Evening Star Newspaper, April 24, 1940, Page 13

KENNEL ? cLus Win, Lose or Draw By FRANCIS E. STAN, Star Staft Correspondent. Sorry, But Now It's Spade Calling Time BOSTON, April 24 —We may as well be frank about this Washingten :®a4 club—yes, Buford, we do mean frank, earnest, blunt, brutally to the ‘print, etc.—and call a spade a spade. It's sort of like kicking a fellow when he’s down, but this team of Mr. Griffith’s is pretty awful. Ordinarily we don't give up on ball clubs, especialy those belonging ‘te Mr. Griffith, as early as April. We always have paid dues, attended meetings and obeyed the by-laws of the Things-Will-Pick-Up-for-the-Nats Club. But there is a limit to everything, including faith, hope and charity. Now there are some things to be said for the Nationals. By and large, they are a nice bunch of fellows. They make a nice appearance on the fleld, particularly around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. They do neat Jabs with knives and forks in the dining rooms and a passel of them can sit down and play bridge, pinochle and hearts with the best amateurs in the business. But, between the hours of 3 and 5 o'clock, our boys haven't got it. There are too many of them who ought to be helping Springfield win the Eastern League pennant and, worse yet, there are too many who may belong in the big show, but who need fires built under them. This Team Isn’t Even Giving It's All Now this isn’t a nice thing to say. But here is a ball club repre- enting one of the three best baseball towns in the country. The 31,000 customers who formed Washington's opening-day crowd haven't been matched yet in the majors, all things considered, and these folks and others like ’em deserve something better than a flock of fugitives from class A and B leagues and a gang of ballplayers who apparently are thinking more about pay days than hustling on the field. It was evident down South that no pennant would fly from the Griffith Stadium halyard this fall. It was evident the Nats lacked bat- ting power and pitching, which are said to be essential qualifications to a big winner. But the Nats were pictured as a pesky, devil-may-care, base- stealing ball club. And they aren't. It's Mr. Griffith’s ball club, of course, and his headache. If he fancies his oafish band of misfit Eastern and Piedmont Leaguers, that's his privilege. If he decides, too, to give away dishes to the ladies and declare bank afternoons and double features to bolster the crowds later in the season, he has a right to do so. He may have to. It's Been a Long Time Between Drinks, Buford And while we're going to be nasty about the whole business we may as well get it all off our chest, such as it is. Grandpappy Griff is our favorite baseball character. We think he knows more baseball than anybody in the business. But blood can't be squeezed out of a turnip. It's all very colorful to have Cubans and South Americans, fresh | from their native lands. For a time they mke good copy. It's fine to toy with the idea that Joe Doakes can jump from the Piedmont League to the majors without benefit of the knocks that go with a few seasons in double-A ball. And it’s a nice success story when a fellow hangs around for years without making good and then, all of a sudden, develops into another Johnson or Waddell. But there isn’t anything consistent about this way of building a ball club. Now it’s no crime to be down and out, but the last time the Nats won a pennant was in 1933. Six full seasons have passed since then and the Washington clubs, in order, have finished seventh, sixth, fourth, sixth, fifth and sixth. That brings us up to date, and are there any hardier members of the Things-Will-Pick-Up-for-the-Nats Club who think the average will be bettered this year? Griff Needs Scouts and Double-A Farm It may develop that Mr. Griffith, with his 50-odd years in baseball, is taking a short eut without the members of the T. W. P. U. F. N. club realizing it. But, up to now, the old gentleman’s tactics are unappre- ciated in some quarters. A scouting staff generally is accepted as fairly essential to a major league ball club. Let’s look at the Nats’ scouting staff. It is composed of a Mr. Joe Cambria, an unusual personality’ who has milked Cuba of its best ballplayers. Mr. Cambria has dug up some good ballplayers— anyway, he got George Case—and he has dug up some who were better left buried. He never has