Evening star., 1944-04-11
Heartened by Hitting
Al Bainbridge, Pilot
Likes Prospects
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

washington CUBAN Dali players
aren't talking-not before June IL,
how the draft edict
of Sign up or go home" affects
them. After that 7-to-4 win over
the Commodores at the Bainoridge
Naval Training Station yesterday,
members of the island contingent
had no comment to make on the
latest selective service order, but
Manager Os Bluese expressed conf
dence that this sizable bloc Of Mats
would be around at least long
enough to help get his club off to
a good start in the American
League flag race.
Wen have their services nearly
two months before they have to
decide whether to register for the
draft here or return to Cuba the
Mats skipper said. by that time
we could be well on our way in the
race Anyway, all other clubs as
well as ours will face draft troubles,
for every club is carrying a lot of
young Americans subject to early
call. So I don't see where We are
any worse of than the others,
Mats Won't Be Helpless.
True, we have been depending
on several of the Cubans to build
up our club Bluege admitted. |"f3ut,
should they leave, we'll pronatoly
have others to take over. sent
want to lose the better Cubans out
I don't believe loss of them wtelld
leave us helpless" |;
There was nothing helpless about
the Mats in the battle at Bainbrsdge.
They trailed the Commodores Mr. a
brief time, but the hitting thea did
against pair of former big ha-
guers was bound to get results. 'P'or
the first time in the training cam
paign, the Mats really opened up
with their bats to collect IS hits,
three Of the two-base variety, to
carry on to victory in the last three
innings.
Most pleasing to Manager Bltusge
was the fact that all but one of tine
hits were made of such pitchers as
Make Wilson, formerly with Bos-
toms Braves, and Lou Ciola, once a
member of the Philadelphia Ash-
letics' staff. They combed the left
Wilson for seven hits and
three runs in four innings and got
to Ciola for seven more safeties and
the game before driving him to
cover in the ninth.
Spence Spearheads Attack.
Ray Coombs, a nephew of Jack
Coombs, famous hurler with the old
AS, finished the ninth. All cleaned
on him was single and a pass.
Everybody but Luis Suarez, the
Cuban third base aspirant, and the
contributed to the Nat
attack. Stan Spence spearheaded 1t
with a brace Of doubles and two
singles In five times up while Joe
Kuhel collected two singles and
wo-bagger. Even Gil Torres, vino
relieved Suarez late in the ga,gle,
contributed one-baser. !,
Early Wynn and Bill Lefebyre
shared the pitching for the Mats.
with Wynn retiring after five in-
nings In which he yielded sever
safeties and four runs. The runs
crossed in the fifth when a double,
Two singles and two passes were
mixed with two errors. Lefebyre
worked smoothly the remainder III
The way. :,
Ernie Sites and Elbie Fletcher cs
the Pirates, Fred Chapman of the
AS, Bob Blattner of the Browns,
Bob Schefflng of the Cubs ard
Sherry Robertson of the Mats were
among the Bainbridge players. TIE
commodores were no setups.
Young Sisler Flashy Fielder.
Left fielding for the Commodores
vas Dick Sisler, son of the famous
George. He was a flash defensively
out not the hitter his dad was.
Bob Ortiz, besides contributing
,wo hits to the Mats cause, made; j;
the most spectacular fielding play
If the game when he came in fask
Tor a sparkling scoop that kept Sites
vicious drive to a single. Il
Nick Altrock's burlesque craps
game got big hand from the $500
sailors. So did his antics at first.
base. None can juggle a baseball
better than the venerable clown.
Curtis Bays Coast Guard Cut
ters were to be guests of the Mats
at College Park today. The club
goes to Fort Meade tomorrow for
the rubber clash of the series with
Philadelphia Phillies.
Girls' SoftboII League