Evening star., 1951-04-17
Bob Kuzaya PITCHING
Against As Tonight
In Unusual Setting
BY Burton Howkins
Star Ssaff cerrespendsas I

Sfef Ssotf Coffespendeaf
PHILADELPHIA. April IT,
Against the less rugged opposition
Of the Athletics. the Mats embark
tonight on their 1851 baseball
voyage. little disturbed over the
postponement of their scheduled
opener with the Yankees yesterday
lin Washington.
Bucky Harris is ready to settle
down. for the long 154-game haul.
refusing to delay the debut Of his
lbest available pitcher. Bob Kuzava,
lin order to hold him back for the
more attractive assignment Of
pitching before President Truman
Friday afternoon.
Kuzava will hook up in q duel
with another lefthander. Bobby
Shantz. here tonight and Harris
will use Connie Marrero against
the AS tomorrow night. Beyond
that. well have to see," said Har-
ris. I'm hoping Sid Hudson will
be ready before the week is out
and If his back permits him to
pitch I'd Like to use him Friday"
Most Unusual Start.
The Mats viii be of to their
most unusual start in history. for
their first two games here will be
night affairs. Then after o Thurs
day afternoon game with the AS.
they'll return to Washington, for
their delayed opener with the
Yankees at 2 pm. Friday. That
same night they'll battle the
Yankees in the second portion of
a split double-header calling for
separate admissions.
The day-night arrangement
Friday is strictly commercial. The
Mats have q stimulating advance
sale for Friday nights regularly
scheduled game with the Yankees.
The day game is the added fea-
ture and that's already an assured
success since tickets for yester-
days game will be good for that
contest.
Secretary Edward B. Eynon esti-
mated it cost the club about 81 900
to opensthe gates yesterday. since
the band. ticket takers and other
employees must be paid. but in the
overall picture the costly delay
may benefit the Mats. Several
players admitted they were weary
after a sleeper Jump from Pitts
burgh.
Kuzava Disappointed.
Well-rested Kuzava, who didn't
journey to Pittsburgh, confessed
disappointment when rain wiped
out his appearance before dis
tinguished presidential party. but
kidded. BEST game I ever pitched.
Those Yankees couldn't touch me.
Really had that curve breaking.
Nice to start OF with a no-hitter."
There's quite a series of firsts
connected with tonight's game.
Among them. not in any particular
order Of Importance are:
/. The first American League
opener under fioodlights.
2. The first time since the
American League started so years
ago that 88-year-old Connie Mack
will not be on the field as man
ager. He'll watch the game from
a special box.
3. Jimmy Dykes debut as man
ager of the Athletics.
4. The Athletics launch their
5lst campaign with Roy and Earl
Mack, sons of Connie Mack, in
control for the first time.
The AS management hopes for
a crowd of 10000, but with q
forecast of cool and cloudy wealth.
er, about half that number prob
ably will turn cut.
StengeI Revises Plans.
Yesterdays game in Washington
was called at 1:40 pm. when ap-
proximately $500 fans were in the
stands. It was a dreary setting,
for the tarpaulin remained on the
infleld and both teams had been
told there would be no batting or
fielding practice.
Manager Casey Stengel of the
Yankees rapidly revised his pitch
ing plans when informed of the
poStponement. He said Frank
Shea. attempting a comeback after
a sore-armed season, will pitch
the afternoon game against the
Mats Friday, which President Tru-
man will attend. Rookie Tom
Morgan. slated to work yesterday,
will pitch Friday night.
With Shantz due to- pitch to-
night, Harris altered his lineup
to include Mike Mccormick I'M
left field instead of the left-hand
hitting Gil Coan. Bucky plans
to alternate them, according to
the opposition's pitcher, at least
at the outset Of the season.
Harris is hopeful of squirting at
the AS expense. The Mats lost
6 of their first 10 games with
Philadelphia last year and Bucky
looks for improvement over that
performance this season.