Evening star., 1943-07-02
New Low in Offensive
Hit as Chisox Blank
Griffmen Easily
By Staff Correspondent Of The star.


CHICAGO, July 2.-In = desper-
ate, but thus far futile, effort to
insert more punch In his lineup,
Manager Ossie Bluege Of the Mats
is attempting to transform Out
fielder Bob johnson into q third
baseman and, as q result, Gene
Moore is being promoted to q regu-
lar Job after wearing well in the
role OF utility outfielder and pinch
hitter.
Third base isn't entirely strange
to johnson, but it isn't familiar
territory, either. He played the po-
sition IL years ago with Portland in
the Pacific Coast League and later
served a short stretch In the Ath-
letics' infield, but at second base.
Bob may not represent the answer
to one of Bluege's more pressing
problems, but Ossie is determined
to find out. If he can knock down
those grounders, he'll throw 'em
out" says Bleuge. His great arm
will help him at third"
Clary Out for Two Weeks.
Johnson's shift to third sends
Moore to right field and moves
George Case from right field to
left. The rearrangement was prompt
ed by an ankle injury suffered by
Ellis Clary, who will be unavailable
to the Mats for at least two weeks.
Clary, hobbling on crutches as
the result of a sprained ankle suf-
fered here on Wednesday night, was
to arrive in Washington today and
will remain there until he recuper-
ates. Trainer Mike Martin says the
Mats will be lucky if Clary is able
to play when Washington returns to
Griflth Stadium on July IS.
II Bluege's current experiment
works out as he hopes, Clary may
not return to his third-base duties.
Il have to do something to get
some batting into our lineup" ex-
plains Ossie, "and maybe this will
do it. It's worth trying, anyway
Bluege has abandoned the idea
of making a third baseman out OF
Alex Kampouris, who held the
job a month or so. When Kam-
pouris messed up a ground bali to
launch a 4-run inning by the White
Sox here on Wednesday night,
Bluege decided he wasn't the man
to replace Clary.
"Anybody's grandmother should
have been able to handle that
grounder," fumes Bluege. Besides,
Alex isn't hitting and Moore has
shown ne can hit. Maybe Moore
and johnson in the lineup to-
gether will get more power"
Vernon Curtis to Report.
AS the Mats dropped a 20 de-
cision to the White Sox here yester-
day, nothing occurred to alter
Blueges plans. johnson performed
acceptably at third base and Moore
handled himself neatly in the out
field. Between them they obtained
three of the Mats four hits.
The sag in Washington's attack
has reached an alarming point.
however. Bluege has seen the Mats
muster only nine hits and one run
in absorbing brace of successive
defeats from the White Sox, who
now have captured six of eight
games with Washington, which re-
manned two and one-half games
back of the Yankees. who also lost.
To bolster the Mats pitching staff,
Prexy Clark Griffith has added
Vernon Curtis, a right-hander. who
has been pitching for Atlanta and
who is expected to join the Mats
Saturday IN st. Louis. Curtis, a 23-
year-old 6-footer. won seven games
and lost five this season with the
Crackers.
In exchange for Curtis. Griffith
dispatched Pitcher Dewey Adkins
and what he termed considerable
cash" to the Crackers Adkins had
been used only in relief roles by the
Mats and hadn't impressed Bluege.
Candini Pitches Today.
Early Wynn threw six scoreless
innings at the White Sox yesterday.
but in the seventh. Joe Kuhel and
Wally Moses clipped him for singles
and Thurman Tucker inserted
double to present the Chisox their
runs.
Meanwhile Bill Dietrich was hav-
ing what amounted to no trouble
with Washington's hitters. The
only time the Mats advanced a man
beyond second base was when they
loaded the bases with two out. but
in that situation Wynn grounded
out to Kuhel at first.
Milo Candini was to pursue his
eighth successive triumph here to-
day as the Mats sought to salvage
one game of the three-game series.
The Mats will journey to St. Louis
tomorrow for night engagement
with the Browns.