Evening star., 1945-08-25
Club Policy Bars Help
From Lookoufs for
Mats Title Drive
BY JOHN B. KELLER,

BY JOHN b. KELLER,
Star stan Correspondent.
NEW YORK, Aug. 25.-Os Bluege
was q double-fretter today.
He fumed over New York weather
that washed out yesterdays date his
hard-driving Mats had with the
Yankees and which threatened to
blockade double-header scheduled
this afternoon.
The Washington manager also
burned over front Office agreement
with its Chattanooga farm that pre-
vents the transfer from the Look.
outs to his hot pennant chasers of
an outfielder and a pitcher who
probably could bolster the Mats con-
siderably in the rugged stretch run.
Joe Engel, former Washington
scout and now operator of the Chat
tanooga outfit, bobbed up here with
glowing accounts of the outfielding
and hitting done by Gil tCoan and
the hurting provided by Harry
Brunke for the Lookouts this year.
Coan, who Is Il, Is the outstand.
ing outfielder Of the Southern Asso-
citation and powerful hitter, &C
cording to Engel. Washington's
Chattanooga agent also said that
Brunke, a big left-hander, who was
sent to the Lookouts last year after
a tryout with the Mats in Chicago,
Is the best-looking pitching pros
pect in the circuit. The two can't
miss making good in the big show,
Engel told Bluege.
Must Wait Until 1916.
well, what are you waiting for?"
Bluege asked. Ship 'em along right
away. I'll put 'em to work."
ITS too bad, but you can't have
'em until next spring." Engel re-
piled. "Griff promised not to take
away any Of our stars so long as
Chattanooga was in the Southern
Association race. The Lookouts are
looking to the Southern Association
playoffs, so those boys will stick
with them to the finish"
So pair of players the Mats
could find lot of use for right now
and pair of players they actually
own-can't be brought In to help in
a pinch.
Engel came to New York to look
over youngsters from all over the
country in Esquire's annual East
West game next Tuesday. Two fine
teams have been assembled. Ty
Cobb Is directing the West in drills
on the Brooklyn Dodgers field while
Babe Ruth has the East in charge
at the Polo Grounds, home of the
Giants.
Perhaps q dozen boys will be
tagged by the 10 big league scouts
gathered here to observe the teams.
The big show will get thorough
newspaper coverage, too, by baseball
writer's of 27 cities,
In two double-headers here, tho
Yanks will have an abundance of
knuckle balls thrown at them.
Bluege has nominated Dutch Leon
ard, Johnny Niggeling, Mickey
Haefner and Roger Wolff as the
Mats pitchers for the series. Should
rain prevent play today, the Wash
ington club will remain in New
York through Monday to get in the
four games.
Rags to Riches Story.
Given fair weather tomorrow, New
York's largest crowd of the baseball
season is expected at Yankee Sta
dium. The Mats have fans here
astounded. The populace can
scarcely believe its eyes when they
see the Washington club, orphans
Of the baseball storm last year, now
in second place In the standings and
right on the heels of the leading
Detroit Tigers. When last here,
in June, the Mats were anchored in
seventh place and below the 500
mark. Then they got merely nod
from few customers. But the fans
will be turning out in droves this
time if the weather permits Sum
day twin bill.
incidentally, on that June Sunday
the Mats won to knock the Yanks
out Of first place. And local baseball
writers are picking the Mats to do
some more winning this time, but
over Yankee club now in fourth
place tie and nearly 10 games of the
pace. Critics here agree that the
Mats have come along too far and
too persistently to be stopped now.
Walter Masterson, Nat hurler now
in the Navy, may be released from
service soon enough to help the ball
club in its arduous double header
schedule next month. No definite
discharge date has been set for Mas
terson, but Bluege has heard the
hurler will be returned to civilian
status around Labor Day. Masterson
has kept in good trim and could be
used on the hill whenever he re-
joins the club. And how it could
use him, what with nine twin bills
slated for September.
AH-Sturs Scrimmuoe Gohs