Evening star. [volume], March 02, 1936, Page A-14, Image 14

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Newsom Picks Griffs for High Place: Catching Problem in National League
IN VERBAL TRIM
Willing to Wager He Will
Win 25 Games—Praises
Club’s Leaders.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
BUS Correspondent of The Star.
Orlando, Fia., March 2.—All
doubt as to where the Na
tionals will finish this year
was dispelled today. Wash
ington is a cinch to finish first, sec
ond or third in the 1936 American
League pennant race.
“Yeah, man," popped off Blushing
Buck Newsom, the prodigal son, "if
our ball club gets off to any kind of
a good start we’re dead certain to fin
ish in the first division.”
Blushing Buck was in good form
and spirits today. His salary argu
ment finally settled with President
Clark Griffith, possibly on a bonus
basis, Newsom unquestionably was
the most enthusiastic ball player on
Tinker Fi?ld. At least he cannot be
overlooked.
"i m willing to net x win 2a games
this season,” he murmured with all
the modesty of Sally Rand. To em
phasize his point Buck poured a
whistling fast ball into Cliff Bolton’s
mitt and the impact sounded like a
pistol shot. Newsom waved away
words of caution from Bolton with
the assurance that he already had
been working out at his South Caro
lina home and his arm was pretty
near ready now. As a matter of fact
he is the only pitcher in camp capable
of cutting loose and this is his first*
day of official training.
”Ya know,” he continued, ‘‘how
many actual days of pitching I had
with this club last year? Well it
Was exactly*2 months and 18 days,
counting the time I was trying to
pitch myself back into shape after
that doggone Averill broke my knee.
And what did I do? I win 11 games
and lost 11 for Washington and that
ain’t so bad.
Buck Gives Calculations.
“J-IERE'S the way I figger the situa
tion this year,” said little Buck
gravely, warming up verbally and tem
porarily quitting his initial workout
with the squad. "I win 25 games.
Whitehill, Deshong, Appleton and
Linke win 60 between ’em. Whitehill
always is sure to win and 1 reckon
this Linke can keep showing the stuff
he had late last year. Deshong is
gonna be a big help and I’ll say right
now that Appleton is a good pitcher.
He really is a good pitcher, only he
never had a chance in the majors
before.
“That makes 85 games that we five
pitchers win among us and doesn’t
count what Coppola and Lanahan will
pick up. Well, if we let it go at 85
games, that's good enough to get the
third place. New York finished sec
ond last year and won only 89 games
and Cleveland, finishing third, only
won 82. I know, ’cause I studied
it all.”
Tne pride and joy of Hartsville
•eems to have plenty on the ball any
way you look at it. He’s not just a
•‘pop-off,” because the windy gentle
man’s best friends swear to this day
that Buck suffers from an inferiority
complex and is outwardly the opposite
purposely.
"This league is balanced swell,” he
•aid, shifting his tongue into high
gear, "with the exception of that
Philly team. Detroit’s no standout
and just because Yawkey sunk a lotta
dough into Boston doesn’t make the
Red Sox so good. The Red Sox’ll be
darn lucky if they finish third. What
the devil are the Red Sox except last
year’s Athletics and where did the
A’s wind up?
Belittles Yawkey Outfit.
•‘'T'HE Red sfox are only the A’s, who
finished last without any kind of
pitching. And as for them this year,
w'ho have they got besides Grove, Fer
rell and Marcum? Think it over.
Grove and Ferrell ain’t going to get
any better, but let’s give ’em a break
and say they win 20 games each.
That’s 40 games. Marcum might win
17 games. That makes 57. And who
else on the Boston staff is gonna win
the rest of the games they need? I’ll
bet on somethin’ else—that Wash
ington finishes higher than Boston.”
Them’s pretty strong words, as
they’d say even in South Carolina,
but Buck wasn’t finished.
“Griff and Harris,” he explained,
generously, “have the right idea. Here
the Tigers an’ Red Sox an’ Yanks are
breaking their necks trying to get a
pennant this year and Griff and
Bucky are making hay. They’re re
building their club and in a couple
of years, s’help me, Washington’ll
have a pennant winner and those guys
will be tearing down and wonder
ing where all the good kid ball players
have gone.
