The Washington times., 1935-06-13


Harris is pre-,
pared to carry
-, -, '' -, the tight against
A u'A y NULL Owens as far as
he can. He knows that since a
matter of judgment is involved,
he has two strikes on him before
he starts. Harris left the hotel
Del Prado without buster or
wrath in his soul. But he is pre-
pared to crate in tones that will
be heard if necessity drives.
Harris is infinitely more con-
cerned over the possibility Of
Bluege being suspended than on
any punishment that may be dealt
out to him. Right now that team
needs the quiet veteran of the
short field as it needs few others
on the club. Harris does not con-
tend that Brick Owens carries any
grudge against the Griffs. But
he points to certain decisions and
lets them stand. He puts the
finger on that foul ball, which a
wave of the finger, by Owens,
converted into a home run with
three on base for AL Simmons. Ac-
cording to Sam Holbrook, Owens
first called the ball foul. In yes
terday's game, Harris contends
that Owens first called Bluege
safe and then declared him out.
President Harridge witnessed
the game.
otis a damned good thing
you're not a carrier pigeon;
you'd fly right to COmiskey
Park" stOrmed Harris.
The sinister inference that
Owens was a homer registered.
The umpire tossed out Harris
right pronto.
Arouse Griffs
Correct or incorrect, the two
decisions given by Owens have
aroused the Griffs as this writer
has not seen them aroused in
months. They're almost ready
to fight, and with this outfit,
being almost ready to fight is
something. Heretofore they've
been disgustingly complacent
with one or two exceptions. Hi
no, alack a day, another game
and another pay check. That
was the team. The spirit Of
fight? Phooie, there was no
fight. Now they may be getting
ready to do something.
And if the bad breaks they
got in having Simmons clout
declared a fair ball, and Bluege
being ruled out at the plate after
first being declared safe, can
rouse the boys it would be great.
If they would slide into some
base with their spikes cleaning
as Cobb's spikes used to CLEAN,
they might be a better drawing
card. At least they'd be respected.
AS the odor of the stockyards
drifts over the South Side this
morning, it reminds me that no
one respects the steer that runs
through the chute with sullen
bovine indifference to meet the
lethal sledge and knife. Well, the
GriffS have been pretty much that
way. They took their lickings and
close observers saw no difference
in them. Before and after the
games they were nice boys.
Good Losers
They've been good losers. Well,
Col. Til Huston, who used to own
the New York Yankees, once was
asked if he didn't think a certain
ball player was a sportsman and
o good loser.
Damned the good losers" ex.
ploded the fiery Houston. "I
wouldn't have them on my ball
club"
Now let's look at what that de-
cision at the plate yesterday did
for the Griffs.
We will overlook the fact that
Johnny Kerr was guilty Of afro
cious coaching, and that Bluege
should have scored if he had been
ordered to run full speed ahead. If
Bluege had scored as he should
have, and as he insists that he
really did, the Griffs would have
had three runs over the plate,
Whitehill on second and the head
of the batting order coming up.
Another hit might have chased
Ted Lyons right out of the ball
park. And without Lyons in the
box, the Sox might have wilted.
Hypothetical
All of this is hypothetical, to be
sure, but baseball games are won
and lost in one play, and that play
at the plate on Bluege was the
pivotal play.
Beyond all that, Whitehill was
handicapped by a sore finger on
his left hand. His control was bad
and his support was worse beyond
the record of the error column.
Cecil Travis was a shallow excuse
for q third baSeman. Balls went
by him that should have been
caught or fielded. Strategical
plumbers were the order of the