BUCKY SAYS TEAM WILL SNAP OUT OF SLUMP
Ruether Pitching in Game at Philly; Peck May Start
Ed Rommel Allows But Three Hits, Yet Winning Runs Are Scored on Pair of Errors
April 22, 1926
Special to The News
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. —Bucky Harris isn't alarmed over his Nationals.
"If the team flopped from first to fourth place so suddenly a month from now, I'd have cause to worry," explains the youthful boss, "but this early in the season such a drop isn't so alarming. We have only lost two games in a row and they were mostly due to errors. The boys are still shivering after stepping out of the warm southern climate into the refrigerator, which Washington was converted into during the first week of the season. Just watch us a few more weeks before counting us out."
Bucky is sending his Nats into today's game determined to hold an advantage over the Athletics. Washington now has three games to the A's one despite yesterday's 5 to 2 setback.
Ruether vs. Harriss
Dutch Ruether, who singled in the role of pinch-hitter yesterday afternoon, is pitching this afternoon's contest for the Nats. As yet no Griff hurler has won two games and Dutch is determined to be the first to turn the trick today. He beat the Macks in his debut last Thursday. Ruether is one hurler who benefits by the longer rest, tho Walter Johnson believes he waited too long before starting his second game. Walter always worked better by pitching every fourth day. Dutch will be opposed today by Slim Harriss, Mack's choice.
Bucky himself should get back into the fray. He was out yesterday until the ninth frame, having injured a finger Tuesday. It is also possible that Roger Peckinpaugh will take his old post at short for the first time this season and that will help steady the infield.
Rommel in Form
Eddie Rommel didn't run into another Johnson yesterday, besting Stan Coveleskie and trimming the Griffs. He allowed only three hits, one Joe Harris' first homer of the season. It came in the fourth. The other two were in the ninth when Washington scored a second run.
The A's banged out 12 hits, yet they scored four runs in the second when two costly errors let in three scores—the winning margin. Covey himself accounted for one miscue andSam Rice, who is in one of the worst fielding slumps of his career, dropped a fly ball.
Jimmy Dykesled the Macks with "four for four."Bustin' Bill Lamar hammered out three singles.
Al Simmons' running catch of a short fly, resulting in a double play, was the feature of the pastiming on the defense. Al caught the ball with his glove at his ankle, running full tilt, and made a one-bounce throw to Hauser that was marvelously accurate.
Joe Hauser and Rommel also brought the crowd to a standing position to do some cheering in the eighth when they together robbed Johnny Tobin of a hit on his drag bunt toward first. Joe fielded the ball neatly and Eddie covered the bag, grabbing the toss while on the run.
Source: (1926, April 22) The Washington daily news. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn82016181/1926-04-22/ed-1/.