“Griff and Bucky are on the right
track. We gotta great kid in this
Lewis, and Travis is hot stuff on the
short. Kuhel and Myer are good, of
course and we’re fast as blazes In the
outfield.”
Must Build Confidence.
to Newsom that he finally was forced
to stop for breath. He Isn’t in mid
Mason voice yet.
"The whole problem,” he drove
home, “is in getting off to a good start
and building up the confidence of
those kids. We oughtta have color,
enthusiasm and fight.”
If the season were to open tomor
row Newsom would have to be named
to pitch, but the big boy isn’t in top
ahape yet. He reported to Tinker
Field today weighing 208 pounds
stripped and he admittedly must work
down to 198 to get best results. He
should do it, too. Buck has that trait
of enthusiasm and willingness that
Harris probably would rather have in
such players as Cecil Travis, Cllf Bol
ton and Johnny Stone than another
10 points on each of their batting
averages.
And, by the way, Newsom also ended
any conjectures as to who will pitch
the opening game against the Yankees
on April 14. In fact he also named
himself as the starting pitcher when
the "grapefruit league” season is
opened here March 14 against the
Jted Sox. Now all he must do is get
Karris to agree with him.
Is
v-—
Myer-Griffith Salary Gabfest
Is Bis Noise of Nationals’ Camp
I By a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
ORLANDO, Fla., March 2.—The
Nationals opened their second
week of Spring training to
day with all except live play
ers in camp, but indications were that
a verbal workout would steal the day’s
show.
The battle of words was to have, in
one corner, Charles (Buddy) Myer of
Ellisville, Miss., light-heavyweight bat
ting champion of the American League
and contender for the title of highest
paid ball player on the Washington
club.
His opponent will be Clark Griffith,
welterweight debating champion of all
base ball. Griffith doesn't hit like
Myer, but he is believed to be cleverer
and it is likely they will enter the
scrap at 6-to-5 and take your choice.
Buddy, accompanied by the Missus,
arrived by automobile last night after
driving from their Mississippi home.
They walked into the dining room,
shook hands with the Griffith fainily,
and began to build up for the forth
coming scrap by attacking a steak.
Myer said the reason he did not get
together with Griffith last night was
because he was “too tired from driving
and I can't be tired when I argue with
Griffith.”
He seems pretty determined to gain
his point. “Darn if I see why I have
to argue,” said Buddy. “I should think
all I have to do to get a raise is show
Griff my record last year. If that
doesn’t entitle me to more money then
I think I had better go out and get in
some other business where you are
paid as you improve.”
Griffith did not seem particularly
anxious for the verbal duel with Myer
last night, either. Earlier he had
thinned out the ranks of his unsigned
players by getting Pitcher Jack Rus
sell’s name on the dotted line. Now
only Myer, Johnny Stone and Earl
Whitehill are out of the fold.
Swelling the squad today, in addi
tion to Russell and Buck Newsom,
were a couple catchers, Bill Starr and
Sam Holbrook. Their arrival here
means that only Ossie Bluege, veteran
utility inflelder; Shortstop Red Kress
and Outfielders Jesse Hill, Johnny
Stone and Carl Reynolds have yet to
report to Orlando. They are to ar
rive Wednesday.
Bucky Harris gave the boys a holi
day yesterday, but some of them
wouldn’t take it. Newsom, for one,
insisted on going out to Tinker Field
and throwing some to Harry Oates,
his South Carolina neighbor, and a
pitching and catching candidate. The
rest who worked out were rookies.
RED SOX HURLERS
* _
Jimmy Reports Asking for
Action—Rooks Keeping
! Cochrane Busy.
By the Associated Press.
SARASOTA. Fla., March 2.—Red
Sox pitchers will burn them at
Jimmy Foxx today. Joe Cronin
planned his workout around the
newest Sox star who hit camp yester
' day, tanned, weighing 183, and asking
: for action.
; NEW ORLEANS, La.—The Indians
: were all set for infield practice today
. with the expected arrival of Second
Basemen Bozie Berger and Roy
f Hughes. When they arrive only Pitcher
. Willis Hudlin and rookie Outfielder
’ Jim Gleeson will be absent.
i WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—The
i Browns know the work-out has started.
