Evening star., 1942-05-06
Wynn 'sPitchinq
Makes Harris
Star Prophet
Victory Over Browns
Is Third in 4 Sturts:
Newsom Slaves
BY BURTON HAWKINS.


Newsom Slaves
BY BURTON HAWKINS.
The Mats have no immediate pros
pect Of wedging their way into the
f1rst-division elite, but considering
| what evil has befallen them in the
first three weeks of the campaign
they are demonstrating it may be
wise not to regard them too lightly.
1t may be that Washington's cur
rent f1fth-place perch-only five
games removed from the top spot
is a sad commentary on the caliber
of American League clubs. The
Mats have been unleashing weird,
woeful and exclusive interpretations
of baseball, but their present posi-
ton isn't pathetic.
Washington hasn't been blessed
by the tickle finger of fate. A series
OF events calculated to prep Man.
ager Bucky Harris for q well-cush-
ioned cell have hampered the Mats
considerably. They may consider
themselves fortunate not to be con-
fined to the cellar.
In early maneuvering Harris has
seen his leading pitcher, Dutch
Leonard, fracture leg. Bob Repass,
touted as a shortstop, who would
be Washington's best IN several sea-
sons, sagged pitifully and has been
benched. Bobby Estalella has been
beaned and George Case jammed q
shoulder to miss five games, both
suffering injuries at times when
they were helping the club.
Washington's recognized regular
second baseman, frankie Croucher,
hasn't fielded a ball. Sid Hudson,
labeled as likely to enjoy his most
successful season, has won only one
OF his five starts. Buck Newsom has
been blowing hot and cold and Jack
Wilson has missed several turns on
the mound due to charleyhorse.
Vernon, Early Disappoint.
Mickey Vernon and Jake Early,
who were supposed to provide the
Mats with long-range blows. are
hitting .216 and ITS. respectively.
Pitcher Walter Masterson has been
a complete f1zzle and Steve Sundra's S
various ailments have permitted
only two appearances.
Considering such gobs of grief the
Mats are in an enviable spot.
BY sweeping the two-game Detroit
series starting today at Grifith Sta
dium the Mats would own q 500 per-
centage for the first time in several
years and Harris was to fire Buck
Nevsom and Sid Hudson at the
Tigers In an effort to achieve that
temporary ambition.
Bucky was hoping for marked
Improvement by Newsom against
his former mates today. Even if
Buck proves to be short on ability
this season Harris isn't likely to
have any complaints about his
spirit. Newsom started SATURDAYS
game, relieved Sunday and today's
enort was to be his third appear
ance in five days.
Newsom now apparently is honest
in his attempt at q comback. He
hasn't done too badly in the won
and-lost column, capturing three
decisions and dropping as many,
but his pitching has ranged from
good to ghastly. He believes the
cure may lie in plenty of work and
Harris is giving it to him.
The last two pitching perform
ances of Early Wynn have served
to hearten Harris. The husky
right-hander whipped the White
Sox, 10, on five hits last Thursday
and yesterday he dealt the st. Louis
Browns a So trimming, allowing
only eight hits.
Wynn's Single Vital.
1t was several weeks ago in Flor
Ida that Harris tabled Wynn as the
likely Washington leading pitcher
this season and Early's recent hurl-
ing is justifying the prediction. He
has won three of his four starts
and has shed the excess weight that
threatened to lessen his effective
ness.
Wynn was helping himself with
his batting yesterday, too. for it was
his single with two out and the
bases loaded in the sixth inning
that sent Bruce Campbell and
Estalella scampering across with
what developed to be the winning
margin.
st. Louis had grasped a 20 lead
in the fourth on Walter Judnich's S
single and doubles by Chet Laabs
and Bob Swift, but Washington
retaliated with three runs in its
portion of the inning when Esta-
leila singled with the bases loaded
to score Stan Spence and Vernon
Jake Early scored after Jimmy
Pofahl flied to Judnich in center
Laahs' triple, coupled with Yer.
non Stephens fly that scored him
gave the Browns 3-3 tie in the
sixth, then came the Mats sixth
and there went the game. It was
a game, incidentally, in which
Washington mustered only five hits
of Bob Harris, who wasn't being
helped by four st. Louis errors.
Before today's game eight In
dian dancers from Jemez pueblo
near Santa Fe, N. Mex, were to
dance as one method Of persuading
customers to purchase War savings
bonds.
Tomorrow's tiff with the Tigers
will be the Mats last game at Grit
fifth Stadium until Nav %, when
the Yankees will invade Washing
ton will be idle Friday before Jour-
neying to New York, then westward
Stars Yesterday