The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-04-05


they didn't Frank Buck" O'Neill
stagger, they fought as regi-
mented imps of hadeS might
fight.
They wouldn't accept defeat
at the hands of a minor league
outfit that had piled up a lead
of to off Earl Whitehill, ace
pitcher of the washington ball
club.
The Griffs stormed through
the last three. innings of the
game to score seven runs. They
made nine hits and took ad-
vantage of an error by the
opposition in those three innings.
It was baseball.
Throughout this doleful trip
there has been a complacent spirit
on the club. There was a DISPOSE
ton to let nature take its course.
That spirit began to change yes
terday.
Wholly Changed
1t is wholly changed today, and
in the renaissance of spirit, we
have a new ball club.
Don't lose this ball game"
rOared Jack Redmond when the
Colonies were out in front.
His jaw was set, his voice
rumbled in a throaty growl. His
spirit was infectious. Soon that
Washington bench was tenanted
by team that suddenly was
seized with loathing of defeat.
Bucky Harris has awaited such an
outburSt.
He turned to the boys in the
dugout and yelled:
"YOu can't be licked if you
won't be licked"
College stuff? Sure, and also
good psychology.
Harris has played the part Of
master strategist in handling this
club this year. He never COM
planned nor snapped when silly
mistakes marred the play. He
did make helpful suggestions, he
didn't storm at the complaisance
of certain veterans.
He knew that sooner or later
the loathing of defeat would seize
the club. He knew then, it would
start going places. Scoring the
seven runs to win appeased the
ego of the major leaguers. But
the snarling outburst of the club
warmed Harris to the depths Of
his heart.
Suppose we turn the keyboard
over to Bucky Harris. He's sit.
ting right here at my elbow. Let
him tell you the story he told
me at breakfast. Here it is:
"I've been waiting for the
outburst of IOathing of defeat
that Swpet our bench yesterday.
II shows me that the Washing.
ton club is coming to that stage
where it realizes that the time
to play ball is at hand.
"The mistakes we made yes
terday ars mistakes that crop
up when ball club had been
handicapped by lack of prac.
tice and competition. We played
the Cleveland club this spring,
and broke even. The rest of
cur games have been with minor
league teams.
Our players approached these
games with a nOnchalance that
1 chose to ignore. I knew that
the men would realize that
minor league clubs cannot beat
major league clubs. If they do,
its time to clean house. would
have taken action if the awaken
ing had not occurred yesterday.
''WhitehilI was in pretty good
condition a week or ten days
ago. He had nothing yesterday.
On the other hand, Linke looked
better than on any previous &C.
caSiOn, and he's a good ball
player. He put down a great
bunt in the ninth inning.
Powell showed me that he is
the type Of player 1 figured him
early. He'll drive you mad at
times, but he's not set, and he's
learning. His mistakes are the
errors of enthusiasm. He will
have to learn when to throw
home and when to realize that
it is better to give up a run that
is bound to score, than to set
up two more runs by throwing
to the wrong base.
81 want to get this thought
across to the Washington pub
lie. Pm going to play percent
ages in the ninth inning, some
times we'll win, sometimes
we'll look bad.
'Tt will be my funeral when
to play a set game. No club
will come into our park and
say Washington is going to
bunt' or Washington is going
to slug
"I'm looking forward to get
ting into Washington. I hope
we'll have good weather. We
can accomplish more in a week
at home than in two weeks on
the road. Our pitchers are In
need Of a lot Of work.