Rogers Hornsby hit town yesterday
• and ordered his squad up at 8 a.m.
: today and on the field at 10:30. Out
1 fielder Ray Pepper, whose health has
1 been none too good in past seasons,
■ greeted Hornsby with the pleasing
news that he’s full of pep and never
1 felt better in his life.
LAKELAND, Fla.—Manager Coch
rane is spending his time looking over
the large rookie crop called by the
Tigers this year. Although a four
, inning training game is up for tomor
row’, heavy practice will not get under
w’ay until March 8, when fielders are
due.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Joe Mc
Carthy of the Yankees took the field
with an even two dozen athletes today
; to inaugurate the twelfth training sea
son for Col. Jacob Ruppert’s athletes
; at Huggins Field. Most of the other
• players were on their way to the camp
, by automobile, although a few were
, not due to report for a week. Bill
i Dickey, one of the three holdouts, was
on hand.
PASADENA, Calif.—Jimmy Dykes of
i the White Sox is making plans to fill
the holes in his team in the event Zeke
Bonura and Luke Appling persist as
. holdouts and he plans to play first
himself, with Joe Morrissey at short
and possibly use Mike Kreevick, ob
tained from Kansas City, as an out
fielder, at third.
IRK DODGER BOSS
Player May “Buy Out,” Says
Stengel—Bee-Card Deal
Brewing, Rumor.
By the Associated Press.
CLEARWATER, Fla., March 2—
Casey Stengel is “burned up”
over the statement of Joe
Stripp, who said it “wasn’t
his fault” if he played in only 109
games last year and was “mishandled.”
The Brooklyn Dodger pilot says Joe
can purchase his release for $10,000
if he wants it.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex.—Young Tom
Easterbrook, the rookie backstop who
turned down a chance to try for the
team in 1935 to finish his last year
in military school, was on hand today
to greet the vanguard of the Pirates.
ST. PETERSBURG. Fla.—President
Bob Quinn of the Bees and Manager
Bill McKechnie paid a “social call'’
on the Cardinals at Bradenton yes
terday and set the tongues of base ball
wise men wagging. They saw the
possibility of an exchange of Wally
Berger and Ducky Medwick, both
avowed holdouts. Quinn has called
Medwick the league’s best outfielder.
BRADENTON, Fla.—Three rookie
pitchers looked good in the pinches
in the Cardinals’ first inter-squad
game of the season yesterday. Bill
McGee, Tom Sunkel and Marvin
Quante pulled out of some bad situa
tions as both squads went runless. The
latter two pitchers are left-handers
and both are from Asheville.
SAN JUAN, P. R—The Reds split
up today, the regulars going to Santo
Domingo for games Tuesday and Wed
nesday and the rookies remaining here
under Coaches Sheehan and George
Kelly.
AVALON, Calif.—Charlie Grimm of
the Cubs is busy sorting out pitchers
to back up his starters. The latter
include Warneke, Carleton, Lee, Root
and French. Among the most prom
ising newcomers are John Hutchings
and Gene Ford.
PENSACOLA,” Fla.—Dick Bartell,
one of the latest arrivals in the Giants’
camp, showed up with 17 extra pounds
which he had gained during the Win
ter. He said he was going to try to
keep at least half of it and redeem
himself for his form reversal in the
second half of last year's race.
TWO HOT BASKET
BATTLES ON TAP
Sleuths Tackle Ramblers,
0
Olmsteds Face Firemen
in A. A. U. Tourney.
FORMER collegiate and scholastic
court stars will strive to avoid
elimination from the Post-Dis
trict A. A. U. rasket ball tour
nament tonight as the Bureau of In
vestigation Whites and Ramblers clash
in the feature game at the Heurich
C'vm at 8:30 o’clock.
Runners-up to the crack Sholl's
Cafe quint last year, the Sleuths boast
a bevy of sharp-shooting aces headed
by Ed Hargaden, Georgetown’s all
Eastern Intercollegiate Conference for
ward of 1934 and 1935.
Teaming with Hargaden are such
well-known dribblers as Roger Lever
ton, former University of Richmond
four-letter man; Herbie Thompson of
Western High School and Duke Uni
versity; Joe Lynch of Mount St.
