Evening Star Newspaper, April 30, 1929, Page 41

SPORTS. TOUR WEST AFTER VISIT IN NEW YORK Poor Showing of Nationals to Date Biggest Surprise of American League. BY JOHN B. KELLER. EW YORK, April 30. — This early in the season the Na- tionals are on a trip that is apt to make or break them, in so far as 1929 is concerned. Of course, this doesn't read as a very optimistic statement, but ‘tis true, nevertheless. A club that has been floundering around the bottom of the league as has the Washington club since the flag race got under way must stage a come-back quickly if it is to come back at all. - Base ball is just that way and there's no reason now to be- lieve the Washington club will be an upsetter of tradition. ! To date these Nationals are the big surprises of the American League sea- son. In pre-training period dope, easy marks for the remainder of the circuit, they flashed such brilliant form in their exhibition schedule that many sharps of the pastime figured them one of the best bets to make a great fight for the flag in the title battling. But once the gnnum chase got under way the bot- m dropped out of the Washington club and it has been anything other than a dangerous_contender_since, True, Manager Walter Johnson’s charges have met but three rivals in the American League struggle — the Athletics, the Red Sox and the Yankees, But the showing the club has made against this trio of opponents is any- thing but what was expected of it after the spirited stand it made against rather formidable foes the National League sent against it during the Flor- ida training season. Looked Good in Florida. When Manager Johnson took his club out of Florida and headed North he thought he had beaten into shape a pretty good outfit, In fact, he thought he had an aggregati composed of a mmixture of récruits with veterans that would give other members of the Bar- nard circuit a fairly good argument. And on its performance he was Justified in this belief. It sw along to the mythical championship of the Grape- fruit League and triumphed frequently in other contests on the way home from Florida. Yet since the American League campaign got under way it has been mmen ';wun in only three of nine engage- Now that's a record that mo club hoping to become a chn.mphmhlfnmn- iy part o B ChampIORAbIY ey ly & championship campaign. Games won this time of the year mean Just as much to a club. & games won toward the finish of the flag race and johnson. Ye been unable to bring his club to fighting and winning trim thus far. He has experimented with it almost since the beu.nnm of the season, but to date he has ¢ nothing like the club the Nationals promised to be while they were in train- SET T 8 & poor start, the Nation- als can not afford to-take many miore punches the snoot if, they would continue be something important in the cl for the title in the Barn- ard circuiti A weak showing in string of 15 games to be played here and in m' ‘West would just about put John- son’s crowdiout of the running for the remainder -of the season. The Na- tionals simply must make a brave stand in Col. Rupperts’ stadium and the mttrongm hofld;firzl ’the el“i‘!. &f the western o league ey would get anywhere this year. o West Back in Center, In all likélihood, Johnson will have in action dus this trip the same team he started the season, with the ex- ception of one player. With Spencer Harris sent back to the Minneapolis club, from which he was purchased last Fall, Sammy West is expected to Tesum his place in center fleld, while Red Barnes will be held 3 ter now, but Sam Rice probably will be carried in right field for some {nna yet. Maybe West will sock the ball better than he did before he was put on the bench after the series in Philadelphia last week. He certainly put in a good lick for the Nationals last Saturday When his homer defeated the Red Sox. But the Nationals will need more than ® spurt in West's batting to carry them along. Several others must swing their clubs more effectively if runs are to be :‘l:bdeim“j“ succehu:s the Washington enjoy on ti tour mot so much Pitening e BIG LEAGUE LEADERS (By the Associated Press.) American. Batting—Jamieson, Indians, .463. Runs—Gehringer, Tigers, 17, ,lgl&u blt‘ffi"d lnaAlBe‘xnndnr, Tigers, 17. | —Gehringer, McManus, ; Blue, Browns, 