Evening star., 1952-04-15
Big League Baseball Gets Under WAY With $50 600 Turnout Due
Mats Lose Sid Hudson
For Red Sox Series:
RunneIs Nof Staninq
(Opening Game Story. Page AID
By Burton Howkins

(Opening Game Story. Page AID
By Burton Howkins
Bucky Harris pitching plans
for the Mats three-game series
with the Red Sox starting today
at Griffith Stadium have been !
altered. with Sid Hudson's debut
delayed few days due to a siege
of intestinal flu.
Hudson, slated to start tomor-
row nights game. didn't partici-
pate in yesterdays short workout
and said today. I'm weak as a
kitten" Harris hastily rearranged
his pitching schedule. announcing
that Julio Moreno or Don john
son will oppose Boston tomorrow
might.
Hudson's first start may be de-
layed for several days. If he's
unable to pitch Thursday it's
likely he won't start until Sunday
at the earliest. for Harris plans to
use Connie Marrero and Bob Por-
terfield, today's starter, against
the Yankees in New York Friday
and Saturday.
1t Happened in 1851, Too.
Thus for the second straight
year Hudson is sidelined at the
outset. Last year he missed the
first two months of the season
with an injured side.
And for the second successive
year, too. the Mats are starting
with an unsettled second-base
coordination. Last year Gene
lVerble, a determined little rookie,
took Cass Michaels' second base
job away from him for a short
time. This year Michaels is start
ing. but Tommy Upton is to be
at shortstop instead of Pete
Runnels. Upton was a 1893 hitter
with the Browns last year.
81 haven't quit on Runnels,"
Harris said. "The poor guy has
been handicapped by sore arm
this spring and he's been having
a rough time. It wouldn't be fair
to him to let him play while he's
below par"
Harris move Is designed to
preserve young Runnels' conf
dence. Pete hasn't clicked at bat
this spring and against Southpaw
Mel Parnell, the left-handed hit
ting Runnels figured to be under
extra pressure. Bucky simply is
taking his promising performer
of the spot.
Key Lost Temporarily.
Runnels has been called the
Mats key player by his boss, Clark
Griffith. The Mats have lost the
key but only temporarily, for
Bucky will press Pete into the
Lineup shortly and stick with
him. A .273 hitter with the Mats
in a half season last year, after
batting 1856 with Chattanooga.
Runnels isn't being abandoned.
Harris, who has managed 26
seasons in the major leagues and
never finished in the cellar, doesn't
lexpect the current Mats to estab-
liSh precedent. However, polls
of sports writer's have picked the
Washington club as the worst in
the league and odds-makers have
installed the Mats as 100-1-long-
est shots in the league-to win the
Ipennant.
Bucky has no illusions about
winning the pennant, but he told
the Touchdown Club yesterday:
This club has pride. If it doesn't
lose its determination-and it's
my job to see that it doesn't-it
could finish fifth or higher. Re-
member in october what I'm say
ing today"
Harris starts the season with a
squad of %, which will necessi-
tate a cut of three by May is.
Nowhere among his players can
he locate an acceptable right
handed pinch-hitter. That's a.
situation the Mats bosses have
been trying to remedy, without
success. for weeks.
CampOs Most Promising.
The Mats also have moved up
six rockies and perhaps the most
promising is Frank Campos, who
led the Tri-State League with a
1868 average last year, then batted
.423 with Washington in eight
games last fall. Campos, a left
handed hitter, is calculated to
move into the Mats outfleld should
Gil Coan, Irv Noren or Sam Mele
falter.
Harley Grossman, Bunky Stew
art and Raul Sanchez are fresh
man pitchers who showed enough
skill to warrant promotion. First
Baseman Fred Taylor, .291 hit
ter with Chattanooga last season,
and Catcher Bob Oldis, who
batted .285 with Charlotte. are
other rockies with the club.
The Mats batting order will de-
pend on the pitching they're fac
ing. Against left-handers Harris
will move Mele into the cleanup
spot, put Michaels at No. 5 and
drop Mickey Vernon to sixth.
Against right-handers Vernon will
hit in the No. 4 slot, with Mele
fifth and MichaelS sixth.
1--WE have too many left-handed
hitters in the lineup" Harris ad-
mitS.