Evening star., 1947-04-14
Early 1iIts Give Fans
Chance 10 Size Up
|Grifs' Flag Hopes
By Burton Hawkins

The Mats today had that tingling
sensation one might develop by pet
ting boa constructor, standing in
front of AS with a crazed mur-
derer tickling the trigger, or play
ing catch with atom bombs. They
were poised to launch activity in
the American League and they
found themselves in an unenviable
situation.
1t was with mixed trepidation and
confidence that the Mats prepared
to battle the New York Yankees in
the seasons opener today at Griffith
Stadium in the presence of Presi-
dent Truman and 10000 fans of
lesser distinction. For the next
two weeks the Mats will be under
unreientlng pressure which unques-
tionably will give clue to their
! capabilities.
No favor was bestowed on the
Mats by the schedule designers, for
In II OF their first 13 games the
Mats will be tangling with the
poWer-packed Boston Red Sox and
the threatening Yankees. In eight
straight games Washington's only
competition will be New York and
Boston.
Frightening Appetizer.
That's a frightening sort of ap-
petizer, but by the same token if
the Mats can nibble their way
through that much of their summer
diet and display no Ill effects Wash
lngton fans will have occasion to
unzlp their optimism and anticipate
an interesting season. Anyway, in
dtcations of what kind of a club
the Mats possess will be revealed
early.
The Mats were confronted with
somewhat the same slate last year
and weren't long in learning the
cruel reality that they were out
classed. Boston whipped the Mats
three straight and New York added
another defeat before Washington
crashed the win column. It was an
uphill struggle from the outset and
the Mats departed on their first
Western trip begged in seventh
place
Tomorrow the Mats will invade
Boston for three-game series, then
return here to tangle with the Yam
KEGS and Red Sox in two games
each. The Mats then will welcome
two games at Philadelphia before
1ourneylng to New York for three
games prior to heading West.
Good Start Would Help.
It's rocky road ahead of the
Mats, but they could throw a scare
into the American League-and in
cidentally make the pennant fuss
more fascinating-by getting the
edge in their first six games with
New York and five with Boston.
mat would mean much to the Mats
IN bolsterlng confidence and shak-
ing an lnferiority complex.
Against the Red SoX, Ossie Bluege
plans to toss the three pitchers who
most impressed him in spring train
lng-Eariy Wynn, Mickey Haefner
and Sid Hudson. They'll face Boston
IN that order unless Wynn's arm
hasn't responded to treatment.
wynn told me couple of davs
ago in Charlotte that his arm felt
bit weak and I instructed him to
take it easy said Ossie. II haven't
talked to him since, but I imagine
heS ready to pitch. If he is he'll
pitch the first game and Ill follow
with Haefner and Hudson. If Wynn
isn't ready I'll use Hudson tomor-
row."
Opening day ahead OF the re-
mainder of the league, the Mats get
no break at Boston. They'll be
pltted against Boston's top pitching
trio OF Tex Hughson, Mickey Harris
and Dave Ferriss and if the Mats
can belt that sort of pitching, they'll
give their supporters a tremendous
| lift.
Newsom May Face Yanks.
Bobo Newsom, slated to oppose
Floyd BeVens on the mound to-
day, probably next will see action
against the Yankees here on Satur-
day. with Marino Pieretti a likely
starter against New York when the
clubs return here Friday for two
game series. Pieretti virtually as
sured himself starting Job with
an impressive performance against
Baltimore on Saturday, when he
permitted two singles in five in
ningS.
The Mats were to start the season
with a new shortstop in Mark
Christman, recently purchased from
st. Louis Browns, and they hadI
no qualms about him. In his first
appearance in a Washington uni
form yesterday at Baltimore, Christ
man cracked home run into the
left-f1eld stands to spur the Mats
to a 80 victory over the Orioles.
Equally gratifying to Bluege was
the 4-hit pitching of Luther Knerr,
who struck out five men, knerr's
fast ball was blazing for the first
five inlngs and when the steam wore
off he shifted nicely to curves and
an effective slider to get by un-
damaged.
The Mats fashioned another run
in the fifth strictly on the speed of
George Case, who singled and stole
second. When George Myatt rified
a single off Pitcher Joe Pennington S
glove Case scored all the way from
second to the amazement of First
Basement Babe Dahlgren, who was
left holding the ball.
Frank Mancuso. a hitting sensa-
ton all spring, delivered the Mats
their third run in the sixth. He
whacked Ray Poat pitch for a
home 1un and also collected single
to spark the Mats Shit attack.
The Mats completed their exhibi-
ton slate with Is victories and 10I
defeats. Against major league op-
position Washington compiled a
less imposing record of wins and
8 losses, but the Mats entered their
opener with confidence zooming as
the result of scoring % runs in two
days against the Orioles, who didn't
register run off Washington pitch
ing.
Vucutionino Ruth |