22. i Dou b;\‘es -—hOel';\l;ingfl'. Heilmann, ; Tigers; anush, McGowan, Browns; | Dykes, Athletics, 6. i Triples—Alexander, Rice, Tigers, 2, | !5{8:;19 .b-.”B]ue, Browns, 3. len s—Fonseca, Indians; e ler, White Sox, 3, . s e Pitching—No leader. National Batting—Stephenson, Cubs, .444. Runs—Stephenson, Cubs, 13, Runs batted in—Wilson, Cubs, 14, Hits—Stephenson, Cubs, 20, Doubles—Frisch, Cards, 6 Triples—Cullop, Bissonette, Hornsby, Cubs, 2. Homers—Herman, Robins; Ott, Giants: O'Doul, Philli Braves: Hafey, Cards; Wilso: Stolen bases—Flowers, Robi ranville, Braves, 4. Pitching—No leader. I RECORDS OF GRIFFMEN ’ E Robins; H ] 2 PTH onsssesssmunssenuonawuul = i sonssmuwisns? ) - cessess00ms08ss-masmao~T = cesss350383-c80=as-wom~g Judge. .. Goslin . ice Bluege Barnes. " PO PRSI [ v PRPUTSPRRUNR - & PP s55550s5uss00s0mc0mn T e cosssss8smanEREmmE—tY T 0 PITCHING. silvering thatch of Clark Calvin Griffith because Sunday’s game with the Yan- kees here was played instead of being postponed. For the most part those who objected to the staging of this contest were the purchasers of tickets who, be- cause of the bad weather pre- vailing until just before game time, figured no base ball would be possible and made no effort to go to the park. By telephone and through the mail The Star received numerous complaints from holders of reservations for the Sabbath battle who failed to use them either because they were convinced the playing of a game was out of the ques- tion or because they were dis- inclined to occupy the rain- drenched space their coupons calied for. One particularly incensed gentleman dispatched a note to this newspaper in which terms such as “bare-faced robbery” and “cold-blooded hold-up” were used, and in which a stern reprimand from the press was suggested. Condemnation of the club officials was, of course, based on the assumption that those who had paid money for ac- commodations and failed to use them were just that much out of pocket and was voiced before the announcement was forth- coming from the ball club that all such investors have the privilege of exchanging these tickets at the box office for any other game this season that they may desire to witness. The club officials Sunday were in an odd dilemma. With several thousand persons so anxious to see base ball that they journeyed to the park while it was raining, the gates were opened so that they might gain the shelter of the stands. When the downpour ceased shortly before the scheduled time for the contest to get un- der way and it was determined that the grounds were in suf- ficiently good condition for play the patrons had to be to leave the stands and re-enter through the turn- stiles, with considerable con- fusion naturally resulting. Crowd Is Good-Natured. ‘Those at the park were good- natured enough about it, how- ever, for through initial free admission they had been saved from getting drenched and they were to be rewarded for the hopeful optimism in sticking around by seeing a game of ball, the thing they most wanted. . Among the 4,000 or more per- sons on hand at 3:30, the time all Washington games are sup- posed to start, were many from out of town who had gone to considerable trouble and ex- pense to make the trip for the express purpose of seeing the Yankees in action. A com- paratively large number from different cities in Maryland and Virginia and even more distant points are unable to visit the Capital save on a Sun- day, and it happens that this offered one of only two oppor- tunities this year of seeing the New York club in a Sabbath engagement here. The only other Sunday that the Yankees are scheduled to play here is just a week from the end of the season, on September 29. Under the circumstances, it seems the club’s decision to have the game played, even thougx it was nearly an hour late in starting, was the logical thing to do. Those who braved the elements got what they wanted, with one of the long- est homers Babe Ruth ever achieved tossed in for good measure. and those who stayed away will suffer no financial loss. Fair enough! Righthand Hitter Coming. HE return to the Minne- apolis club of Spencer Har- ris may mean that within a short time a righthand-hitting outfielder will be added to the Nationals. This, at least, was the inference gathered