Evening star., 1947-04-13
Newsonl Picked
To Take Mound
Against Bevens y
Trumon Reody to Toss
First Boil; Christmon
To Moke Debut Here
By Burton Hawkins

Double o Bobo Newsom, the Mats
massive mouthpiece, will pitch The
opening game, of the 1947, baseball
season for Washington tomorrow
The beefy right-hander was In.
formed OF the assignment yester.
day by Manager Ossie Bluege, whose
choice to confront the New Yori
Yankees at Griffith Stadium come.
as a great surprise to nobody.
Newsome will take over at
O'Clock after a more noted, be.
spectacled southpaw-Presiden Tru.
man-whips a glistening white bal
from his f1ag-draped box among 9
group of scrambling Mats and Yam
KEGS to inaugurate officially another
baseball campaign. The traditiona
presidential pitch will be witnessed
by a throng OF 10000.
Bevens to Oppose Newsom.
Nominated by Manager Bucky
Harris Of the Yankees to oppose the
Mats is Floyd Bevens, 29-year-old
towering right -hander who won 1e
games and lost Is last year. Bevens
a 6-foot 4-inch. 21o-pounder. won
two and lost one against the Mats
last season. Against him Bluege will
dispatch the following lineup:
George Case or Joe Grace, left
field.
Buddy Lewis, right field.
STAN Spence, center field. ,
Mickey Vernon, first base. =
Cecil Travis, third base.
Jerry Priddy, second base.
Mark Christman, a shortstop.
AL Evans, catcher.
Newsom, pitcher.
Newsom, vaccinated by vitaphone,
welcomed the wisdom of Bluege's
pitching selection. I'm in great
shape" advised Bobo, who weeks
ago expressed openly his desire to
hurl the opener.
In his only previous appearance
here as an opening game pitcher
Newsom distinguished himself with
a memorable, dramatic performance
On that occasion, against the Yam
KEGS in 1895, Newsom fashioned one
of his more brilliant games In a
colorful career. He restricted New
York to four hits and won, 10, In
10 innings against famed Lefty
Gomez.
Hit BY Thown Ball.
It was a pulsating, thrill -jamned
tussle, for early in the game New
som had failed to duck when Third
Baseman Bluege unleashed a sizzling
throw to first base after fielding a
bunt by speedy Ben Chapman A
capacity crowd, including the late
President Roosevelt, WINGED as
Bluege's crisp throw cruched sick
eningly below Newsom's right ear
Newsom, in agony, careened
around the infield like a decapitated
chicken. To the cheers and amaze
ment of a wildly enthusiastic crowd
Bobo returned to the mound and
proceeded to blank the Yankees.
Now, II years later, Bluege has
few misgivings in sending Newsom
against New York. At an admitted
age of SO Bobo remains on occasion
one of the leagues top pitchers and
of his record of last season war
rants the distinction.
Newsom compiled 14-13 record
last year, but among his defeats
were several close, bitter ones. AL
though less impressive this spring
than Sid Hudson, Early Wynn or
Mickey Haefner, Newsom says con-
vincingly, Il don't leave my arm in
spring training. Bobo. I save 1t for
the season"
First Glimpse Of Christman.
Washington fans will be getting
their first glimpse of Shortstop
Christman in q Nat uniform. Re
Gently purchased from the st. Louis
Browns after Johnny Sullivan failed
to click, Christman is being installed
as a regular on short notice. He
joined the Mats yesterday, but was
withheld from action against Bal
timore due to a wearisome train
trip.
otherwise, the only newcomer, but
no stranger to a Washington lineup
may be Case, who returns to the
Mats after a disappointing year with
the Cleveland Indians. Case OF
Grace will start In left field, with
Grace the likely choice against the
right-handed Bevef1s.
1See HAWKINS, Page B-2)