A~14_____WASHINGTON, D. CM TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1941. Infield Weakness Again Plagues Cardinals, Cools Off Club’s Ardent Boosters ■ — — _ r- -—------. IT'S ALWAYS SPRINGTIME TO CECE —By JIM BERRYMAN Lose or Draw Mesner Failure Basket Coaches Win, SMo’ IS f^DVY ) ...BUT JUST AVERAGE fiW.WOTS TH'DIFF? By FRANCIS E. STAN, T’STOP IN THE SHORT STOP IF f HADN'T bPIKED Star Staff Correspondent. \ DOWN HYAH! f ( At Hof Corner JOB,... AND TOO OFTE.U :a \ VUH OH THIS PlAY.yuH | v——crk INJURED COVERING H \ PPOBLY WOIJLDA ) Protest 'Fan' Griff Claims One Can Win a Pennant Play t A SPIKED Y'SELF / SECONP E>Ai>E.. .. OCALA, Fla., March 25.—Clark Griffith says that a single play can i 1 win a pennant and that it doesn't have to happen on the final day of For 5f. Louis the season with the score tied in the ninth inning and all of that Holly- I Backboard wood hoopla. He was talking the other night, after the pinochle game was over, Marion Not So Good Ask Standardization and recalling that in 1933 the Nationals’ last flag was won two months 1 At before the was over. “It was that at the Short; Outfit Is campaign play plate Of Equipment; Ready against the Yankees.” He said: “To my mind that was the greatest Elsewhere single play I had ever seen.” Strong To Elect Officers The circumstances were these: By GAYLE TALBOT, Washington held a three-game lead going into a series with the Associated Press Sports Writer. B* tl t Associated Press. a top-flight second-place Yankees in New York. On the first day the Yankees won ST. PETERSBURG. Fla., March NEW YORK, March 25.—The new performer at basket ball backboard a double-header, cutting the Nats’ lead to a single game. In the third 25.—The St. Louis Cardinals are fan-shaped being plagued again by the same THE "SIZZLING which appeared on some courts this game of the series, won. For the fourth and final game AH'M weakness that has characterized CORNER'_ (G-QOSH! AFEARED^ season seems to be good for an argu- Monte Weaver was selected to pitch. their efforts for several years—an J- ITS GOIN'OVAHTH'fence ment wherever coaches gather. "That was the said. knew big game,” Griffith "Everybody it. If Ati'IN ! MISTAH I uncertain infield. f GCIFF'S That's the only subject that pro- we we * lost, our lead would be only one game. But. if won, wed still , is hav- LIABLE T’GIT PUCTX duced any real differences of opinion be three There were to it.” leading by games. many psychological angles ing such difficulty at this late stage MAP'BOUT ME } yesterday when the National Asso- j in finding the right combination Wft ST IN A ciation of Basket Ball Coaches that LLS\y Sensed Sewell Hard some of the club's mast ardent opened its two-dav convention. Nat Gehrig Trouble, boosters are cooling off rapidly. Holman of the College of the City of Griffith goes back more than 50 years in baseball. He probably has Early in the training grind South- New York said he wouldn’t permit worth at seen more great plays than any man alive with the exception of Connie least hoped his troubles his teams to play rivals that use it had been Mack. But that Goslin-to-Cronin-to-Sewell play in that game is the dissolved by the simple next year. Jack Gardner. Kansas of Steve only one that ever runs through my mind. Whenever anybody mentions process planting Mesner, State , said the fan-shaped the .341 hitting rookie from San board hadn't in a great play I think it that one.” proved satisfactory Diego on third base and shifting its trial in the Six Conference Washington held a 4-to-2 lead going into last of the ninth inning. Big over to second, with this season. the on base. Dixie , first -'.itter, got Walker also got on. There the string-bean Martin Marion, be- | Rules was nobody out and the evidence indicated that Weaver was tiring swiftly. ! tween them, at short. Proposals I p Today. Then drove on a low- line toward the left center-field fence. Serious Hitch in Infield. The outcome of yesterday’s argu- “Everybody in the ball park knew that Goslin couldn't reach it except