Evening star., 1935-07-24
GRIFFITH STANDING
BY YOUNG HURLER
Declares He Needs Control
Alone to Make Grade.
Game Rained Out.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

that the way to pitching fame
in the big leagues is no path
of roses If the kid National was
laboring under this f1owery illusion
when he handily whipped the Browns
In his debut 10 days ago Hayes view
point certainly should be changed to-
day. 1t is very thorny road.
Whitley first began to learn this
when the White Sox whipped him last
week, and yesterday the Indians were
giving him a lesson when Jupiter
Pluvius and Clark Griffith connived to
have a game called because of rain
and wet grounds. The Indians were
ahead, to l, but the necessary in
nings had not been played.
Yet for all CT the damage inflicted
by the Sox and Tribe to Whiteys illu-
sions, the 22-year-old pitching rookie
is not far away from being a major
league hurler. He lacks only one es-
sential, so President Clark Griffith
claims, and that is control.
Youngster Has Good Curve.
THE old gentleman who pays off the
Nationals on certainly what is not
coming in at the gate these days is
not disappointed in Hayes. On the
contrary, he all eady has placed Whitley
down on his future book as an entry
that will bear watching when the
Griffmen try again next year.
"I knew what Hayes lacked in con-
troll when brought him up here" de-
clares Griff. II told Stanley Manager
Bucky Harris) just what to expect-a
kid with lot of stuff which he has
trouble getting across the plate.
well, we had him tagged right. The
kid is fast. He's got good straight
ball and a better curve. His curve is
one of the best on the club. All he
needs now is to learn to get the ball
over the plate and perfect change OF
pace. Then he'll be ready"
Griff, as you've been reminded be-
fore, once was one of base balls
better pitchers himself. If there is
more astute judge of slab flesh than
the old gent around. then he is doing
a good job of hiding out.
Indians Capitalize on Passes.
"DIAGNOSE the boys record with
- U.S." suggested Griff, "and you
can see just how close he is to being
ready. In beating the Browns he al
lowed seven bases on balls and made
a wild pitch. When a pitcher puts
this many runners on base, he has to
be pretty good to win. He has to be
stingy with his hits, and Hayes was
stingy. He gave only seven hits.
In six and two-thirds innings
against the White Sox he allowed
four walks and made another wild
pitch. Three of these passes, as well
as the wild pitch, helped in the
scoring, which was 5 to when he
went out. What there was of yes
terday'S game speaks for itself"
In sooth, it does Just that Whitley
was losing, 3 to 1, when the rain be-
gan to pour in the fourth inning, and
every one of the Cleveland tallies were
due to wildness. He got the ball
across in the first inning, the In
dians were eating out of hand. Then,
to start the second frame, he walked
Trosky and Hale, first up.
Bozie Berger sacrificed and Knick-
erbocker popped out but old Eddie
Phillips managed to squeeze a single
by Cecil Travis and there was Cleve-
lands 2-to-0 lead.
Must Get First Pitch Over.
THE Nationals cut it down to to /
- in their half of the second, but
the Indians promptly got that run
back in the third, thanks to more of
Hayes generosity. With two down,
both on easy pops, Whitley walked
Campbell, advanced him to second on
a wild pitch and then, when Trosky
singled, 1t was 3 to /.
That was all the scoring because in
Washington's half of the next inning
the rain fell in torrents and Prof. Grit
fifth, bearing in mind Hayes wildness,
neglected to order the ground crew to
cover the field with the tarpaulin.
the field was deemed too wet for fur
ther play. Hence, rain checks and a
double header today.
What Hayes must learn to do,"
summarizes Griffith, sis to get that
first pitch across. The trouble with a
lot of these minor leaguers Is that they
wind up and heave their first couple
of pitches in the general direction Of
the plate. If they miss, it's two balls
and no strikes.
Then they take 1t easy and try to
shoot across strikes. The result, in
the big leagues anyway, Is fatal. You
can't throw many 'cripples' to big
league batter"