from the announcement yesterday that the veteran flychaser had been turned back to the Mill- ers, although there was no in- timation as to the identity of his possible successor. Harris’ brief stay with the Nationals cost them $2,000, and 1f he had been retained an ad- ditional expenditure of $18,000 would have been involved. He started in three games in cen- ter field for the Griffs and broke into three others in the capacity of pinch-hitter with- out distinguishing himself as a factor in attack. In 14 official times at bat Harris scored one run -and made three hits, including a double, for an average of .214. He stole one base and batted in one run—this by means of a sacrifice fly. Last year Har- ris, who received his big league baptism with the White Sox several seasons back, achieved a sticking average of .327. He earned the home-run cham- pionship of the American As- sociation with 32 round trip- pers, but was aided no little by a short right-field fence, and Manager Johnson’s judgment was that the more youthful West and Barnes are better prospects. West's “Weak” Hitting. 'HE passing of Harris means that Sam West will be re- LOT of unjustified criti- A cism was heaped on the THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTO Trip to Make or Break Griffmen : Poor Start May Sound Death Knell of Hugmen ON THE SIDE LINES With the Sports Editor y DENMAN THOMPSON: turned to the middle pasture. Once he reaches his full stride no club in the league will be better protected defensively in center, for West has no superi- ors in-the matter of fly gob- bling and throwing. Furthermore, although West has the anemic average of .148, he has accomplished more for the Nationals in the matter of producing runs than any other member of the team. It was for “weak hitting” that West was benched after start- ing in six of the nine games Washington has played to date, but a perusal of the figures dis- close that his hitting has been infrequent rather than weak. Thus far the youthful Texan has registered only four hits, but three of them were triples and the other was a home run, and the runs resulting there- from total six, just one more than the aggregate driven in by the next highest man—Oss Bluege. West is a late starter, as was demonstrated last season when he trailed along with an aver- age of about .240 until near the close of the campaign, when he clouted at a .400 pace to boost his final figures above the .300 mark. If he can contrive to con- tinue making his wallops go for extra bases until he reaches his real batting stride Manager Johnson should have no com- plaint to register on the face of the returns to date. BIG LEAGUE STATISTICS American League. YESTERDAY'S RESULTS. Iphis, 10; New York, 1. cl ), 183: Clevels E ., b , 8 (10 & ). SR S e STANDING OF THE CLUBS. .1 8 8l.4%0 LB 7417 2305137 2] 8 6333 L= ‘GAMES TODAY. GAMES TOMORROW. alelalaly X 400 364 2 F P T 1 TN BL 6| 71 Tl GAMES TODAY. GAMES TOMORROW. New York at Bkiyn. N. York at Breokiyn, 7.“‘(‘! at éi.lellllll. Chiea HOME RUN STANDING By the Associated Press. Home runs yesterday—Haas, Ath- letics, 1; Simmons, Athletics, 1; Kamm, ‘White Sox, 1. American League leader — Blue, Browns, 3. National League leaders—Ott, Giants, 8; Jackson, ohn":; 3; Herman, Robins, Accept this Dressing well IS an art! No doubt you’ve noticed how some men always look smarter than their friends who spend much more on helpful 32.page brochure tells the “how and why.” Smart Suits, Tuxedos, Topcoats Tailored to your Individual Measure The Edward Tailoring Co., Inc. $2875 DWARD CLO o8 i 172 ity 2 et e s o ‘2 " S htae, vy g s . FIGHTER ANXIOUS 0 GET A DEGREE Labarba Would Gain Bantam Title, Defend It Once, Return to College. BY EDWARD J. NEIL, Associated Press Sports Writer. EW YORK, April 30 (#).