Evening star., 1951-03-19
Club S 0utfieIders
All Injured Except
Sherry Robertson
By Burton Hawkins
Sior Staff Correspondent

SIN&lSA4NAS, Eluss 4N1uls 4O.
Sherry Robertson, the only Wash
ington outfielder enjoying COM
plete health. also is displaying a
robust batting average md If the
past performance sheet could be
tossed out. he might be one Of
the sensations Of baseball's early
exhibitions.
Robertson. however, has an
established reputation as a .260
hitter. so there's no great push
to become excited over his activity
in the MATS first six games. But
Sherry has a 400 batting mark
at the moment. most Of it COM
piled against such good pitchers
as Lou Brissie. Carl Scheib and
Bobby Shantz Of the Athletics and
Dizzy Trout of the Tigers.
Manager Bucky Harris is be-
coming increasingly fond of Rob-
ertson. not necessarily because of
his inflated average. Sherry isn't
com planning of a thing and among
the Mats that's a rarity.
Get Day OFF Today.
Due to an assortment of minor
ailments, Harris gave his athletes
a day off today. II don't care
what they do. just so they don't
pull on a uniform" Bucky said.
1--WE have enough injuries to fill
a hospital and a day of rest should
help u.s." Harris plans only a
light drill tomorrow, after which
the Mats embark on a schedule
of "a games in 26 days before they
swing into the regular season.
.Irv Noren became the latest
casualty yesterday when he left
the lineup with a pulled muscle
in his right leg. Gil Coan is nurs-
ing a similar injury. Sam Mele has
been playing despite a sore shoul-
der, Mike Mccormick has a bad
leg, Mickey Harris is limping,
Grasso has a banged fin
ger and Frank Sacka is just get
ting over the effects of flu.
In recent games. the club has
presented a makeshift lineup,
employing Third Baseman Eddie
Yost in left field and using Sec
ond Baseman Cass Michaels in
right field yesterday as they
dropped a 4-3 decision to the
Athletics.
Meet Tigers Wednesday.
Harris has been forced to use
Robertson. normally a righthelder,
in center. Mele, also a rightfield-
er. has been playing left. It's a
fouled-up situation which Harris
hopes will be remedied by two
off days before the Mats meet the
Tigers at Lakeland Wednesday.
The Mats finished their spring
work against Philadelphia at West
Palm Beach by blowing a decision
with two out in the ninth as
Carlos Pascual showed nothing to
indicate he will solve any Of the
pitching problems.
Pascual was banged for eight
hits in three innings and with
two out in the ninth he let the
game get away from him. First
he walked Paul Lehner. Then
Sam Chapman and Ferris Fain
followed with singles to break up
the contest, the fifth in six Wash
ington games decided by one run.
The AS nicked AL Sima for a
run in the fourth inning when
Fain walked and Billy Hitchcock
but the Mats tied it up
in the fifth against Johnny Kucab
when Hal Keller singled, Sima
sacrificed and Mele singled.
Marrero Impressive.
Philadelphia clipped Sima for
another run in the sixth on sim
giles by Valo, Fain and Hitchcock,
and took a 81 lead eff Pascual
in the seventh when Kucab sin
gled, Eddie Joost doubled and
Valo singled.
Two walks by Alex Kellner.
Joost's error. Mickey Vernon's in
field out and Michaels' single tied
the score at 3-3 in the eighth.
Robertson followed with a double,
but Gene Verble flied to short
center and. after Sam Dente was
passed to fill the bases, Len Okrie
was tossed out by Kellner.
Connie Marrero gave the Mats
an impressive three innings to
start. The only hit off him was
Lehner's wind-blown single which
Michaels misjudged.
Sima and Pascual were socked
for 13 of the AS IL blows. Mele
and Robertson each got two of the
Mats eight hits.