Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-05-17
Al Shines as Catcher
As Mats Early, Lefty
Batter, Is Benched
By Burton Howkins
Stor StoH Correspondent

CLEVELAND, May 1.-THE for
gotten man of the Washington ball
team is Jake Early, who was talented
enough to labor nine innings behind
the plate for Joe Mccarthy in the
1943 all-star game before entering
the service. The man who has showed
Jake out of chance to bask in the
limelight is AL Evans, who happens
to be Early's best friend.
Jake hasn't made a hit this sea-
son, principally because he isn't get
ting many chances to bat. Evans is
keeping Early on the bench-just as
Jake did to AL at Charlotte and later
with the Mats until this season.
Evans has waited patiently for q
regular job and now that he owns
one he's making the grade.
Both North Carolina products.
Evans and Early frequently hunt to-
gether during the winter and their
friendly relations haven't been dis
turbed by their catching rivalry.
Jake simply returned to the Mats in
year when they were overloaded
with left-handed hitters and the
right-handed Evans thus was pre-
sented an opportunity to lend bal
ance to the batting order.
AIS Batting Is Adequate.
AL isn't hitting sensationally, but
his 284 average is considered ade-
quate by Manager Ossie Bluege. AL
has belted two home runs this sea
son-aS many as he swatted all last
year-and when he hits one more
he'll be matching his entire previous
major league home run output.
There was nothing to indicate AL
would thrive on regular duty. In
1941, when he worked in So games.
Evans hit only 1853 and dropped to
.224 in 1912. When he came out of
the Navy due to sinus trouble he
wasn't welcomed for his hitting, for
he batted modest .26O last season.
AS an Illustration of his improve
ment, however, Evans already has
batted In eight runs this season as
compared with 10 runs batted across
for the entire 1912 season, when he
worked in "a games. He isn't press
ing Stan Spence, Mickey Vernon.
Jerry Priddy or some of the other
more productive Mats in that de-
partment, but neither is he rated
the weak sister he once was. His
blows have been timely and only
Spence has scored more runs among
the Mats.
Evans No Meek Performer.
Evans lacks Early's continual line
Of chatter behind the plate, but he's
no meek performer. The other day
in Detroit Hank Greenberg, nettled
by his failure to hit and a stable
score the Mats had compiled against
the Tigers, referred to the Wash
ington clubs ancestry in unkind
terms.
Al Immediately unleashed a YER
bal barrage at Greenberg which
blistered the paint at Briggs Sta
dunn. 1t was bloodless little
feud, but it demonstrated Evans
isn't inclined toward timidity when
irked.
The hit-happy Mats, who now
have Gil Torres, Spence, Vernon,
JEFF Heath and Cecil Travis in
the select 300 circle, were to face
the Indians in a double-header here
today and it came as no comfort
to them that Bob Teller was slated
to work the opener against them.
Rained out yesterday, the Mats
were to counter with Mickey Haef-
ner and Vernon Curtis. Joe Kra-
kauskas was to pitch the nightcap
for Cleveland, which was all right
with Washington which has shelled
from the mound the last four south
paws to confront its left-laden out
fit.
The Mats, who captured three
straight from the Indians at Wash
ington, will meet Cleveland in a
single game, tomorrow, then Jour-
ney to Chicago for a double header
on Sunday and single game
Monday.