Evening star., 1945-08-01
CIeary New S|abman;
Rain Cheats Case
OF Fancy Mark
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

Back in 1925 when the bottom
fell out of the barometer and wealth.
er washed out game after game in
the major leagues, some radio rhap-
sodist bobbed up with 1T Amt Con-
ma Rain No More" But he was just
20 years too early.
Rain still is coming around,
enough to set record for July
rainfall In the District and another
record for the Washington ball club.
Last nights downpour that swamped
a projected twin bill between the
Mats and Philadelphia's Athletics
brought about program of five
double headers in five successive
days at Grifith Stadium, giving the
Griffs chance to equal the major
record set by Washington in 1909.
The Mats front office is hoping
to stage a twilight-night bill with
the AS this evening and another
tomorrow. Then Boston's Red Sox
will come in Friday for a third
straight twilight-night affair and
double headers Saturday and Sum-
day afternoons.
All of which probably is worry
ing nobody more than it does Man
ager Os Bluege of the Mats. He
can not figure how he can make his
pitching department stretch far
enough to care for the emergency,
even with Jim Cleary expected to
be added to his staff today.
Pitching Plans Fogged.
The way the weather has been
acting up, the Washington pitching
has become an and/o proposition.
If tonight is fair, Dutch Leonard,
who hurled only two innings last
evening before the near-cloudburst
stopped everything, will come back
for another start. And Roger Wolff
still is booked to tackle the AS in a
second game.
But if it rains again, Marino
Pieretti and Mickey Haefner may
go tomorrow night, with Leonard
and Wolff being held over to take
on the Red Sox in twin bill Friday.
Connie Mack said today that he
will follow his original plans for
pitching here. That means Russ
Christopher, who had the slab as
signment last night, and Jess Flores
will hurl tonight. But If rain comes
again, Buck Newsom will go to the
hill for the AS for one of the Thurs
day engagements.
Cleary, the Mats new pitcher, un-
doubtedly will be seen in action dur
ing the stretch of double headers.
Bluege today simply could not figure
slab assignments beyond Saturday,
which means he will have to thrust
the newcomer into a contest as a
starter.
Cleary Has Fair Mark.
Cleary, a Highlander, was with
Chattanooga, the Mats farm, before
he went into the Army and pitched
creditably. He saw much action in
Africa and was discharged because
of battle fatigue. He went back to
the Lookouts this year and won his
first six games, but after winning 10
and losing five he requested tenn
porary retirement that he might re-
main at home with his mother, who
had become seriously ill.
When his mother became some
what better, Cleary, whose home is
in New York, expressed willingness
TO join either nearby Newark or
jersey City in the International
League. But after a telephone con-
versation with Clark Griffith, Nat
president, he decided to come to
Washington, probably today.
Last evenings rain broke up a
Leonardo Christopher duel for the
second time this season. These
pitchers were hooked UP on June. 21
here when downpour stopped pro-
ceedings in the fourth inning,
Rain Hurts Cases Record.
The drenching last evening also
took from George Case a record of
seven straight hits and getting on
base in his last nine trips to the
plate. He had walked twice in the
last two games in Boston and the
first time he faced Christopher he
singled. He also stole second for
what would have been his Goth
theft Of the season.
The AS had made two hits off
Leonard, but the Mats had made
three off Christopher before the
rain checked them in the second
inning with Al Evans having an
advantage of one wide pitch. Har-
lond Cliff had struck out, but George
Binks, who had singled, was on
third as result of Gil Torres drive
through short in hit-and-run play.
The rain came at o'clock and At