Evening star., 1945-04-19
Nigge|ing Is Brilliant
|As Mats Blow Tilt
To As in 12th
BY JOHN b. KELLER,
Star Staff Correspondent.

PHILADELPHIA, April 10. - To-
morrow the Mats put on that Grif-
fifth Stadium baseball season inau-
gural carried over from last Mon
day and Mickey Haefner, slated to
pitch against New York's Yankees
in his first start of the campaign,
will need more assistance than the
Washington club gave its hurting
hands here yesterday to get any
where.
As originally planned, the Wash
ington opener will be dedicated to
the memory of Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. There will be a tribute to
the late President after the flag
has been half-staffed following a
parade by the Navy Band. Then
Speaker Sam Rayburn of the House
of Representatives will make the
formal opening pitch.
But if the Mats don't bob up with
stronger punch and better de-
fense than they displayed in taking
their 1-to-0 beating in u innings
from Philadelphias Athletics, the
Griffith Stadium crowd of 10000 will
be sorely disappointed in the first
glimpse of their club at home.
There should be 10000 at hand,
for the $4,000 box and reserved seat
tickets sold for last Monday will be
honored tomorrow for the game
starting at o'clock and left-field
bleacher seats will go on sale at
noon
Griffs Punchless in Pinch.
The Mats never packed punch
in a pinch yesterday and their
middle line in the indeld fell apart
just when it could hurt most. Man
ager Os Bluege's charges managed
to outhit the AS, getting seven
safeties off Russ Christopher while
the home side got six-four off
Johnny Niggeling, who toiled
through the 10th inning, and the
others off Roger Wolff. But twice
sheer stupidity cost the Mats a scor-
ing chance before they virtually
handed the AS that big tally in the
18th.
Not until the eighth did the Mats
send a hit by the infleld and not
until the l1th did they look as
though they might find the plate
Then with one out, Jake Powell
picked up Niggeling's bat and got
single with slow roller to the
second baseman. George Case fol-
flowed with a sharp single to right
to move Powell to third. But Powell
while looking squarely at Chris
topher, was picked off base by the
pitcher. 1t was inexcusable. Case
then pilfered second, but George
Myatt's best was a grounder to the
third sacker.
Griff Strategy Questioned.
A clean single by Joe Kuhel and a
bunted single by George Binks
opened the Mats 18th. Up stepped
Harlond Cliff and with two strikes
against him the hit-and-run sign
was hung up-for no good reason.
With both runners under way
Cliff swung at a pitch and missed
| it yard. Frankie Hayes, AS
catcher, rified the ball to George
Kell and Kuhel was caught going
into third for a double play. Here
Gil Torres purposely was passed and
Hills Layne sent up in Walt
Chippel's place. Layne harmlessly
lofted out and that was all for the
Mats.
| The AS never looked dangerous
against Niggeling and Wolff checked
them through one out in the 18th
Then Torres took an easy bounder-
and with plenty of time threw low
to first to put Hall on the runway
Hall promptly stole and moved up a
notch as Ed Busch singled through
short. But it seemed no score would
be made when Kell ripped soft
double-play ball toward the short
field.
Torres scooped it up and chucked
to second to get Busch. Myatt
though, threw wide of first, so Hall
got over with the all-important
tally.
1t was a sad waste of good pitch
ing through dumbness and inept
play.