It looked a deal, even though ment was that the Rules Committee Mesner Gehrig," said Griff. He hung around second base, while Walker ran right did report somewhat over- suggested that the backboard be 6 weight, and the to be feet 4 feet, with no as up to him and begged him to for the plate. report began I by options bandied about that the Cards need- to its shape, but that didn't mean all "Goslin got the ball as it caromed off the fence and threw perfectly ed only to come up with a winning the coaches were convinced. The to Cronin. Cronin wheeled and threw a strike to the plate. Neither of ! or two from their big cor- rules proposals will come up for a the throws touched the ground. j ral of young prospects to walk right vote of the convention today and, "Gehrig, that he was in trouble, slid hard into Sewell and off with the if sensing flag. _PUT FREQUENT approved, will be presented to the him around as Luke him a are about spun tagged out. Walker, step behind Gehrig, They due, too. not having CHANGES OF POSITION National Rule; Committee at Kan- made his slide on the finished on since 1934. sas next week. opposite side. Sewell, still spinning, fell on top of top DO NOT SEEM To DO City But a return inspection Walker and tagged him out, too. appears A 1b Other recommendations concerned to reveal a serious hitch. My DAAAAGE MIS "That,” he concluded, "was the day I knew we won the pennant. Babe PLATE standardization of equipment. Sam In yesterday's game against De- WOR1C_- of Southern California Ruth knew It. too. He told me after the game that that one play prob- Barry troit. Brown was back at his old summed the meant it was all over. up general idea when ably third-base Frank post, Crespi from he said a survey he had made Rochester was at second and Mes- Nat Fans Warned showed the coaches were more in- ner was riding the bench. All of a Sudden the '33 Team Cracked Again terested in uniformity than in the it was a typical St. Louis patched-up To Get Tickets kind of equipment used. The com- The old guy credits Heinie Manush with clinching the 1933 pennant infield—the sort that does not Cecil..... cap- jf!/ mittee's suggestion was that the on a "We couldn't ture Reservations for tickets to the single play. put across the clincher,” he explained. pennants—so it might be as playing surface be standardized at well to start 1 opening game of the major j •'Finally, out of desperation. I created a synthetic ladies’ day. I think concentrating on Cin- TRAVIS.. 92 feet from end to end. or 84 feet cinnati and league baseball season at Grif- it was on a Monday, or Thp Browns were but that in the annual from basket to basket, and 50 fed something. playing, THE OF 7 FULL fith Stadium 14 must be i i spring game. KID-VETERAN on April wasn't the reason for it. I figured the ladies might bring us some luck. guessing in width. Southworth denies he has MAJOR CAMPAIGNS IS STILL called for by April 1, it was an- “We won that game, and the on a catch Manush given pennant, great by nounced Edward B. Elections on Schedule. ! up on Mesner. but observers here are THIRD today by in left field. If he hadn't that ball we MOVING BETWEEN caught might not have won willing to bet that the Eynon. jr.. secretary of the Wash- slugging AND In addition to taking final action that pennant, although I didn't realize it at the time.” What he meant rookie does not start the SHORT...BUT THIS'41 ington baseball club. j season j on proposals concerning the rules, was that his ball club was through, as later developments It was Some are even SPRING HAS Tickets unclaimed at that time proved. predicting that little TRAINING SEASON the coaches elect officers today, with a team built on The nao been hot and hard and Eddie Lake will will not be placed on sale but senility. pace the supplant Marion SHOWN A NEW TYPE OF HIGH | Nels Norgren of Chicago advancing at short, as Marion will be used to supply orders al- Schultes, Manushes. Blueges, Crowders, Stewarts, Sewells and Weavers has had diffi- to the presidency, EXPLOSIVE IN HIS