—A splendidly muscled Italian boy, curly black hair damp with perspiration, body sinews rip- pling under the hands of his trainer, lay on a rubbing table in a stully gym. He looked like a college student, with his dark, pleasant fea- tures unmarred by glove wounds. Pidel Labarba, one-time Olymplie title holder and flyweight champion of the world, isn’t a college athlete and never can be one because of his professional career in the pri ring. But his thoughts and ambitions today are cen- tered on the campus of Stanford Uni- versity in Palo Alto, Calif. ‘Wants an Education. “I want to win the bantamweight title and defend it once or twice,” Fidel sald, as the rubber industriously plied his back muscles and nodded agreement. Outside the cell-like rubbing room jump ropes slapped on the floor, punching bags rattled against top boards and a few spectators cheered a sparring match in the training ring. This was fight talk that rhymed with the surroundings. “Then I'm going back to college, back to Stanford and finish my education. Later I shall learn the brokerage busi- ness.” This was not fight talk and amazed lotions all over the floor. Labarba, once a newsboy in Los An- geles, quit the ring as flyweight cham- pion in 1927 and enrolled as & fresh- man at Stanford. He completed the school year, passing all subjects, and was married in the Spring of 1928, “College life was great,” he said. “T did well in my studies, Smoked a pipe, had lots of knickers, and ‘made’ the fraternity .I wanted. But I learned interesting booklet + o« o With our compliments clothes. This 719 Fourteenth St., N. W. Washington the rubber so that he spilled his | baske Shows clearly in pictures and text what type garments you should choose to look your best ... what colors ... what patterns...what collar...what tie. Drop in and get your copy. It's free. Or send your name on a postal. \ D. C,” TUESDAY, /{//77////rr B 2y A e enemilllore e o S g 4 P A e D A _ AND' BESIDES BEING THE CAPTAIN, HE IS PITCHER AND OWNS — THE BAT AND BALL, A MITT AMD A CATCHER'S MASK — INJURIES TO CATCHERS OF CUBS SET A RECORD By the Associated Press. An unenviable record for early in- juries is being compiled by catchers of the Chicago Cubs. All that seems needed for a base ball player to be- come an undesirable risk for aeci- dent insurance is to have him to go behind the plate for the Cubs. Gabby Hartnett was not able to begin the season on account of a Iame arm and faithful old Mike Gonzales started. He was hurt and Bob Grace, a recruit fro mthe Little Rock club of the Southern Associa- tion, was rushed to the rescue. He Iasted only a minute, a foul tip putting him out of business before he warmed up. This left only the 23-year-old Tom Angley. Tom. who is agrad- uate of Georgia Tech in the arts and sciences and Atlanta of the Southern Association in base ball, can hit, but lacks experience. Manager McCarthy added John Schulte, former Cardinal and Phillie, to the roster, and sent him in te catch, with young Angley again in reserve. fortably, a car and everything, but I realized that I might just as well get all I could while still young and in my prime. So I came back to the ring, 10 pounds heavier, stronger and more carnble. Once I've won that bantam | title I shall go back to school and never | fight again.” Is Fond of Stanford. Fidel, at 23, has all the eagerness and pride of a sophomore in his col- lege, his fraternity and the attractive things about Stanford he believes make the university the finest in the land. APRIL Despite lack of poundage, he'd like to play quarterback on one of Stanford's great foot ball teams or forward on the et ball five. However, he doesn't resent the college attitude that his go- fessional activities in the ring have made him a professional in all sports. ‘The soft-spoken colhfiln. wh oboxes the flashy “Kid Chocolate” here May 21, returned recently from a combined business trip and honeymoon to Aus~ tralia where he won four matches. at at cricket, rugby and ere,” he said, “but they're not so god at base ball. We beat them 10 games out of 11 last Summer—the Stanford base ball team, I mean.” $3875 ES 30, 1929." INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE. SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION. Atlants. 8; Mobile, 4. New Orie Birmiogham, 2. : Little Rock, 2. Memphis, 1. SOUTH ATLANTIC. Columbla, §: 3 Sehevite: &5 T &an& Knoxvil atlotte, §; Spartanburg, 1. PIEDMONT LEAGUE. Durham, 5; Greensboro, 1. Henderson, 5: Wi iem, 0. Salisbury, 7; High Point, 6. EASTERN LEAGUE. Blitsteld, &; Avany. 