The Washington times., 1936-06-13
THIRD PLA in LEAGUE WITHIN GRASP OF WASHINGTON TEAM
OfGriM
Today
By FRANK "BUCK" O'NEILL

Third place is within the grasp
of the Griffs today as they meet,
the Chicago White Sox today and
tomorrow in the final game of
the current series, which brings to.
close the visit of the Western
clubs. They are a single percent~
age point behind the Cleveland
Indians today as they clear the,
decks for action. They are just a
point ahead of the Detroit Tigers
who are fifth.
The first two places in the
league are just about locked up
for the year. The Yankees, trium-
phant over the Tigers yesterday,
are breezing along like a clipper
running before the wind. The Bos-
ton Red Sox are dragging some
thing. 1t might be Cronin, but
that is purely suppoSition. Right
now the SoX are second. The SoX
are four games back on the lost
side of the column. That is where
the lost games count.
The dog fight is on for the two
minor prize positions, and it may
just happen that Washington,
with a bit more pitching, will
share in the lesser cuts of the
world series.
ROughneSs Marks Game
In defeating the White Sox in
game that was marked and
marred by rough and ready tao
tics, the defense of the Griffs
reached a new high.
The boys scored their second
consecutive Shutout victory, run
ming the string to exactly eighteen
frames of runless innings. Buck
Newsom pitched steady and heady
baseball all the way. He was
nudged for two hits in the first
inning, but after that he really
started piling on the pressure.
The Sox made only five blows all
afternoon.
Now NewSom was at his best,
and loud may the cymbals be
beaten. But without the marvel
louS skill of OSsie Bluge in the
seventh inning the probabilities
are that his s''utout would have
gone the Meyer road. zeke Bon
ura opened with single, and
Kreevich walked. Jackie Hayes
looked at a side arm curve ball and
sat down.
Jimmy Dykes then popped q
bouncer over second that looked
like a hit in the making. About
everyone in the park gave up on
the rap except Bluege. He start
ed for the ball, and got to it
Just as the leather jumped for
the safety of the deeper grass. -
Engineers Double Play A
Flipping a snap toss to Kress1
Bluege got Kreevich at secCAld
and Kress completed a double
play by getting Dykes at first.
If the ball had gotten through,
nothing could have prevented
Bonura's scoring. There are few
infielders in baseball who COULD
have made that play with the
sure skill displayed by Bluege;
and the colorful, always-on-the:1
lob Kress completed it.
Right here and now this writer
would like to salute Kress and
BIuege and go on record as
crediting them with the climb OF
the Griffs to third place. Plays
such as they made in this sew
venth inning make pitchers look
good, and Newsom was quick TO
admit that the veteran Bluege
and the steady old carrot top
made his Shutout possible.
Jake Powell is in a position Of
leading an up and down life this
summer, and if he escapes villa
conclusion Of the brain or maybe
a fractured skull he will be lucky.
He almost spiked Hayes in the first
inning and he almost injured Bon
IRA by running into the Italians
left hand, as he injured Green
berg.
Bonura challenged Powell and
the latter was about to accept the
gage Of battle when the ump1res IN.
tervened.
Lyons hit Powell with pitched
ball-an accident. of course. Lyons
is ore of the gentlest souls in base
ball. But there are some other
pitchers not so gentle, and the
word definitely is out on Powell.