been known to spend eny mony on a ball- player and, besides, he's got worries of his own. In addition to keeping as far as possible from Judge Landis, our Mr. Cambria has personal worries, such as meeting the pay rolls of his Springfield, Greenville and Salisbury clubs. In these days a farm system is considered a valuable adjunct to a big league ball club. What kind of a farm system have the Nats? Well, there is Mr. Cambria's Springfield team. It belongs in the Eastern League, which is rated only class A. There is Charlotte, which is class B. There is Greenville, also class B, and there is Salisbury and Orlando, which are class D clubs. There is no International, American Associa- tion, Pacific Coast or even Southern Association farm. In short, Mr. Griffith seems to need & scouting and farm system. We didn't intend, in the beginning, to be quite so cantankerous. But the words just rolled out and they can’t be taken back, now. No, they can't, Buford, really. In our book we've jusf buried the Washington ball club. If it rises to haunt us, that not only will be our lookout, but, believe The Foening Star Sporls WASHINGTON. D.-C, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1940. Pilots of A’s and Bees See Their Te THE BEST DOG IN THE SHOW—??? ooifi“ Editor’s Note: With Washington and Alexandria going com- pletely to the dogs this week end, our cartoonist conferred with L1 —By JIM BERRYMAN ams as Factors Within a Couple Q Harris May Give Bosox Needed Slab Power Rook Backs Cronin's Spring Predictions In Beating Nats By s Btaff Correspondent of The Star. BOSTON, April 24—The Amer- ican League pennant race scarcely is 8 week old, less postponements, and already the pennant bug is buzzing in Beantown. The Red Sox, with a 7-to-2 victory over the Nationals yesterday, are pacing the circuit and, at long last, they proceed in their quest of Bos- ton’s first flag since 1918, with evi- dence that at least one young hurler may come through. Hs is Maurice (Mickey) Harris, 22-year-old southpaw attempting to negotiate, in one jump, the gap between the Eastern League and the majors. Harris * making his big | league debut, turned back the Nats with seven hits and, as the Yankees were losing and the Indians were idle, pitched the Red Sox into undisputed possession of first place. | Cronir Called the Turn. | This young southpaw, Harris, may well bear watching. A year ago he was pitching for Scranton, virtually unknown and unheralded. He won 17, lost only 4, and led the circuit in strikeouts with 147. Yet, despite his record, he appeared to be no important figure in the 1940 Amer- ican League race. Today, however, Mickey is cock o' the walk in this sector. Ever | since the Red Sox went into spring training at Sarasota, Fla., the Sox, | particularly Manager Joe Cronin, | have been touting Harris. | “It doesn't add up,” Cronin said | one day in Tampa, “but this kid looks like he's ready to make the Jjump. He's got plenty of stuff and | plenty of confidence. He's like Ted | Williams; he knows he's A-13 of Years Mackae_nirying For Third Win Over Yanks Connie Praises McCoy As He and Stengel Laud Recruits By HUGH 8. FULLERTON, JR., Associated Press Sports Writer. NEW YORK, April 24—A couple of incorrigible optimists are convey= ing the youth movement around the major leagues these days and it may be they have something to back up their optimism. - They are 77-year-pld Connie | Mack, who has been in baseball long enough to lose any illusions he might have had, and Casey Stengel, who is at his best when making lugubrious remarks about his teams in a way that brings down the nouse with laughter. They're in town today with a couple of youthful ball clubs to play the Yankees and Dodgers, re- spectively. Already Mack's young men have beaten the world cham- pions twice, blanking them 3-0 yes- terday, and Casey’s Boston Bees, though beaten, 8-3, were the first to score against Brooklyn since the season started. Expect to Get Much Better. The point to their statements, | however, is that they both expect their teams to be a lot better in another season or so. Mack, maintaining more firmly than ever that the Yanks aren't in- vincible, doesn't think his Athletics are the team that will beat them this year. “My boys are a year or two away,” he says, “but I have fine prospects.” He particularly is proud of his youthful infield. He likes the way Benny McCoy, his $45000 second good and | baseman, is hitting the ball. “That he acts like it.” |is his greatest asset at present,” Harris a Surprise Starter. |Mack comments. Al Ruebling and Mickey was a surprise starter Bill Lillard, both $35,000 purchases, yesterday. It was Bob Grove's turn | are considered fine prospects, and to pitch, but the weather was too | First Baseman Dick Siebert has be- Pecryina S ¢ oo DOGGONE |T- I GIVE UP ! pictorial prediction on the breed which would win top honors. us, Buford, old boy, it will be a pleasure. Paul Waner Still Is Winning For Bucs With Timely Hits; A’s Dean Yank By JUDSON BAILEY, Associated Press Sports Writer. ‘When the great guys of baseball are being named, don’t let anybody forget Paul Glee Waner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, now or forever hence. “Big Poison” has been a kingpin of the Buccaneers for 15 of his 37 years and ball players don't “jes keep rollin’.” There will come a time when the fans ponderously will concede that he was quite a fellow when he had it. Well, as of this date, he still has it. He went into yesterday’s game with the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning, the Bruins leading 2-1 and the bases loaded with Pirates. Then he singled and the game was over. Score, Pittsburgh 3, Chicago 2. It's Routine for Paul. This was just a routine chore soon to be forgotten by the lean, tanned little Oklahoman who led the National League in batting four different years and probably holds more hitting records than any other player now active in his league. But the day before he also was sent into a game with the Cubs as| a pinchhitter and on that occasion, Nemesis Gilbert, another rookie, hit two with one on to more than cancel. For Brooklyn, though, the most encouraging phase of the game was the way old Tex Carleton tightened up after a bad start. He shut out the Bees for the last eight innings, fanning six and never giving a base on balls. Giants at Last Win. The New York Giants finally won their first game of the season, 1-0, at the expense of the Phillies, with Harry Gumbert pitching four-hit ball. Kirby Higbe, who had stuffed & three-hitter down the Giants opening day, allowed five this time, but gave eight passes and forced the only run of the game across with a walk in the seventh, Chubby Dean of the Philadelphia Athletics proved his 10-inning tri- umph over the world champion New York Yankees in last week’s inaug- ural was no fluke by comihg back with a four-hit shutout yesterday, 3-0. Bump Hadley of the Yanks matched his four hits, but was wild. The A’s scored a run without a hit in the sixth, and in the ninth were donated two more on five bases on balls—three by Hadley and two by Marius Russo. The Western clubs in the Ameri- can were rained out. his first time at bat this year, de- livered a double that figured in a 3-run rally and a 9-5 victory. That was the 2,800th hit of his major league career. Only seven other players now in the majors have amassed 2,000 or more hits and Paul is well in front. His ability to make a place for himself in Manager Frankie Frisch’s new scheme of things at Pittsburgh speaks well for both of them and explains how the Pirates heppen to be in a 3-way tie with the un- defeated Cincinnati Reds and Brook- lyn Dodgers today for the National League lead. Floodwaters kept the Reds and 8t. Louis Cardinals idle yesterday, but the Dodgers exploded a batch of home runs to liquidate the Boston Bees, 8-3. homer by Max West with two oh in the first sent the Bees away from the post in front, but Herman Franks hit one for e Brooklyn with two on and Charley Stolen bases—8even tied with 1. el YN } [4 Major Leaders By the Associated Press. American League, 500; P Runs batted in—Foxx, Boston. 7: Grnnberg. Detroit: Radcliff. 8t. Louis, and Heath. Cleveland. 6. Hits—McCoskey, Detroit. and Rad- cliff. 8t. Louis, 8. Doubles—Thirteen tied with 2. joriples—York. Detrolt, 2: six tied with 1 Home runs—Foxx. Boston. 3: Kuhel, Chicago. and Johnson. Philadelphis, 2. Stolen bases—Eight tied with 1. National Leasue. Batting—Fletcher, Pittsburgh, and Danning. New York. .455. Runs—Hack. Chicago. 5: Galan, Chi- cago, and Gilbert, Brookiyn. 4. Runs batted in—Gflbert. Brooklvn. 5: Isppeetto and Camilli. Brookira ,and . Martin. St. Louls. 4. ¢ Hits—Herman and G. Russell. ‘Chi- . & c“booubles—'rodd, Chicago, and Marion, Louis. 3. . Louis. 