Evening star., 1947-04-08
Team Thinks Absence
OF Good Shorisfop
Dooms Flag Hopes
By Burton Howkins
S,or Stuff CORRESPONDENT


BIRMINGHAM, Ala, April g.
The ancient bromide concerning a]
chain and Its weakest link goes for
the Mats whose uncertain link is
Shortstop Johnny Sullivan. He IS
threatening to handicap an other
wise highly capable club with ineptI
fielding and anemic hitting.
Washington is a club which could
give the Boston Red Sox their
strongest contention for the PEN
nant If it could locate shortstop
family approaching the caliber Of
Cleveland,s Lou Boudreau, Chicago's
Luke Appling, New York's Phil Riz-I
zutto or st. Louis Vernon Stephens.
but with Sullivan the Mats have q
chasm the size Of the Grand Canyon
at shortstop.
A .145 hitter in exhibition games
who is displaying no Improvement,
Sullivan Is no sensation afield,
where he should be sparkling to
hold his job. Johnny is the worst
fielder posing as q shortstop in the
major leagues, and to the Mats his
play comes as terrific letdown.
Sullivan Shackles Club.
The Mats are convinced they
could make a battle of the American
League pennant race If they had an
acceptable shortstop, but at the
moment they're shackled with Sui
|livan. At that point the Mats short
stops cease for there is no replace
ment for him. Sullivan's evident
flaws again were brought into focus
last night at Atlanta, where the
Mats dropped q 5-4 decision to the
Phillies in breaking a 5-game win
ming streak. Sullivan's shoddy field
ing. plus his failure to sacrifice,
cost the Mats the game.
In the second inning the Phillies
loaded the bases with one out and
Emil Verban drilled what should
have been a double play ball at
Sullivan. Johnny f1elded the ball
slowly, however, and Frank McCor-
mick scored from third as Don:
Padgett was forced at second. With
Jim Tabor on third and Verban on
first in that same inning, Verban
broke for second base and Catcher
AL Evans unleashed a perfect peg
to Sullivan at second. Tabor then
streaked for the plate, but Sullivan's
return throw to Evans scared 10 feet
over AIS head, permitting Tabor to
score.
Trailing So entering the ninth,
the Mats produced a rally which
Sullivan stifed. Mickey Vernon
opened with a single and Cecil
Travis was safe on McCornick's
error. Jerry Priddy singled to score
Vernon, and Rick Ferrell came
through with a single to score
George Case, running for Travis.
Fails to Get the Bunt.
At that point Sullivan arrived on
the scene. With Priddy on second
and Ferreu on first, Sullivan was
ordered to bunt. He failed, twice
fouling OF pitches before striking
out. Early Wynn then batted for
Pieretti and drilled into a double
play, but it was q smash to deep
shortstop which would have scored
Priddy If Sullivan had been able to
bunt.
Before the month is out Sullivan
probably v IL be supplanted at short
stop, but meanwhile the Mats aren't
relishing being handicapped by
starting the season with him. At
Chattanooga and property Of the
Mats Is Angel Fleitas, a weak hitting
but acceptable fielding shortstop who
will be imported unless President
Clark Griffith can find q more
suitable specimen.
The Mats also have been taking a
stab at landing Mark Christman,
st. Louis Browns infielder, but Sulli-
van remains Washington's shortstop
less than week before opening day
and some Of his mates on the club
openly are disgusted about it. He's
begging down the Mats and they
don't like it.
Hudson Gets Little Support.
Washington was stopped on four
hits for eight innings last night by
AL Jurisch and, meanwhile, the Mats
weren't giving Sid Hudson much
support. In addition to that second
inning, Buddy Lewis and Stan
Spence allowed Johnny Wyrostek's
fly ball to roll between them for q
triple in the third inning and he
scored on Buster Adams single.
Chick Pieretti took over for the Mats
In the sixth and was nicked for a
run In that inning and another in
the seventh to boost the score to
So. Blk Donnelly replaced Jurisch
after Ferren singled in the ninth,
but Dick Koecher supplanted DON
nelly after Sullivan famed and dis
posed Of Wynn.
Luman Harris and Ray Scarbor-
ough were to pitch against the Phil
lies here today. The Mats and Phils
will meet at Chattanooga tomorrow,
Charlotte on Thursday and Green's
boro on Friday before the Mats ar
rive at Griffith Stadium on Saturday
tn meet the baltimore Orioles.