomas or Ed Linke
will pitch for the Griffmen.
The GriffS won yesterday on
the quality of baseball. The at
tack crushed the Yankees, who
used to do no little crushing on
their own count. Working
beautifully with that overpower'
ing offensive was strong de-
tense. Earle Whitehill coaSted to
victory, although he allowed nine
hits. The Griffs played errorlesS
ball.
Heinie Beats Lou
Hammering Heinie Manush
again outscored Larrupin' Lou
Gehrig in the batting sweep
stakes. Unser Heinie got two
hits, line drive to right field
for a base, and slow roller on
which frankie CroSetti made a
fine play but could not get to first
in time for a putout.
Gehrig went home shaking his
head and muttering anathema on
all things in Washington. Lou
was horse-colared by Earl White
hill in four trips to the plate.
That extended his total to 10
hitless times at bat. He dropped
in his average and Manush gained.
The Griff attack is regaining
power. The boys made 10 hits
yesterday against Charley Ruffing
and Russ Van Alta. They made
II hits against Johnny Broaca
and Danny MacFayden in the
second game on Tuesday. And
that is good hitting no matter
which way you figure.
CrOnin SlugS Ball
Joe Cronin was the slugging
kid yesterday. Cronin fired a
terrific blast in the first inning
that shivered the left field fence,
deep down in the corner.
In the eighth inning he scored
the final run of the day. crossing
the plate on Schulte'S single after
chipping the center field fence
with. a triple that not even Ben
Chapman's speed could cut down.
He also got a nonproductive
single in the second inning.
Fred Schultz, who is shooting
his way into the 300 circle, came
through with two more Wallops.
Pete SuSko got one hit and a
couple of walks as his share of
the booty. Bolton and Harris
each weighed in with two blows.
Just one of those days that make
you realize how formidable these
Griffs might have been this year
if Fortune had smiled instead of
froWned.
Pitching Improves
This agent likes to hear the ring
of Washington base hits as well as
the next one. When the boys are
Slugging, I'm for better and big.
ger rallies, and letting runs pour
over the plate. But with all the
action and the flying feet of base
runners, what this observer liked
best in the last three games was
the improved pitching.
Prof. Monte Weaver deserved a
better fate in the first game OF
the double header, for the genial
math teacher pitched his best
game of recent weeks. He put
everything on every pitch and the
YankS had trouble meeting his
stuff. He just couldn't stop Gro
setti in the pinch.
Stewart and Russell did good
job of checking the Yanks and
then Whitehill came through. If
these pitchers can carry on, you're
going to forget a lot of the
crippleS who have been lost to the
team so long. Maybe the first
division is impossible, but those
teams up there better not slip if
our hurting improves.
CASCARELLA BACK