Evening star., 1938-08-04
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

IA 1SoAo, AvAo., mug vSAeAA Wiz
Mats moving toward the end OF their
third Western swing OF the season,
Bucky Harris still is afflicted with a
variety Of managerial headaches. but
the biggest of all, outside of the stand
ard. ever-present pitching pain, is the
first base ache.
For better or for worse. you know,
Harris put Zeke Bonura back on the
bag at the start Of this tour. He an
nounced that he had just about given
up on young Jimmy Wasdell. for whom
Clark Grifiith spent $4,000 in players
and cash couple of winters back.
Bucky's theory was that Zeke. If left
alone long enough. was bound to start
slugging He always had slugged and
Harris is more or less q disciple Of
the axiom "once hitter always q
hitter ~
Zeke did fairly well at the outset.
He got couple Of hits while the
Mats lost one Of their three games in
Detroit. He got home run with the
bases loaded in Cleveland. after
the Indians already had taken lead
they never lost. But then Henry john
which is what Momma and Poppa
Bonura christened Zeke. went bad
again. Now he has hit rock bottom.
Poor Zeke can't get worse.
Just Wasn't Zeke's Day.
As the Mats lost to the Browns
yesterday. to 3. for their sixth de-
feat in eight road games. Zeke fouled
out, hit into a side-retiring double
play just when the Griffs had Buck
Newsom on the ropes, flied out and
became the first of five successive men
struck out by Newsom in the last two
Washington innings.
This, of course, covers only Zeke' s
offensive gestures. Afield. with St.
Louis leading by only 3 to 2. Bonura
chased a foul pop by Jack Bell with
two down in the nth inning and a
runner on second base. Zeke made
an inglorious muff, drew an error, and
Bell promptly singled to make the
score AZ. There is no telling what
might have happened If Zeke had
held the ball after the Mats scored a
run In the sixth themselves.
In all fairness to Bonura. however,
st. Louis probably would have won.
Newsom, after shaky start, was q
hot potato in the last flve~ innings.
giving up only two hits, no runs. and
striking out six of his 10 whining VIC
tims of the day.
"Was Great Hitter" Says Al.
Nobody seems to be in a position
to explain the Bonura mystery with
any degree Of assurance Harris grim
ly insists that Zeke will continue to
play first. Bucky also maintains that
Bonura was licked by the rolling
plains which compose Grinth Sta
dium's outfield. He found he couldn't
reach the fences and that beat him, y
said Harris.
But Zeke isn't playing at Gritdth
Stadium now. In fact only II OF
Washington's games are at home
Doesn't it follow the guy would start
hitting on the road? That is hard
one to answer.
It is recalled that at the time OF
Bonura's acquisition in March AL Sim
mons climbed far on the limb for the
big Italian. Hes . great hitter,
said AL. Il played with him for two
years in Chicago, and he really is a
hitter"
Simmons opinion now hasn't
changed. HE can't hit now," admits
AL, but something is wrong. know
the fellow is q swell hitter. saw him.
Didn't he bat $40 last year-and .
wear ago, with the season more thar
q month to 60, didn't he knock in
100. runs?
Listen" continued AL. Here's the
way I look at it. Everybody knows
what Q bad fielder he is. He can't
run the bases, either. But he made
$4,000 q year at Chicago and the
White Sox didn't pay him that kind
of dough for nothing. The fellow can
hit. I tell you, but that's al can
tell you. Why he isn't doing 1t now
is something don't know"
Lewis Needs . Rest.
Notes to you Bucky Harris wa
to give Buddy Myer . rest and play
Ossie Bluege today If Southpaw How
ard Mills pitched for the Browns ir
the last OF the three-same series
But the guy on the Washington clut
| who really needs . rest is Buddy Lewi'
The kid played every game las
year and has appeared In al OF tn
Nats' games this year and ne eoule
| ~ tvo q three daSS q SoGt Laws
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