Evening star., 1950-04-07
Robinson Ai|inq
On Eve Of 4-Day
Carolina Trip
Virus Infection Lays
First-Bosemun Low;
Weik, Macy to HurI
By Burton Hawkins
Stor StoH Correspondent


ORLANDO, Fla, April THE
Mats have only one more series to
play here before they break camp
and start for home. The trip is
scheduled to get under way after
games with the Athletics tomorrow
and Sunday.
One of Manager Bucky Harris
worries as the time tor departure
nears is ailing Eddie Robinson,
who has virtually carried the club
with his hitting this spring. The
slugging first baseman, now hit
ting .429 after connecting safely
in Is straight games, came down
with a virus infection yesterday
When Eddie complained of feel
ing "achy" after reporting for a
workout. Harris promptly sent him
home and summoned a doctor.
The latter was to decide today
whether Robinson will be able to
play against the Athletics.
Inactivity May Hurt.
Robinson's inactivity may be
costly. He didn't play Monday
because Harris wanted to rest him
The Mats were idle Tuesday, a
scheduled game with Kansas City
was rained out Wednesday and
were scheduled yesterday and to-
day.
That lengthy 1ayof, accom-
panied by illness, may affect
Eddie's currently sharp batting
eye. His illness comes at an in
opportune time. for a four-day
trip through North Carolina isn't
likely to aid his recovery.
Less vital to Harris was the
vanishing act pulled by Pitcher
Sandalio Consuegra, who checked
in from Cuba, then boarded a
plane for home after conferring
with Clark Griffith.
Consuegra told Griffith he had
accepted $4,000 to play with
Gavllanes in the Venezuelan
League. loop outside organized
baseball. The Cuban right-hander
wanted Griffith to stake him to
$4,000 to pay off the Gavilanes
team, claiming he had spent the
money on his house.
Line Drive Clips Hittle.
It's no great loss, for Consuegra
won only six games and lost five
last year for Havana, pennant-
winner in the Florida -Interna-
tional League.
Completing the days bad news
was a line drive off Sam Denies
bat which caromed off Pitcher
Lloyd Hittle's ankle. No serious
damage was anticipated, but
Trainer Doc Lentz ordered X-rays
taken as precautionary measure.
Harris plans to use four poten-
tial starters against the AS. He'll
send Joe Haynes and Dick Weik
against them tomorrow and work
Steve Macy and Mickey Harris
Sunday.
Sherry Due for Pinch Hitting.
AS the club prepares to wind
up things here, it becomes ap-
parent that the Mats forgotten
man now is Sherry Robertson.
And If Harris plans materialize,
Sherry may remain a memory, for
AL Kozar has chased Robertson
out OF part time job at second
base.
Under Joe Kuhel, Robertson
shared second base employment
with Kozar, with Sherry in the
lineup against right-hand pitch
ing and AL playing against left
handlers
I'D like to see Kozar in the
lineup every day." declared Har-
ris, and he will be if he continues
TO play the way he has shown me
ne can. It's too bad AL hasn't q
stronger arm-he'd make a better
double-play man-but he looks as
II he might hit and he covers
ground adequately"
Thus Robertson will be relegated
to the role of pinch-hitter unless
kozar slumps. Harris is giving
himself the better of it on that
basis, he believes, for last year
AL outhit Sherry by 20 points and
kozar's fielding is more polished.