3. iples—Six tied with 1. ;;;-:: Tuns—Gibert. - Brooklyn, % seven tied canine fanciers of this area in the hope he could make a 0 Barham Shines Again| As Tech Wins Meet With Episcopal Gets 23 Points in 88-39 Triumph; High Jumps 6 Feet 214 Inches Ed Barham, Tech High's ace trackster, gave a brilliant per- formance against Episcopal High at Hoxton Field yesterday, when he led his team to an 88-39 victory over the Virginians. Barham paced the Tech team by tallying 23 points, taking four firsts and one second. He won the high jump, broad jump, discus and javelin and was runner-up in the high hurdles. In a previous meet he led Tech to a victory over George Washing- ton High. Barham's top feat yesterday was 8 6-foot 2l4-inch leap in the high Lewis. d dash—Won by Willis (E.); gec= ard (T.); third, Washbugn ' (E.). 0.2, )-yard dash—Won by Willis (E.); sec- ass (T: third, Washburn (£, Time, d n—Wwon _by Dellastatious second, "Herbert (E); third, Barnes d0-yerd Fun-—Won by Hollander (T.); -yar — 2B %eonfl.’ March (E.): third, Bartel (T.). me, 2:04.2, th hurdles—Won by O’Brien T. i e‘e;%d;’%;rhlm (T); third, March (E). e, 0:16.6. 30-yard_low hurdles—Won by O'Brien g?):fluw’:?dz. el"odd (E.); third, Borton (E.). Mile. Furo-Won, by Bartel (T) e e T T and {zée‘)/." :n"-;u (T.), Morton (E.).” Helght, 6 feet 21, inches. It—First (tie). Lee (E) and Semmes (B . thira, Beradies (T CRelghs 10_feet, ump—Won by Barham (T.. (). 81 Fasos 8- es. King_ (T.); second. 5 ,‘:pv.hllrdt.hsflmm-n (T.). Distance, 38 feef inches. —Won by Barham (T.); '%d’lr:laeli'g"’e';!;r_r:‘y third, Neft (E.). Distance, 158 feet 7 inches. —Won by Barnham (T.): !ece'l:g.‘“fll'l")rt‘;;'ln (T): third, Stuart (E). 7" Tech (Ballard, gl;gl;l. Hollander, Dellastatious), Time, PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE. . 3: ito. 2. BB, 3 SRR G 13 ! gor Tobisuep tonay ran ‘ L4 Canine Elite Will Be Shown In Five Rings as Show Starts Tomorrow A five-ring dog show, sponsored by the National Capital Kennel Club for the 11th successive year, will open at 10 o'clock tomorrow morn- ing at Riverside Stadium, with hun- dreds of America’s finest canines on exhibition. Judging will begin as soon as the show opens, with five classes run- ning simultaneously. The show will run two days and nights, with the grand champion being named at 10 o'clock Friday night by Col. W. Brydon Tennant of Richmond. D. C. Dogs Have Own Classes. Despite the presence of outstand- ing dogs from all over the country, local breeders are destined to draw their own attention with classes open only to entries from the Wash- ington area. Special features will be the obedi- ence trials, scheduled for 8 o'clock tomorrow night and the child-en’s Official Score AB. R. 4 Walker, 1f Blaodvorth. 26 loodwor 2 Pofahl, & At press time today he gave up with less than half his selections on paper. Major Statistics WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1940. AMERICAN Results Yesterday, Boston. 7; Washington, 2. ll;l:éllqe)nhl w York, 0. Riverside handling classes on Priday after- noon. Samuel T. Brich of Balti- more will judge the obedience, with Mrs, Caroline V. Blagden of Blue Ball, Pa, and Philip Prentice of Mahwah, N. J,, handling the boy and girl handlers, respectively. B Judges will begin work at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning in five rings. In ringe No. 1, George N. Owen of Aiken, S. C., will judge all classes ‘of hounds. In ringe No. 2,{° griffons, pointers, retrievers and spaniels will be rated by Grover C. Rauch of the Bronx, N. Y. Terriers will be in ring No. 3, in charge of Dr. Thomas D. Buck of Rochester, N. Y, while the so-called working groups—boxers, sheepdogs, New- foundlands, Samoyedes and Pulis will be in ring No. 4. Mrs. R. A. Engle will judge collies in ring No. 5. First of Two Big Shows. All early classes Thursday will be finished in the forenoon, setting the stage for the Boston terrier exhibi- tions at 1 o'clock. An hour later, judging will start on schnauzers, West Highland white terriers, whip- pets, English and Gordon setters,: I Cairn terriers, Pembroke and Cardi- gan Welsh Corgis, Doberman pin- schers and German shepherds. The show is the first of two sched- uled for the Washington area this FYIE 01_01_0/_3/ 21.600, 0101 11 GAMES TODAY. GAMES TOMORROW. Wash. at Boston. 