Evening star., 1945-08-31
Haefner and Nigge|ine
Assigned 10 Mound
In DoubIe-header
By JOHN b. KELLER

|
| Now-or never time for the Mats
has arrived. From today through
September %, they must play base
ball at SIS pace at least, or there
will be no pot of gold for them at
the end of the rainbow.
The pressure is on, mostly in the
form of double-headers. Tonight's
twilight-night twin bill with New
York's surging Yankees, starting al
$50, begins the most severe test of
the American League campaign for
Os Bluege's band The Mats must
snap out of the doldrums in which
they have been engulfed for nearly
week, or give up all hope of a pen
nant.
Whether they are equipped to do
so cannot be told until after the
f1ve-game set with the Yanks ends,
George Case, star batter and base
runner who has been out of action
nearly month, is expected to re-
turn to the Washington lineup to-
night. So is Dick Kimble, recent
purchase from Toledo who was
benched by broken rib after
promising to strengthen materially
the Mats infield and attack.
If these two are successful in
their comebacks-should they re-
turn to the game as anticipated
then the Mats, who amazed the
baseball world by becoming solid
championship contenders after be-
ing relegated to the league cellar
by preseason prognosticators, coulo
make themselves a club to be reck-
ened with to the finish of the flag
race.
Homer Hitters Handicapped.
Manager Bluege was hopeful to-
day that his pitching, which sagged
recently, will be strong enough tc
make the way rough for the Yankees
here, rougher than it did in New
York last Saturday and Sunday
when the Bronx Busters swept a
| four-game series.
Those home runs that beat us in
New York would have been outs in
our longer right field Bluege
pointed out. Il don't look for our
pitchers to be as uneasy as they
were in Yankee Stadium. We have
a good outfield defense that could
curb those long hitters."
Bluege has selected a lefthander
and a righthander to do the pitching
against the Yanks tonight. Mickey
Haefer, southpaw who took an un-
deserved beating in New York las,
Sunday, will hurl one of the games
at Griffith Stadium. Johnny Mig
geling, victim of the home runs in
the stand back of the short Yankee
Stadium right field. will be the other
starter. 1t will be the first for each
since losing in New York.
Both Case and Kimble went
through workouts at Griffith Sta
dium yesterday. Case. who wa.
benched by an ankle sprained the day
the Mats last invasion of the Wes
got under way, reported some sore.
ness in his leg after the drill, bu
declared himself fit to get into the
games tonight. Kimble, who suf.
fered his injury in field drill more
than week ago, insisted his side
had eased enough to permit his re.
turn to shortstop.
Bench BinkS or Kreevich.
Whether the eagerness of these
two to be back in harness Influenced
their statements cannot be founc
out until they take the field. But i
Case and Kimble are fit to perform
anywhere near to their CUSTOMARY
standard, the Mats will be improved
immeasurably over recent play.
Cases return will bench eithe
George Binks or Mike Kreevich, &C
cording to the kind of pitcher th'
Yanks employ. If the New Yorl
club starts lefthander, Kreevicf
will be assigned to centerfield ant
Binks, portside swinger who rank
second in the league at batting il
runs, will remain out of action. Il
New York Highlander goes, Binks
will be in there.
Should Kimble not be up to the
form he claims, then Gil Torres, 6
much overworked shortstop. vii
have to remain on the job. Ill re.
Gently, Torres has slowed afleld anc
fallen off at bat Even Torres. al.
ways with the best interests of hi
club at heart, sincerely hopes Kim.
BILE Is right again.
Dental treatments have readiec
Second Baseman George Myatt anc
Catcher AL Evans for service once
more. However, Myatt still has all.
ing legs and 1t is questionable
whether he can go through both
ends of tonight's double-header. Il
he can't, then Bluege must turn te
rather uncertain Fred Vaughn fol
the second basing in one of the en-.
gagements. Evans, though, will bt
IN trim to spell the veteran Rick
FerreJl.
BY their four-game sweep, thu
Yanks went ahead of the Mats ir
their annual series, nine games tt
SIX. Including the current series
the clubs have seven more engage.
ments and with the Mats fully pen.
nant-conscious as we'll as more thar
keen to show which is the better O.
the two clubs, the battling in Griffith
Stadium through Sunday should b,
as hot as the weather.
| Somebody's going to wilt.
Poschner Is Awarded DSC
! ATT A NTA AI1o a fD\ T,ha nj.