Evening star., 1945-04-15
Crowd 10 Honor
Late President
Before Game
Lost-PIoce Finish Seer
For Griffmen, Weak
In InfieId, at Bot
BY JOHN B. KELLER.


Baseball tomorrow will dedicate
its national season inaugural to the
memory of the man who was its
f1rmest friend Franklin Delano
Roosevelt.
Shortly before game time at 3
o'clock as the Navy Band finishes
playing The Star Spangled Ban
ner," the national colors in center
field at Griffith Stadium will be
lowered to half-staff and the 10000
expected to be in the ball park will
stand a full minute in silent prayer
and tribute to the late President
of the United States.
That rite ended the Navy's mu-
sicians will march from the in
closure, leaving it to Washington S
Mats and New York Yankees to
open the American Leagues cham
pionship campaign. Mr.. Roosevelt
would have wanted things to go on
as usual" baseball leaders said yes
terday.
Who will make the formal toss
from the presidential grandstand
box to open the game has not yet
been determined President Tru-
man, as Vice President, had accept
ed an invitation to perform the
ceremony, but now he cannot at
tend the game. Clark Griffith, head
of the Washington club, hopes to
have his pitcher in line before
game time, however.
Mats Are Much Changed.
A Washington club, different at
seven positions from that which
opened the 1914 season against
Philadelphia's Athletics here, will
be put on display by Manager Os
Bluege Joe Kuhel still will be at
first base and George Myatt at
second. But fans will see several
holdovers from 1914 occupying new
posts and at two spots will be men
who were not even on the squad
when last years campaign began.
Gil Torres will be found shunt-
ed from third base to shortstop and
George Case from left field to center
field. These two are taking over
the places vacated by Johnny Sui
Ivan, a recent Army draftee, and
the hard-hitting Stan Spence. a
Navy boot" the past two weeks.
Al Evans. instead of Rick Ferrell
will be behind the bat, and Harlond
Cliff in the position Torres left at
third base. Flanking Case in the
outfield will be either Jake Powell
or Jose Zardon, brought back from
Williamsport, in left. and George
Binks, bought late last year from
Milwaukee, in right, the garden Bob
Ortiz patrolled most of last year
However, should the opposition start
a left-hand pitcher, the left-hand-
swinging Binks might be supplanted
by Zardon.
Leonard to Start on Hill.
A recently adopted league rule in
tended to frustrate the gambling
fraternity prohibits Manager Bluege
from naming his opening game
pitcher, but what has been done in
the last weeks exhibition play in.
dicates Dutch Leonard, veteran
right-hand knuckleballer, will be
the Washington choice. Dutch's
hill rival probably will be Atley
Donald, who won 13 games and los,
10 last year for the Yankees.
How good are the Mats, only time
will tell. Maybe it won't be Ions
before the fans know the worst
Even Skipper Bluege and Griffith
the boss of the works, refuse to pre-.
dict where their ball club will finish
in the flag chase.
On the 10 exhibitions the Nat!
have played this spring-they wor
10 and tied in one-the ball club i.
nothing to gloat over. 1t looks tx
have at least four capable pitcher.
in Leonard, Johnny Niggeling
Mickey Haefner-al veterans-anc
Marino Pieretti, drafted from Port.
land. Evans, with Ferrell and Mike
Guerra, make a good catching staff
But that's about all.
Last Place Again Likely.
The middle of the infield is weak
with Torres the only player Bluegt
could find able to put up a fair game
at short. The outfield isn't reliable
and there's no help in sight. Ane
at bat the Mats this spring hav,
been all but helpless.
This isn't nice, but it seems thai
only baseball miracle will get the
| Mats Ollt of last nlace