3. Phil, at Wash., 3:18. Phila. at New York. N. Y. at Boston. Detroit et Chicage. Chicago at Cleveland. Detroit at 8t. Louis. Cleve. at 8t. Louls. NATIONAL i | | i o ‘BKII—[ 01 0] 01 1{ 01 0| 2| 31 0/L.0001 Pit| 0i—[ 0l 0l 0l 2| 1| 0] _3I_0/1.000] 111 01 31_0/1.000 § H 5 n i i | i i week end, the scene shifting to the Alexandria (Va.) ball park on Sat- urday for the Old. Dominion Kennel Club’s fifth annual all-breed show. The Alexandria exhibition will be & one-day affair. St. Albans Netmen Ahead St. Albans was off to a good start in its tennis season today, having opened up with a 5-2 victory over Tech High netmen yesterday at Columbia Country Club. One of the losers’ points came on a forfeit in one of the doubles. sz{’u 5 - YEvans Totals * Batted for Leonard in fifth. 1 Batted for Carrasquel in seventh. 1 Batted for Jacobs in mninth, AB. R. H. 1 oooccssorrosss, B ] R 1Y) coocouconwoccad oooooorooroossH » » 0 a°) ol vorproscs> BOSTON. Finney, rf Oramer, ¢ Williams, 1f Foxx, P | corcosscct 29 2] 1ommmiomcssao al hoormmmmm ] e Home runs — Williams, Finney, Sacrifice—Harris. Double plays— odworth to Wasdell. Travis to Blood- worth to Wasdell. Inftnnn bases—Wash- 7: Bostol 3 SESSIONS DAILY s Also ST Bowling Alleys Reservations CHEVY CHASE {CF PALACE 4461 CONN AVE EMERSON 8100 °I! “f}. 6 in i B inning: ‘B‘;?:%o 0 nnings; 5. t by nmhog ball — By ?lcflbl (Wil- liams). Losing pitcher—Leonard. Um- pires—Messrs. Qui ras and Sum- mers, Time—1:50, 1 oft Carrasquel, 2 innin; Phil 00/ 0/—| 1| 0| 0| 01 1| 1| .50011% NY| 01 01 01 1i—1 0/ 0/ 0/ 14 2| .33812__ Chil 0l 0l 0I 01 0il—I 21 ol 2| 5] 28613 SULT 01 01 01 01 0 11—/ 0| il 41 20013 _ Bos|_0l 0l 01_0I 0l 01 Gi—I 0 2 .00012% L._| O 01 01 11 2 B 4 Zi—l=| ] GAMES TODAY. GAMES TOMORROW. Boston at Brooklyn. Cincl. at 3 E’fi.‘.:{,’:" 'r'u’eg"{:h S .‘3.“"'. ?:f’fi'rk 8 # af g 8t. Louls at Cincl.. ~ Brookiyn at Phila. ‘postponed. TEXAS LEAGUE. L 3. Houston. 10: Tulsa. 3. For ALL That's Newest—BUY hrysler Ly woor AUk BROS. wietiam, bad for old folks. Instead, Cronin | unchained Harris and his perform- ance was even better than the box | score shows. . | The longest stretch of pitching | | done by Mickey prior to yesterday | was_ five innings. For six rounds Mickey shut out the Nats, not that it is any great feat, and gave only two hits. In the last three innings he tired, which isn’t surprising, and allowed five hits and both of the Washington runs. He fanned eight, including Jimmy Wasdell three| times. The Sox, in the meantime, were teeing up and going for distance against Dutch Leonard and Ale- jandro Carrasquel. Boston made only eight hits but three were home runs — well-socked blows by Wil- l{ams, Finney and Jimmy Foxx. Carrasquel took over the pitching in the fifth, just long enough to| pitch Foxx a home-run ball with al mate on base, and there was the ball game beyond reach. | Today the Griffmen were to try | to win with Joe Haynes pitching for the first time. The Red Sox | were to counter with Grove, who | shut out the Nats on opening day | in Washington with two hits. 14th &G T7th& K *321 come a dangerous hitter. Stengel Likes Outfielders. Stengel's ideas about the Bees might be an echo of Mack's remarks with new names inserted. He tells about Bob Loane and Chet Ross, rookie outfielders, who team up with the youthful Max West. “Lots of people say they aren't ready for the majors yet” Casey said. “That's what they said about West when he came up, and Max was good enough to keep some own- ers and managers up nights last mwr trying to make a deal for 3 . “Ross is a big guy who may be a real slugger. The other kid is a fancy outfielder who already has :nlde some amazing plays in cen- er.” Stengel also foresees a bright fu- ture for Second Baseman Sebastian Sisti, and has hopes for some of his young pitchers like Nick Strincevich, Dick Errickson and George Barnicle. “If I could figure absolutely in my own mind that we could finish right up there I would change my plans,” he admits. “But as it is we're going along with these new men. We can afford to take a chance.” ——HAHN==—F—= 2 14th *4483 Conn. Ave. *Open evenings FLORSHEIM « « « with a new kind of lustrous glow that is startlingly smart, is our the highly popular “h: tiquing” of leathers . . latest improvement on and-staining” or “ane . a process that takes longer and imparts a deeper color, an added Character, to tan leathe; hand-rubbed leathers . . rs. See our samples of . and tell the salesman to have your new tan Florsheims hand-rubbed « « « there is no extra charge! 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