BAT. ready on hand. Tickets may be j had cracked. If Manush hadn't caught that ball the Nats might not culty knocking the ball out of the infield. called for at Griffith* Stadium or i Ed Kelleher of Fordham. Dr H C. have won the to be right licked in five games by the Giants. will be mailed Carlson of Pitt, Stan Lomax. WOR Otherwise, the Cards undemabiy upon receipt of Part of the reason for the Nats’ firs- pennant in 1924. Griff thinks, 1 check. | 'Newark. N. J > sports commenta- look good. , finally was a trip he took to New’ York on a whim. The Nats, under tor. and Rolland Logan. Army 27-year-old having ended his holdout siege, is , were in early in June, as West. trainer, speak at the morning ses- sixth'place they swung They back at his familiar first-base post came Zivic to Called sion. back in third place. They Won a couple of important games and and his 40-ounce bat gives increased Fight Kaplan Apache Players The bounced into second place, three games behind the Yankees. authority to the club's attack. Don Batting Tuned, Vernon Starts BOSTON, March 25 Walker Cooper, brought to down in New York, where they w'ere B- t Stall CorresDondent ol The Star ! Leonard and Janies Henry Dean in from Columbus late last season, j going for a four-game series. OCALA. Fla.. March 25.—With the due tomorrow. Harris and Pres- already has proved himself a com- ‘You can lick those fellow's,’ I said. Nats riding the victory wave and ! ident Clark Griffith still stand firm in petent receiver and will divide the 1 “Joe and were a record of four their belief that in Sid Hud- Judge dressing in front of adjoining lockers. work with the veteran . holding straight | Leonard, 'If think we’re so one of them wins, Bucky Harris is going to defy son. Ken Chase and Masterson. they ! you good,’ said, ’why don’t you come up Gus still runs mostly in one spot, the managerial rule by changing his have the nucleus of a good pitching end watch us do it?' I but he will prove valuable in han- In competi- staff. What worries them is the “I went up,” Griffith said. “That's the series where Miller dling the young . line-up. championship Huggins tion he probably would give it no second flight of slabmen. tried to have me thrown out of the because I Rickey Banks on Roe. park was riding him from but the substitution of Arnold Anderson was not It is too to thought exactly a box about his feet. sin. we early go overboard on funny By won four straight, took the lead, Mickey Vernon at first base now a ball of fire yesterday at Leesburg. | John Grodzicki. the pitching sensa- and never lost it. That was as early as June 4. that series. As for the comes under the heading of scientific Neither was Hudson, for that mat- tion of the Cards' exhibition season. single play, I can't recall there was one that won the ’24 pennant unless experimentation, or something. ter. but he left Anderson with a The fact that he pitched all winter it was the play I gave Huggins' feet.” Vernon, the guy who wasn't 6-to-l lead when he retired after five down in Central America gave him wanted and then who was wanted innings and Andy, lacking his fast It would be nice to say that Eddie Linke was a heroic, a big jump on batters who were dramatic, when Draftee George Archie didn't ball, had tough going. He was wounded hero of another that the w in just getting the chill out of their single play enabled Nats to another nicked for seven hits in the bones behave like a major league hitter, last Linke was in Yankee and it remains to be seen how pennant. pitching Stadium. of the will make his 1941 debut tomorrow four innings and gave up St. Paul's he fares when they begin Bombers was on second base, only one batter was out and Jesse Hill swinging in Orlando when the Nats, resuming final three runs. those wagon tongues in earnest. wws at the plate. their campaign against American The Nats clinched the affair, more , however, is sure Linke threw’ one up as fat and fluffy as a medicine ball filled with Association teams, play Kansas City. or less, in the two opening