Evening star., 1941-04-09
Teammates Buzzinq
Over His Triumph
Against Newsom
Clubs Confidence Grows
As Others Consistently
Pitch Brilliant Ball
b. a Staff Correspondent of The Star.

By Staff Correspondent of The Star.
GREENVILLE. S. c.. April g.
Even taking into account the fact
that Detroit's champion Tigers have
been in a woeful batting slump,
there is no way of playing down the
potential pitching aid which steve
Sundra promises to give the Nats.
The eX-Yankee made his second
start in a Washington uniform yes
terday against the Tigers in Char
lotte, N. c., and the Mats still are
buzzing about it. He outpltched
Buck Newsom, gave up only four
hits in seven innings and was the
winning pitcher in a 4-to-2 victory
sixth in a row for the seVenth-place
Griffmen over the pennant winning
BengalS. :,
Sundra had something on the ball,
far more than he had when he de-
buted on April l against the Card
inals in Orlando. This was evl-
denced when. on four occasions, he
turned on the heat and struck out
such Tiger Sluggers as Charley
Gehringer, Rudy York, Plnky Hlg-
gins and, of course, Newsom, who
claims he is something of a hitter,
Mats Getting Confident.
Day by day the Mats are becoming
more confident, more poised. They
not only have burned up the spring
circuit but they have been winning
imuressively as if they were quite
hall club. Walter Masterson, Sid
Hudson and Dutch Leonard have
been consistently brilliant. Sundra
has come along. Ken Chase mas
looked better than he has in years.
Deacon Danny MacFayden and
Alexandra Carrasquel have oeen
pitching fine relief ball.
The club has hit well at times and
not so well on other occasions, out'
all things considered, the punch SO
far has exceeded expectations. Cecil
Travis has been terrific all spring.
Buddy Lewis, George Case and Rog
Cramer have been hitting and now
Ben Chapman is beginning to get
into shape after a slow start due 10
an arm injury.
The older players think that
George Archie, the first baSeman,
will start hitting soon. They seem
to hold Archie in higher regard than
Manager Bucky Harris and Pres
tdent CLARK Griffith. He'll hit" one
of them said today. Hes real
good ball player"
Archie hit one yesterday. In 1act,
Il was his tremendous double that
drove across the first run. George
scored later himself, giving Sundra
a 20 lead over Newsom.
Hudson Hurls Today.
The Mats were here today to face
the Tigers for the seventh and f1nal
time before the American League
season starts. With Sid Hudson
nrined to 60 seven innings, and
waiter Masterson a possible flnisher,
they have a good chance OF complet-
ing a weird grand slam at the ex.
nense and to the embarrassment OF
the champs,
The Griffmen also may have
shortstop Cecil Travis back IN the
fold. Travis flew from Orlando be-
fore the team broke camp to see MS
father. who was Ill at the Travis
home in Riverdale, Ga. He may
ioin the team in Greenville in time
to play. ~
only Jimmy Pofahl, Travis sub
stitute; Cramer and Jimmy Blood
worth went hitless yesterday as the
Mats downed the Tigers. After tax
ing that 30 lead, Washington lost
it in the fifth, when Tuck STAIN
back doubled across two runs. In
the Mats half of the fifth, however,
singles by Chapman and Lewis, plus
a long fly by Pofahl, sent them
ahead, 80, and in the seventh,
against Rookie Bob Uhle, the final
marker was registered when Lewis
was hit by pitched ball. Pofahl was
safe on an error, and Johnny WelaJ,
running for Lewis, scored on Jimmy
Bloodworth's long foul fly.
Lewis, struck. on the wrist, was
not believed to be injured seriously.
Trainer Mike Martin expected him
to return today or tomorrow.