Evening star., 1938-04-23
OLD J|NX IS SEEN
IN CR|FFS 79LOSS
New Batting Order Due Test
Today if Gomez HurIs
for Champs.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,

~'A w OAsAA' hPA ~ So.-AIl4C
his fifteenth consecutive season as
major league manager had been
pleasant for Bucky Harris until today.
But now, as his Mats smarted under
their first setback of the American
League campaign. Harris wrestled
with his first problems.
There was, first and foremost, that
matter Of Rufus the Red) Rufing
holding the Grifimen to four hits as
the Yankees blasted them yesterday,
Z to 0. OF late the Mats had given
Harris cause to think they were pretty
good bombers in their own right.
Against the AS they scored "a runs
in three ball games.
But as soon as they run up against
pitching of slightly higher caliber.
the Mats folded like so many accor-
dians. That hurt Bucky carried
grimace to bed with him last night
and awoke with another today as he
contemplated sending his club against
Lefty Gomez in the second game of
this series.
Hogsett Not Very Fast.
There was. too. sense of disap-
pointment felt by Harris in the debut
OF Elon Hogsett, the mellowing left
handler the Mats acquired from the
Browns especially for service against
the Yankees and Indians. Now the
Chief wasn't bad. When he was lifted
for pinch-hitter after seven innings
Of toll. he had given only four runs
and seven hits.
But the Chief. somehow, didn't
seem to be as fast as Owner Clark
Griffith and Harris might have ex-
pected. He baf1led Lou Gehrig. who
hasn't been able to buy base hit
so far: Joe Gordon and Rufing. But
the other Yanks played hob with the
Chief. The veterans control was off
and he was pitching uphill most of
the afternoon.
There is a possibility that Harris
and Grif erred slightly in appraising
Hogsett. With the Browns, the big
southpaw was worked often too
often, thought Bucky and Gr1.
When they landed Chief in trade they
decided to rest him up and see If they
couldn't help to bring back his hard
one. So far, Harris admits. Hogsets
hasn't been able to recall his swift.
It may be that Hogsett needs more
work.
New Bat Order on Display.
That 7-to-0 beating yesterday re-
called vivid memories of past futility
IN the Yankee Stadium. After all,
Washington only won Of II games
In the big ball yard last year. That
record. in itself, was enough to doom
the Mats to the second division. They
nave plenty Of time to better their
record this year, of course, but the
Mats will feel better after they taste
the delights Of victory here at least
once or twice.
Today was to be a mildly mo-
mentous one in the lives of the Mats.
With Gomez almost certain Of pitch
ing, Harris was to use his No. 2
batting order for the first time. He
was to yank Center Fielder Mel
Almada. Right Fielder Taft Wright
and Second Baseman Buddy Myer.
In their places were to be AL Simmons,
Rookie George Case and the veteran
Ossie Bluege, all ght-handed hitters.
Simmons. in fact, almost was played
yesterday in place of Stone, who has
been unable to get started this spring.
Al put on a batting show in practice
yesterday and unless Stone comes
around, the husky veteran may re-
place Long Jawn for q while, or until
Stoney promises to snap out Of his
slump.
Double Plays Hurt Mats.
The details Of yesterday are little
TOO narrowing to bear much repeti-
ton. The only time the Mats threat
ened to score was in the opening
inning, when Wright and Zeke
Bonura singled with two out. But
Stone bounced to Rufing to end the
inning and, thereafter, Washington
made only two hits in the last eight
frames. Three times the Mats hit
into double plays to spoil what ap-
peared to be potential rallies spring.
ing out Of bases on balls.
The Yanks started their scoring in
the second frame when Dickey
singled with one out. Hoag walked
and Selkirk scored Dickey with a
single for Q 10 lead. In the fourth
the Yanks made 1t 10 when Hoag