innings. the club has a winner in Elwin Roe, climbed on for helium and Hill drove it back on a line. The ball struck on Jack Sanford has done all right so They Harry Taylor Linke the brought up from Rochester. He is six runs and after this lead was forehead and. with a moan, fat Edward far. hitting .301 for five games dropped to the ground, where he The standout man in from camp, and if Vernon wasn't so hot in compiled, they contented themselves stretched out like a flannel-hided whale washed up on a beach. all reports, has been Right-fielder batting practice, Jack probably ! with making singles on doubles, Eddie awoke in a where he read that he had . His hospital, participated hitting and wTould remain at the station until doubles on triples, etc. In a double The fielding both have bordered on the j play, rarely practiced. ball bounced off his skull on a Archie delivered or wTas released. sensational. high arc to Jack Redmond, who caught it well back of the plate They insist he ran 50 yards to pull one down on Button, Button, Etc. and threw to second base, where the bewildered Mr. Chapman was dou- Charley Birmingham Gets Ambler Keller of the Yanks two days ago, bled up. Unfortunately, Mr. Linke's sacrifice was in vain. The Nats Until the Nats embark later this CLEARWATER. Fla.. March 25 finally plucking it out of the finished in the second division. fringe week on a three-dav tour of Miami has ] of a palm tree. <7Pi.—Wayne Ambler, infielder, and Miami Beach against the been optioned by the Reds to Birm- Phillies and Giants. Vernon likely ingham. will be the big news. The games Girls' Basket Rules Another against American Association teams Regarded Victory mean nothing. Under sharply de- Wash AB H. O A St. Paul. AB H O.A. Exhibition Games Case.rf 5 14 1 Bejma.'lb 10 11 fined wraps, the Nats licked St. Paul Cramer.cf :t ] 2 O Wells 2b 4 2 4 5 in 7 to Pj the Associated Press. West.cf 10 yesterday Leesburg, 4. and As Ideal as A. A. U. 10 Stumn.cf 5 14 0 schedule: Tourney WelaJ.lf .4 n :t ii English,lib 5 2 2 5 here today they were to play Mil- Today's Lewis.3b 5 2 o 2 N'wm'n.lb 5 19 0 waukee. Tomorrow the At St. Petersburgh. Fla.—Brooklyn (N.) Travis,ss. 2 2 12 Kress.ss 5 2 2 2 opposition vs. New York iA.l. Pofahl.ss 10 0 1 Kalin.rf 3 13 0 will be by Kansas City. At Fort Meyers, Fla.—St. Louis IN.) vs. Provides Marathon provided Cleveland 1 Mver.2b 2 10 0 Bell.lf 4 2 10 . Play w 1 B rth.2b 2 0 14 Schl’ter.c 1110 Harris is inclined to favor Vernon At Los Angeles. Calif.—Pittsburgh IN.) Sanf Associated Press. rd.lb 2 13 0 Bauer.c 2 1 on vs. Chicago (N.i. By the Southwest. Quinlan and Merit, Tex., as his but this does York Archie.lb 2 O 5 1 Tay lor p 10 0 2 At Miami Beach. Fla.—New iN.) ST. JOSEPH. MO., March 25.—If and Okarchie, Okla., holding their Evans.c .3 0 4 0 strach'n.p 1 o o 1 not mean the others, Sanford and vs. Philadelphia IN.). Ferrell.c 2 12 0 "Campbell 10 0 0 At Austin, Tex.—Boston , 10. Texas A. and M. 5. Wichita. Kans.. at which —5fejma. Strachan. English. Runs batted base runner, Vernon is second. San- meeting in advanced when their opponents, the At St. Petersburg. Fla—Detroit (A ), 1; in—Lewis (31. Myer, Sanford, Travis. and Bell. ford more at the St. Louis . n. the tie-ball rule was liberalized Jacksonville, Fla., Navalettes and Kalin. Bauei. Two-base promises plate, Wells. hits—Case, At Clearwater. Fla.—Cincinnati IN.), 7; cross Travis (2', Cramer, the others. Vernon a permitted to Galveston, Tex., Onicos failed to I Kress, Newman, Kalin. perhaps, than Brooklvn . roving guard ap- Three-base hit—Lewis. and in — is second. At Ontario. Calif.—Pittsburgh (N). 10; the center stripe participate pear. Kress to Wells to Newman. Left on bases— again St. Los Angeles . 2. Merit, Tex,. 40; Columbus, Ohio, J and Hit by The Walter Masterson-Sam Cun- were a hand- K IK. pitched ball—By Strachan iTravis), At Lake Wales. Fla.—New York (A.), 11; they incorporated, by Johnson (Bloodworthi. Wild pitches— Dallas Tpx.. Hornets. 18: Kansas ningham combination was to face Kansas Citv