Evening star., 1935-08-14
WIN FROM TIGERS
IS THIRD STRAIGHT
Telling Factor in Greatly
Improved Form Shown
by Nationals.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
STAFF Correspnndent of The Star

BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Staff Correspondent OF The Star
~ ETROIT, August l4.-When,
earlier this season, Jimmy
J Dykes of Chicago broadly
hinted at a deal for Earl
Whitehill in exchange for a younger
pitcher, Manager Bucky Harris reared
back and laughed at the thought. And
Bucky reflected the reaction of Clark
Griffith.
Sure I like Les Tietje," admitted
Harris, between chuckles, but not
at that price Who else did Dykes
say he'd throw in-Al Simmons?"
At the time, just before the trading
limit, Whitehill was in the throes of
a slump which saw him go without
a single victory for more than a
month. So it was little wonder that
some folks doubted if the proposal,
after all, deserved such a giggle
1t isn't any wonder now. Earl
Whitehill may not be the pitcher of
1888, but you can't count him out
as considerable of a major league
hurler now and perhaps for some time
to come. This is an observation that
is becoming increasingly evident these
days, as the Nationals begin to re-
semble the ball club Bucky Harris
thought he was managing last Spring.
Faith Is Justified.
A GOOD part of the reason for the
Griffs' improved formidability is
Whitehill. Apparently he was on
the skids during the first half of
the campaign. Earl didn't appear to
have his stuff" He was giving UP
bases on balls at the wrong times.
His record was lopsided. With few
victories and flock of defeats.
Now it is obvious that it wasn't the
real Whitehill who was taking all
those lickings-that Bucky Harris was
right when he sized up Earls ineffec-
tiveness as temporary state and
laughed at Dykes hint.
When he stopped the Tigers yester-
day, to 8, in 10 innings. Earl broke
Detroit winning streak of nine games
and fattened little streak of his own.
1t was his third straight victory and
the fifth triumph of the last seven
decisions involving the rotund south
paw.
Before yesterdays stirring conquest
of the Bengals. Whitehill had beaten
the Athletics and Red Sox. In each
game he lasted the route. His last
defeat was by 7-to-6 score. the
Yankees beating him after two Wash
ington errors had paved the way for
4-run New York inning.
Today. for the first time since the
early days of the season, Earl can show
a record better than 500 He has IL
victories as against 10 defeats, and to
judge by his recent performances this
season yet may be one of his best as
q big Lacquer.
He will not approach his 1888 record
of % victories. as against defeats.
nor his 1924 mark of II wins and 9
losses, but he still stands a chance of
compiling oommendable record with
q seventh-place club.
Is a Notable Feat.
STOPPING a red hot club like the
446CLo Oll CllCll llCiu d1lO
after the Bengals had just scored sue
cessive sweeps over the Indians ana
White Sox is tough task. Whitehill
found this true. almost heartbreak-
ingly so, but Earl was equal to the
job. In spite of a 80 deficit and the
usual run of Detroit luck, Earl plugged
away until, finally, he got break.
Whitehill outpitched AL Crowder
and Elon Hoggsett by wide margin,
the Nationals getting IA hits to seven
for the Tigers, but despite this dis
parity favoring the Griffs, Whitehill
had to fight an uphill battle.
Two scratch hits in the third inning
caused all the trouble, for at this point
Pete Fox inserted a home run to give
Detroit a 80 lead Four National
hits cut this margin to 80 in the
fifth and another quartet of safeties
tied 1t up In the sixth when it should
have been clinched. To Umpire Brick
Owens the Tigers owed a vote of
thanks, for the jumps conveniently got
In the way of a wild outfeld throw
and kicked the ball back to the De-
troit infield. which was able to nail
Cecil Travis trying to take an extra
base
Finally Get Breaks.
RUT for this accident Travis and
Manush would have been on
second and third with none down and,
with Kress and Bolton eventually
providing hits, there is no telling how
many runs the Griffs would have
scored
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