Mary s; Bernie Jones, hub of the
Sholl’s club last year; Downey Rice,
former Central High School center,
and Tom Lynch, Bill Hopkins and Bob
Fletcher.
Olmsted-Fireman Game Hot.
CHOULD that fray fail to live up to
expectations, the Olmsted Grill
District Fire Department game an
hour later probably will atone for any
previous lack of thrills.
Composed of Hamilton Playground
boys and coached by Sox Harrington,
director of that playground, Olmsted
has toppled some of the foremost un
limited fives in the District.
Billy Mitchell, Wilson Teachers’ Col
lege high-scoring ace, usually assumes
the starring role for the Olmsted toss
ers. but Johnny Sherman, Wilbur
Cross, Bus Pfau, John McCarthy, Stew
Benham. Mike Raedy, Snooky Kemp
or Leo McGahey are capable of lend
ing a helping hand.
In a 145-pound battle, opening the
card at 7:30 o’clock, the Heurich
Flashes will square off with Merrick
Boys’ Club floormcn.
FOR BASKET TITLE
Could Gain It by Beating
Dartmouth Tonight—Pitt
Pressed for Crown.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 2.—The
Columbia basket ball team
which last year lost to Pennsyl
vania in a play-off game for
the championship of the Eastern
Intercollegiate League, apparently in
tends to settle the issue long before
the last basket has been fired in the
circuit this season.
The probability is that Columbia
will be proclaimed champion after
the Lions’ game with the Dartmouth
Indians in New York tonight. With
eight straight wins and no defeats in
the league, Columbia could be tied for
the title, but it cannot be beaten
without a play-off game. The Lions
scored three victories last week, rout
ing Cornell 59-26 on Saturday night.
Dartmouth gave the leaders a severe
test on Monday when they went down
by the margin of a single point, 35-34,
but Columbia, with the title just over
the horizon, will be shooting the works
in there tonight. Should the Lions
fail to clinch the title tonight, however,
they will get another chance on Sat
urday when they play Pennsylvania
in Philadelphia.
Conference Race Closer.
'J'HE race in the Eastern Intercol
legiate Conference was much
closer with Pittsburgh, by virtue of
victories over Temple and Carnegie
this week, bidding fair to annex its
fourth straight championship in the
circuit.
Carnegie seems a sure bet to down
Penn State on Friday, the latter hav
ing lost all of its eight games in the
conference thus far, and if this comes
to pass, Pittsburgh will face the prob
lem of winning all its remaining
games in order to take the title
Pitt takes on Georgetown Wednes
day, Penn State Saturday and ends
its season a week later against West
Virginia. Georgetown and West Vir
ginia meet at Morgantown on Thurs
day, these teams now being in a tie
for fourth place. The standings:
EASTERN INTERCOLLEGIATE LEAGUE.
„ , W. L. W. L.
Columbia- 8 o Princeton_4 4
Penn-5 4 Cornell_3 ft
Yale ___ A A Harvard_2 8
Dartmouth _ A A
EASTERN INTERCOLL. CONFERENCE
W. L. W. L.
Pittsburgh 5 2 Georgetown . 4 4
Carnegie Tech ft 3 West Virginia 4 4
Temple_0 4 Penn State — 0 8
D. C. TABLE NETMEN WIN
Conquerors of Orioles Plaster De
feat on All-State Six.
Once again Washington’s table ten
nis players have proved their su
premacy over the best that their
neighbors from Maryland could mus
ter. A former conqueror of the Bal
timore team, the District aggregation
last night extended its superiority
over the entire State, a delegaion of
Old Liners bowing to the local pad
dlers in five out of six matches at
the Wardman Park Hotel.
Ken Lafferty, fifth ranking local
player, was the only District man to
lose, bowing to Baltimore’s champion,
Georges Semples, 10—21 and 17—21.
But Elias Schuman, District champ,
took a thrilling five-set encounter
from Manny Moskowitz, 21—10, 22—
24, 19—21, 21—11 and 22—20, while
four other Capital representatives
scored easy victories.
BASKETERS ON AIR.
