Evening star., 1938-03-28
OLD FOX IS BITTER
ASL0SSESP| Up
Even Bonura Irks Clubs
Boss by Dancing After
Defeat by Bees.
BY FRANCIS Z. STAN,
6tsd Correspondent Of The Star.


TAMPA, Fla, March 2s-Thess
days the Nationals tread carefully IN
hotel lobbies and furtively make their
way to the dining rooms. Now and
then they duck quickly behind potted
palm for cover. That would mean
that Owner Clark Griffith Is coming
into sight.
The old gentleman, who in the past
always has displayed commendable re-
straint in the face Of exhibition game
defeats, is on the warpath again.
None of the Mats, not even big Zeke
Bonura, is safe from his scathing
words. The 68-year -old boss mans
original burst OF rage has been trans
formed into steady stream Of sar-
casm. biting and deep.
Offhand, Washington's exhibition
game record would not seem to war
rant such a display by Griffith The
Mats have won five games and lost
only four But, looking into the mat
ter more deeply. the Mats have not
been able to beat major league clubs.
They won their opener from the Car
dinals. IS to 13, but since then they
have lost four in row to big league
outfits
Pops Of Before Players.
The Tigers whipped them. l3 to o.
That hurt. In a return battle the
Mats held 40 lead, but blew it.
Detroit tied the score at A and then
won in the 10th inning, 9 to 1. That
hurt, too. Salt was poured into the
wounds Of our suffering Mr.. G. when
the Cincinnati Reds invaded Orlando
last week and won by 6-3, beating Wes
Ferrell. Then. yesterday, came J.
too defeat by the Boston Bees at
Bradenton.
Griffith did not see that game yes
terday. but the news was relayed to
him. He met the club at Tampa last
night and had few caustic comments
to make.
In the dining room Pitcher Joe
CaScarella, who was fired by Griff
last year, but who now is pitching for
the Reds, sat at an adjoining table for
dinner. Cascarella was to start todays
game with the Reds here.
If my ball club gets a foul on you
tomorrow, joe" said Grifith loudly.
you ought to be fired" Nearby sat
Rick Ferrell, Mel Almada, Cecil Travis
and others of the Washington club.
They pricked up their ears.
Il mean it, said Griff, louder than
ever. I've got lousy, dead ball
r1,,h Av,on
citation teams and that's all"
Zeke Walks Into Line Of Fire.
With the appearance OF Bonura In
the Nat lineup the club was expected
to click. For the first time Manager
Bucky Harris yesterday was able TO
put his regular team on the field. The
Griffs outhit the Bees. 9 to s. but 1t
seems they still pay of on runs And
the Bostons scored the only run OF
the game.
Bonura innocently walked into the
range Of Griff's fire last night when
he stalked across the dance floor in
the dining room and asked Miss
Thelma Griffith, daughter OF Mr.. G.,
to dance. AS they left the old gent
turned his guns on Zeke. Us that
the way you act when We lose . one
run ball game?' he queried. do
you feel like dancins?" Zeke. who
doesn't know the Griffith moods as
yet, grinned and called back. It's
okay, pop. just gotta get loosened
up to improve my footwork."
The Mats were no heroes in Braden-
ton as they dropped that 10 deci-
sion. Yves Ferrell and Ray Phebus
turned in a neat f1ve-hit performance.
Against any other club 1t would have
! been highly commendable But the
weak-hitting Bees often are held to
| five hits and one run.
Bees Win on Stones Error.
Only once against Ira Hutchinson
and Rookie Dick Merriwell Erickson
did the Griffs get . man a. far as
third base. That was in the sixth
inning, when Al Simmons singled and
went to third on 4 double by Cecil
Travis. The inning ended abruptly.
however, when Buddy Myer looked
at third strike.
| 1t was an error by Johnny Stone
that paved the way for the only run
/ of the game. Leading of the Bees
fifth. Elbie Fletcher hit q line drive
to Stone, who muffed the ball. Al
Lopez followed with q scratch hit to
Buddy Lewis and after Hutchinson sac
riflced and Rabbit Warstler walked.
! Gil English hit Q short ny to AL
Simmons.
| Al should have thrown out Fletcher
as he tried to score. but the throw
was a weak lob and Elbie crossed
with what proved to be the winning
run. II it we're not established that
AL could throw better than that the
Griffs would have another reason TO