The Washington times., 1935-04-12

saw that game,
because, in the rs
opinion of this "a 5&&sSs
writer, Harris Frank Buck" O'NeiIl
gave a preview Of the venture
some, winning baseball that is
going to be played by the Griff-
men this season. He crossed the
Dodgers by refusing to do the
conventional and obvious thing.
That is the sort of baseball Har-
ris promises the opposition all
season. He intends to keep them
guessing, to cross them at every
turn, but when they least expect
the conventional, that's when
they're going to get it.
The Griffmen won the game in
one assault. They had their
chance to strike in the seventh
inning and, before the last man
in that frame had been retired,
three runs were over the plate.
Three were enough to win. 1t
was the sort of baseball the 1927
Yankees played; that the Giants
of the McGraw school played,
and that the old Orioles played
in a decade long past.
In the seventh, Larry and Sing
ton walked. The Griffs were
trailing by two runs. Here was
a chance to sacrifice the runners
into position for a tie. That was
what Brooklyn expected. So Har-
ris had Schultz hit straight
away. A fly chilled the frozen
crowd still deeper. Myer hit and
two were out. But Jake Powell,
with the men moving, slugged to
center for a triple and the game
was tied. Stone singled and
Powell logged home with the win
ming run.
Spirit Appeals
The ventureSome spirit shown
by Harris in continuing a policy
of hitting appealed to fans who
love to study real baseball. That
same spirit will be in evidence
at all times. 1t won't always win,
but the tactics of the Griffmen
will prevent any set defense
against any situation by the oppo-
Sition.
1--WE won from Brooklyn by
hitting" said Harris. ut was
more important that we keep
swinging than that we bunt.
But we're going to steal many
run this year. We're going
to drag and poke and roll that
ball around the field. No one
is going to know what we in
tend to do.
1--WE will lose some games"
said Harris, "but we will win
games, too. 1t is easier by far
to beat a team when you can
anticipate its intention and
form a defense. They're not
going to do that to me-"
Powell showed again that he is
a power hitter. He really drove
that ball in the seventh inning.
The leather rolling over the
soggy ground to the center field
fence. Koenecke fell trying to
field the hit. On firm turf it was
a triple just the same. 1t might
have hit the fence and bounced
away.
It would seem that Powell is
OUT to attend to his knitting and
get that job in center field. He
can slug, and you've been told in
this space before, that he can
bunt a ball about as well as any
man in the American League.
Such versatility will be more than
useful to the club this year.
Powell played left field while
Manush was out of action. The
mud in left field constituted too
much of a risk in Harris judg"
ment to permit Manush to play.
Seven Hits in All
The Griffs made only seven
hits all told, and Cecil Travis
made two of these. The young
third sacker tied into the ball in
fin9 style. Bolton had a couple
Of chances to drive runs over the
plate. but it was not Clifford's
day. He hit into a costly double
play and altogether, failed to
nudge the ball out of the infield
in four trips to the plate.
Joe Kuhel slapped two singles
and ran we'll. I saw Joe on the
rubbing board after the game. He
was receiving treatment for the
nasty spike wound received in
Louisville. He was in high glea
over the condition of his left Leg
"The readers of the Washing
ton Times knew that / would. be
on first base when the season
opened" said Joe with q broad
grin. "The stories that I couldn't
make the grade were a bit pre-
mature. I'll be all right. The
leg feels fine"
Earl Whitehill, who will pitch
for the GriffS on opening day
turned in a remarkable perform
ance in consideration Of the cold.
He allowed six hits, two of which
were punched in the second in'
ming. Only one Of the Brooklyn
runs was earned. The second tally