Hermie Schmarr, the District's
leading collegiate basket ball scorer
for the last two years; Coach Fod Cot
ton and Capt. Bernie Lleb of Catholic
University will be interviewed by Bill
Coyle tonight over Station WMAL at
8:30 o’clock.
c
ARM-AMENT PROBLEM. —By JIM BERRYMAN
WE'RE GOIN*
PLACES, OL'
FW, IF YUW
BEHAVE!
v'CAPPy“ WAS A GREAT
Disappointment ib every
body, including himself,
WHEN HIS FLIPPER. WENT
TWITTERY LAST YEAR —
—BUT WHEN ITS RIGHT, HE
CAN' POUND THE APPLE THROUGH
armor Plate__
^ -AND HE'S GOT
^ boss Bucxy in !
—9 A LATHER WAIT/NG
S ^ To5EE IP TH* PAINS
\ <30 ROUN'AN ROUfM'
WHEN HE STARTS
CUTTING LOOSE!
f
I
Oai^N^O.FlA.
THE SPEEDy ROOK OF LAST
SEASON WHO DAZZLED THE
RED SOX IN HIS '35 PEBUT
as a starting hurler.
SPESSARD HITS CORDS
RICHMOND, Va„ March 2 UP).—
The State’s leading basket ball scorer
for the 1936 season and the runner-up
quint to Washington and Lee in the
final standings will be determined
when William and Mary's Little
Giants” meet the University of Rich- ;
mond here tonight.
Bob Spessard, General’s lanky cen
ter, now holds first place among Old
Dominion college basket marksmen
with 229 points in 16 games, while
Winfrey Brown, Richmond forward, is
a close second with 221 points for 18
games.
Coppola’s Failure to Recover Fine Fast Ball
Would Be Big Blow to Nats as Well as Hurler
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.
RLANDO, Fla., March 2.—
Some time this week, when
Manager Bucky Harris lets
his younger pitchers take the
blanket off, one of the real throbs of
this Washington training season is
likely to develop.
Young Henry Coppola, No. 1 pitch
ing prospect of a year ago, is going to
walk onto the slab at Tinker Field, lob
over a few balls to warm up, then
square off and throw a hard one. And
on that pitch may rest all of the hopes
and ambitions of the likeable kid from
East Douglas, Mass.
“He can't miss becoming a good
pitcher.” Harris was saying early in
the 1935 season. “He's the fastest
pitcher on the squad and that goes for
Newsom, too.'1 But that was before
Henry Coppola's arm went bad.
Comes Up to Expectations.
H* GOT his first chance to start a
major league game on June 1 and
right off the bat he lived up to Harris’
fondest expectations. Coppola beat
the Red Sox, 3 to 0, and gave them
only five hits in the process. It was
sweet vindication for Harris, who only
a short time before had shipped away
the veteran Monte Weaver and kept
, Coppola when it was necessary to
j prune down to the major league play
! er limit.
It looked as though Coppola was on
his way up the ladder. Then, in a
manner mysterious, his arm went sore.
He rested and consulted specialists.
Trainer Mike Martin worked over him.
There was an operation for tonsils and
visits to the dentist. Still it was no go.
Base ball was Coppola’s life. He
wouldn’t quit. When the team was
on the road he worked out at Griffith
Stadium by throwing a ball against
the concrete barriers that protect the
box-seat patrons in right field from
Roberto Estalella’s throws from third
base. Henry’s fine, blazing fast ball
was gone. There was no hop to it.
But the youngster, now only 21 years
old, figured that, while he couldn’t
regain it by practicing, he at least
could work on a curve.
Coppola always lacked a curve be
cause all he ever had to do was rear
back and fire his fast one. But when
the team came back from a Western
trip Coppola showed Bucky Harris a
new-found curve and asked for action.
Gets Another Chance.
DUCKY gave him another chance.
His fast ball was a joke, but with
the curve he eked out a 5-to-4 vic
tory over the Athletics just before the J
season closed.
He can’t stick, however, if his arm :
can't propel the old zip ball. Henry i
has a curve now, but he is no Wes
Ferrell for control and pitching brains.
He must have his speed and those who
know the kid might well choke down
a lump in their throats when he
finally rounds into shape for a real
test.