4 ve: 3 Hartford, 11; Soringfeid 4. WESTERN LEAGUE. No games scheduled. . PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE. No, gamés scheduled. TEXAS LEAGUE. Wichita Falls, 6: Dallas, 4. Waco, ‘4 Besuriont 4 (called end sixth, oy Houston, 9; San Antos A Fort Wotth, 1; Shrevepori, 7. EASTERN CAROLINA LEAGUE. Greenville, 12; Pasettevilie, 5. Goldsboro, 4; Wilmington, 2. Rocky Mount, 11; Kinston, 1. SOUTHEASTERN LEAGUE. Montgomery, 13 Pensacols, 3. aekson) umbus, 3. Seima, 8¢ Tas 1 NINE base a féw open dates. A contest for next SBunday is specially sought. Call Rockville 274 after 7 p.m. SPORTS. SEIBOLD, BRAVE HURLER, IS NOT “YOUNG RECRUIT” By the Assoclated Press. “You base Harry crashed into | behalf of the recruit pitcher, but not young as ball players rate in the age column. He is 33 years old. With Reading last 7’:‘. Seibold first in games won and lost, and fifth in effectiveness with an average of three earned runs per nine-inning Walter Johnson thought he was the best pitcher in the league, and “Barney” should be a judge of good pitching. Jack Quinn’s career is encourag- all elderly recruits. John Picus, after five years in the Ameri- can League, was shunted to the minors when he was about 27 years old. He remained away seven years, but came back at 34 to start another on a major league life, which has shown no signs of failure. HOYT ONLY YANK HURLER TO GO ROUTE THIS YEAR| NEW YORK, April 30 () —Every th P thinks about Waite Hoyt. In all the array of Yankee pitchers, Hoyt is the only one who has gone the route. And, what is more, Hoyt has turned that| particular trick three times already and won every start. LOTT ON COLLEGE TEAM. CHICAGO, April 30 (P)—George Lott, third ranking net star of the United States, was to play on the Uni- USUAL HUGE LEAD OF YANKS MISSING A’s, Chief Contenders With Browns, Swamp Champions .by 10-1 Score. BY HERBERT W. BARKER, Associated Press Sports Writer. HE flying start that has carried the New York Yankees to three consecutive American League pennants seems to be conspic- uous by its absence this year. That fact may or may not be signifi- cant, but you can't blame the rest of the league if they should be hoping that the world champions at last have hit & slump that will permit some one else to represent the junior circuit in the world series. On the other hand, the boys have been waiting so long for the Yanks to crack that they may not recognize & slump when they see it. In past years the Yankees have broken their rivals’ hearts by getting away to a fast start and piling up such a huge lead that a late slump was not fatal. But this year the champions have not started impressively at all. Two weeks of campaigning finds them in third place, with five wins and four defeats. They did not suffer their fourth reverse last season until May 2, when they had won 11 games. And the Philadelphia Athletics, chief sufferers from the Yankee scourge last season, are gaining some adequate re- venge. Yesterday they fell on Henry Johnson and Gordon Rhodes for eight big hits to down the champions, 10 to 1. Mule Haas and Al Simmons each hit for. the- circult with one on in the fourth and Mickey Cochrane, after clearing the bases with a triple in the eighth, added insult to injury by steal- ing home while Rhodes was up. Max Bishop got five straight bases on balls and scored three times. Rube Walberg held the Yanks to six hits and fanned seven men. Browns Hold Lead. |, Behind good pitching by Sam Gray, the St. Louis Browns clung on, close behind the Athletics, by def Detroit Tigers, 3 to 2, in 10 innings. Vic Sorrell gave Gray a great argu- ment, but weakened in the first extra inning when the Browns pushed over the winning run, . fanned eight men. Tom Angley, last survivor among Cub catchers, tossed out two would-be base stealers. The Pittsburgh Pirates lost more than a ball game at St. Louis, the Cardinals eked on defeat ning then eighth with veteran spitballer, Clarence Mitchell, was ex- tremely effective. YANKS SELL SHEALY. ST. PAUL, Minn., April 30 (#).—St. Paul of the American A-oehuunn has versity of Chicago tennis team in a dual meet with Northwestern todsy. The same fine cigar that enjoyed leadmiip on the Pacific Coast at 2 for 25¢. Now nationally famous at 10¢. Its Mild All Through / SPONSORED BY Sonmal Car 3. 1NC. Pimlico Spring Meeting April 22 to May 11 (inc,) 30 pm. Adm., §$1.50 “Made for You" PHILADELPHIA . . . NEW YORK . . . WASHINGTON . . . ATLANTIC CITY NORFOLK . . . NEWARK, N.}. . . . WILMINGTON, DEL. . . , READING, PA. ececesenuy® PRoT—