Evening star., 1936-07-28
ASPIRING MATS HIT
BY BOTTOMS LOSS
Cliff Out Three Weeks With
Fractured Digit-Sabo
Recalled as Sub.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

LEVELAND, July 28.-On the
eve of what seems to be a
new and enhancing chance
~ for a first division berth, the
fate of the Washington ball club today
was thrown into the hands OF little
Walter Miles.
The half-pint second-strlng catcher
of the Nationals, unsung all season
with the exception of brief moment
in June, now finds himself Washing
tons No. l backstop for an indefinite
period due to a fractured finger sus-
tanned by Cliff Bolton. A foul tip of
Sammy Vests bat last Sunday in st.
Louis struck Bolton on the finger OF
his right hand, and X-rays taken here
Yesterday revealed a split fracture
that may keep Cliff out of the game
for at least three weeks.
Thus Miles, picked up from the
Brooklyn Dodgers last Spring for
$4,000, assumes his new post today as
the Nationals, elevated to fifth place
in the American League standing and
within hailing distance Of the first di-
vision belatedly open a four-game
series with their old Nemesis, the In
dians. Rain yesterday forced post
ponement of the series opening. The
washed-out game will be played as
part of a dolble- header tomorrow.
Fateful Role for Miles.
WHAT the Nationals do now might
well rest entirely with Miles
Seemingly, with the Tigers slumping
the White Sox's recent squirt checked
and the Red Sox failing to reveal any
great improvement, Washington has
a chance to sneak back into the tor
flight. Before Bolton was injured
prospects looked unusually bright
Until Miles proves that he cannot fl
the bill, the Griffs still must be given
the benefit of any doubts.
Bottoms current injury affords Mil
lies his second chance to justify his
purchase by President Clark Griffith
when, panicky over his catching, the
Old Fox reached into the National
League to pluck the little receiver
On the Washington clubs last Western
trip in June, Bolton was painful in
jured in a collision at the plate with
Tony Piet of the White Sox.
Miles, virtually unknown to even
his teammates, stepped into the breach
and adequately filled Cliffs shoes fol
the remainder of successful Western
swing that brought the Bucks back tt
the Capital in the roles of leading
contenders to the Yankees.
Bottoms Power May Be Missed.
MILES batted well over 800 and
his defensive work was accept
able, but it is doubtful if this was
Walters normal stride. He appeared
to be playing over his head but, then,
Miles may be the sort of ball player
with a penchant for coming through
in the pinch.
Analysing the two receivers, Bolton
and Miles, the regular backstop must
be given a wide edge, at least over a
seasons stretch. Cliff may not be the
most polished catcher in the majors,
but he seems to be superior behind
the plate to Miles. For one thing
Walter cannot match Bottoms throw
ing arm. That Cliff packs more power
at the plate goes almost without
saying
The Nationals may miss Bottoms
punch. The stocky Tarheel was going
well at bat when Vests foul struck
him down and his long distance clouts
were invaluable during the recent st.
Louis series, when the Griffs took three
of four games to move back into con-
tention after losing ground during
their slump.
Miles, whose current batting aver
age is higher than Bottoms, probably
is not a 300 hitter nor is he long
hitter. Walter is more the pesky type.
Just how pesky he can be, now, re-
mains to be seen. Bolton has been
subjected to a lot of criticism in his
short reign as Washington'S No. l
catcher, but Miles is stepping into a
pretty big pair of shoes, at that, and
at an important time.
SabO Joins Griffs Again.
THE injury to Bolton, who was sent
home from Cleveland last night,
left Miles as the Griffs' only catcher,
but a hurry-up call to Joe Cambria
resulted in the reporting today of Alex
Sabo from the Trenton club of the
New York k-Pennsylvania League. Sabo,
a Hungarian youth who had a trial
with the Bucks in Orlando last Spring,
was brought up solely in case of injury
to Miles.
A former Fordham University foot
ball lineman, the newcomer scarcely is
ready for the majors and unless Miles
falls down completely or is injured,
Alexis duties will be confined to sitting
on the bench and warming up bull-pen
pitchers. AS soon as Bottoms services
are regained, he probably will be sent
back to the minors for further
seasoning.
Without lifting a finger, the Griffs
gained ground yesterday. The Browns
did 'em favor by beating the Red Sox
and the AS upset the White Sox. with
the result that Washington today was
only two games out of third place and
was tied with Chicago for the fifth
position.