Evening star., 1952-04-10
Dodgers 10 Start
Chris Van Cuyk;
Crowd Likely
More Than $4,000
Expected to Watch
First Game Here
By Burton Hawkins

their spring training meanderings
this morning. arriving at Union
Station shortly after 9 am. fol-
lowing an overnight trip from
Charleston, w. Va, where they
concluded their nine-game series
with the Cincinnati Reds yester-
day.
Tonight a crowd of more than
5000 is expected at Griffith Sta
dium to watch Washington's 1852
entry-featuring a bumper crop
of seven rookies-tangle with the
brooklyn Dodgers.
Bob Porterfleld, expected to be
the clubs top hurler this season,
will pitch against Jackie Robin
son. Peewee Reese, Roy Campa-
nella, Gil Hodges, ct al, and mop
ping up for him in the last in
ming or two will be 43-year-old
Bobo Newsom, back with the Mats
for a fifth term after three years
in the minors. Chris Van Cuyk is
to pitch for the Dodgers. N
Top Southpaw in League.
Van Cuyk, 6-foot-6 left-hander,
won II games and lost 4 with
Montreal last season and was
named the top southpaw in the
International League. With Cam
bridge of the Eastern Shore League
in 1947, Van Cuyk won Is games
while losing only two, registering
nine Shutouts.
Preacher Roe, who has the
starting assignment on opening
day for the Dodgers, was sent back
to Brooklyn yesterday to have an
infected wisdom tooth extracted.
Roe said he must have his gums
cut for the extraction but said he'd
be ready for the opener.
The game will be one of three
exhibitions here before the Mats
open the season with the Red Sox
Tuesday. Idle tomorrow, the
Mats will play the Pittsburgh
Pirates here Saturday and Sum-
day.
Strangers to Washington fans
will be five rookie pitchers
Bunky Stewart. Gerald Lane,
Raul Sanchez, Harley Grossman
and Buck Fleshman, the latter a
Hyattsville High School product
who is making brave bid to stick
with the club after compiling a
20-9 record with Charlotte last
season.
Other freshmen are Outfielder
Frank Campos. who astounded
Washington fans by hitting .423
in eight games last fall, and Bob
Oldis. .285 hitter who caught
for Charlotte last season.
Harris an Optimist.
The Mats brought home a
mediocre 1912 record against
major league competition, but
Manager Bucky Harris feels he
has better team than he brought
north last year.
Most everybody seems to think
We'll finish last" Bucky said. II
don't agree. This club has good
spirit-it hates to lose-and that's
something to start with.
We're going to see a lot of
left-handed pitching with four
left-handed hitters among our
regulars" continued Harris, "but
if we touch up a few left-handers
maybe we can change that pat
tern"
Luke ~Sewell, manager of the
Reds, who beat the Mats, 80, yes
terday at Charleston, rates Wash
ington an improved team over
last year.
washington could use some
pitching" he said, "but who
couldn't? Cass Michaels looks like
a different ball player. He wasn't
in shape last year, but he's looked
sharp against us. I like Pete Run
nels at shortstop. too. He hasn't |
hit much this spring, but he'll
hit. With that sweet stroke Of
his he can't help but hit"
Runnels Back in Lineup.
Runnels will return to shortstop
tonight after being out of the
lineup for two days with a banged
finger. Pete swatted a pinch
triple yesterday which scored
Clyde Kluttz, who had singled, in
the sixth inning. Runnels then
tailed the Mats other run after
Eddie Yost flied to Johnny
Wyrostek in right field.
Don johnson was clipped for
two runs in the five innings he
worked, being nailed for eight
hits. Stewart gave up the win
ming run in the eighth on singles
by Bob Borkowski, Roy Mcmillan
and Grady Hatton.
NOTES: Six of the nine games
with Cincinnati were decided by
one run . The Reds beat Wash
ington three times by 80 scores,
another, 4-3, and still another,
(See MATS, Page C-3.)