Evening star., 1938-04-13
YVES TO Be CHOICE
IF HE MEETS TEST
Otherwise Honor will Go to
Weaver-Boston Again
Beats Mats, 7.6.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

ball club was to 60 on display today
at Griffith Stadium and, while an ex-
hibition game with the Boston Bees
strictly is take ke-it-or-leave-it propo-
.sition, there was one item of more
than passing interest
Wesley Cheek Ferrell, you see, is to
make his bid for the opening game
pitching assignment this afternoon.
Manager Bucky Harris says Wes is the
man to face the Athletics here next
Monday If he proves his readiness. II
the Bees swarm all over him. Monte
Weaver will take the toss from Presi-
dent Roosevelt and open Washingtons
bid In the American League race.
Yves seemed to be cinch for the
honors when spring training opened in
Orlando last February. But while he
has conducted himself uniformly well
in the box this spring, that Weaver
man has done even better. 1t was
weeks before Monte was given a tum-
BILE, but now his hat is in the ring and
II Yves isn't ready the slim, quiet eX-
college professor will step to the head
Of the Mats slab class.
Mats Bring Back Poor Record.
The train that pulled the Mats into
Union Station last night bore a vor-
ried pilot in S. Raymond Harris.
Strictly of what his ball club has
shown in spring games. the Mats be-
long in the American Association. At
least American Association clubs are
the only teams the Mats have been
able to whip consistently. That 7-to-6
decision they dropped to the Bees YES
terday in Richmond was the eleventh
OF l3 games they have lost to major
league entries.
In the only game with a Southern
Association team, the Griffs were
beaten by Chattanooga. An Eastern
League outfit, Trenton, held Washing
ton to a % tie. Only five straight
wins over American Association teams.
victory over Charlotte Of the Pied.
mont League and two stray triumphs
from the Bees and Cards appear in
the winning column.
Harris, Of course, has better ball
club than its record would indicate.
In facr 1t may be the best team Wash
lngton has had since 1893, when a
pennant was won. 1t isn't unreason-
able to think so, anyway.
But as result OF the long string
OF spring setbacks the Mats are tread
ing on thin ice. A bad start in the
pennant race might hopelessly con-
denim the club to the depths Of the
second division. A good start naturally
would restore confidence and wipe out
all memories Of the Grapefruit League.
Yves Predicts IS Slab Wins.
That is why Harris Is particularly
anxious to put his best foot forward
when the curtain goes up. Ferrell or
Weaver? Yves was to throw some
light on the question today
In Ferrell's own mind there Is no
doubt as to his success this year.
"As a matter of fact" claims Yves,
If I get off to good start I'm a
cinch to win 25 games. If I can win
six games by the middle of May I
can do it." The way Yves saws it
sounds simple. The records reveal
no Washington pitcher has won 25
games since Walter Johnson.
FerTell and Weaver unquestionably
rank at the top of the WASHINGTON
pitching staff at the moment. Yves
ought to win close to 20 games II the
Mats play up to expectations. Weaver
may be the surprise pitcher OF the
league this year. The Prof. won II
games last year. most Of them in the
Spring and before he wilted IN the
heat. This year Monte is stronger,
faster and in better spirits. He NAV
have his best season since 1882, when
he first came up to win % victories.
After Ferrell and Weaver are dis
posed Of. however, Harris headaches
begin. If he can dig up two other
starting pitchers with better-than-
even chances to win the Griffs may
cause trouble. That isn't easy to do.
Lopez's Homer Licks Mats, 7-s.
Bucky watched an old story unfolded
before him again In Richmond. The
Mats were in a hitting mood, COL
lecting 16 blows of Ira Hutchinson
and Bill Weir. but they left IL run
ners on the bases and were forced to
accept TO defeat. It was the Bees
fourth win in five games with the
Griffmen.
The National Leaguers had all the
best OF 1t at the start. Vince Di Mag
gio hit a home run with two men on
base after an error by Buddy Lewis
had prolonged the opening inning.
As a result the Bees had four un-
earned runs. In the third Zeke Bonura
hit a homer with one man on base
and before the inning was over the
Mats were back In the game.
After each club had added another
run, Washington took the lead in the
eighth on Rick FerreL's homer, singles
by Goslin and Lewis, and an error by
Third Base1nan Karl Maggert Going
into the Bees eighth they held q e-5
lead. but the weak-hitting AL Lopez
preserved the Boston supremacy. Al
ripped of home run against Bill
Pheblls and this WAS enough n win