Evening star., 1938-07-18
MATS RELISH REST
BEFORE TIGER SET
Wear Is Evident as Chisox
Bombard KeIIey-BIuege
FaIterS at Short.
BY FRANCIS K. STAN.

There are less momentous issues
coming up than the fight for fourth ,
place in the American League This
is skirmish, in the form Of q three
game series. that Is due to open to-
morrow in Grif1ith Stadium, when the
fifth-place Tigers, carrying the fight,
move onto the local battle ground to
face the Nationals.
AS they made the most Of an open
date in the schedule the Griffs today
decided they needed it, Harry Kelley,
the new bellcow of the pitching staff,
was driven from the box yesterday as
the White Sox. in comic game,
slammed the Griffs for a l2-to-1 VIC
tory. The succeeding pitchers, Joe
Krakauskas and Pete Appleton, also
60 off something less than lightly.
The Mats, as a result, looked worse
than they really are. Nothing they
did was right. BY the fifth inning,
when the Sox batted around in scor-
ing seven runs, they were out Of the
ball game. Subsequent work reflected
the futility of it all.
Harry Needed More Rest.
Owner Clark Griffith was only mild
ly alarmed over the turn of events.
"Kelley's failure meant only one
thing" said Griff. "and that isn't
serious. Kelley simply needs more
than three days Of rest, and that's
all he had between yesterdays game
and the last one he pitched, which
was that tough baby against Cleve-
land. When pitcher begins to get
little old, like Harry, he needs four
full days"
Kelley showed definite signs Of.
weariness. bearing out Grifhth's the
ory. After getting off to q shaky
start and giving up flrst-innins run,
Harry settled down until the fifth,
when the Sox put together six hits
and capitalized on errors by Kelley
and Catcher Rick Ferrell to score five
runs. This was enough for Harry,
who retired in favor of Krakauskas.
The Sox scored two more runs before
the inning was over.
The open date today. according to
plan, will serve to freshen up some of
the weary members OF the club.
Kelley is one who can stand a brief
rest. In fact. most of the pitchers
can use a layoff
Another noticeably weary gentle
man is Ossie Bluege, the 38-year-old
defensive master who have been play.
ing shortstop since Cecil Travis was
kA
the day of was calculated to rest
him sufficiently to enable him to carry
on for few more days, or until Travis
is ready for action
Cecil, you know, was spiked on the
knee during the second game OF the
Cleveland series. Since he has been
out OF the game the Griffs have lost
three out of their last four games.
Fluid on the knee has retarded Travis
progress in recuperating.
Those three defeats in the last four
games have served, If nothing else. to
emphasize Travis value to the Mats.
For some seasons now the word has,
been out that Travis is a "percentspe
hitter meaning a guy who winds up
with a fat average but trails in runs
bstted in and long-range hitting. The
| long-range part may be true, but
Travis, in the last month, has led
the club in batting across runs. In
fact. quoting Griffith:
That stuff about Travis not hitting
across runs is lot of bunk. If Cecil
batted in spot where runners were on
the bases as much as they are for some
OF the other fellows he'd be 4 leader
in knocking them over"
Krakky May Start Soon.
Grlmth weighed in with a kind
word for Krakauskas. the stocky young
southpaw pitcher. 1t may have been
significant. Griff, as matter of fact.
Is all for Harris pitching Muscles regu-
larly. He'll do as well as some Of the
fellows who get starting turns now"
explained the old gentleman, casting
strong hints. He may not get the ball
over as much as some of the others but
he'll be hit less. And I'd rather have
fellow walked than to have him sock
a triple"
There isn't much sense in going into
yesterdays game. For four innings it
was quite game but after the Sox
got their seven runs in the fifth round
1t was all over. The Griffs were licked
and they showed it.
The only run they could score of
Monty Stratton was in the eighth in
ming. when Ferrell doubled with one
down and Appleton, last Of the three
pitchers. singled him across Outside
Of this flourish it was dull afternoon