’’The soreness is gone,” Coppola says, j
‘‘My arm really feels as good as ever, i
Gee. it’s gotta BE as good.”
Maybe that’s what Harris and Clark
Griffith are thinking, too—it’s gotta be
good. Coppola with his fast ball can’t
miss a place on the pitching staff.
He promises to be a winner and, at 21
years, he fits the rebuilding-on-ynuth
program.
“POPPIM
OPF'^uc
ukijAwuo, fia., March 2.—Ball
players, as a rule, never have been
noted for wasting & lot of sympathy
on their teammates who hold out for
more do-re-mi. They have themselves
to look after, naturally, and, of
course, there must be some profes
sional jealousy. After all, ball players
are no different from other people.
That is why the case of Mr. Charles
Solomon Myer of Ellisville, Miss., ap
pears to be a bit singular. As a
reward for winning the batting cham
pionship of the American League in
1935, Mr. Myer wants a fatter con
tract. And the singular part of it is
that when he and Clark Griffith
stage their salary tete-a-tete in Griff’s
hotel room, there will be widespread
sympathy among the Nationals for
Buddy’s cause. —
Mr. Myer, first and foremost, is an
all-right guy, but so are a lot of
other fellows on this ball club. The
real reason seems to be a general
belief that if Charles Solomon
doesn’t get his dough this year he
never will get It. In other words, I
doubt if there is a single Washington
ball player who thinks Myer ever
will win a batting championship
again.
Surprised Ardent Admirers.
'T’HERE may be a lot to this theory
for not even Myer's best friends
suspected the latent batting ability
of the gentleman whose feat of win
ning the title on the final day must
be one of base ball’s smash climaxes
of all time. Last season was Myer’s
eleventh year as a regular big
leaguer and not once in the past did
he throw off any recognizable hint
that some day he would lead the league
in hitting.
He always was a good batter but
.300 seemed his speed. In 1928, play
ing for Boston, he socked .313, but that
was his previous peak, for until last
season his lifetime average was only
.298.
To win the batting crown Buddy
wound up with a .349 average, which
was the lowest mark of an American
League champion in 27 years. The
last time a winner’s pace was lower
was in 1908, when Ty Cobb finished
with .324.
But this very fact provides a con
tradictory angle to what even his own
teammates think of Mr. Myer’s
chances of repeating. Buddy’s feat
is all the more amazing when it is
considered that while this 32-year
old infielder was improving sensa
tionally a whole leagueful of hitters
were having an off year.
No Good Explanation.
'J'HE ball isn’t as lively now as it was
when Buddy was struggling to
finish with an even .300. Pitchers
have been given a break for there
were any number of good hitters who
ran Into trouble. Gehrig had his
troubles and so did Foxx. The slumps
of Simmons, Trosky and Manush were
even more pronounced. For a couple
of batters to have an off year is
nothing new but for all of them to
flop doesn’t add up.
There have been some explanations
as to Mr. Myer’s amazing performance.
Buddy says he believes that playing
golf in the Winter for the first time
enabled him to get off to a good early
start. He always has been a good
finisher.
The very pretty Mrs. Myer Is in
k
dined to believe that Buddy’s for
saking of dgars helped to do the
trick. Some people say it was be
cause Buddy was smarter, but he
couldn’t have played ball for 10 pre
vious years without picking up some
knowledge gradually.
None of the explanations why he
made 215 hits during 1935 is any
more convincing than that of most
ball players. “His hits just started
falling safe for him” is the diamond
man's theory and it is good enough.
But Buddy never can know when his
hits will stop falling safe and so the ;
gentleman’s friends and teammates
are hoping that he gets his $15,000
contract.
VOLS, TIDE IN DUEL
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., March 2 (A>).
—Tennessee and Alabama, outsiders
in pre-tournament dope, are the final
ists of the third annual Southeastern
Conference basket ball tournament.
In the march to the championship
Alabama conquered Georgia Tech, 43
to 34, and Tennessee outclassed Ken
tucky, 39 to 28.
BAB DOITS
NETTLE SIX CLUBS
Only Giants, Phils Appear
to Possess Qualified
Men Behind Bat.
By the Associated Press.
EW YORK, March 2.—In more
ways than one the catchers
seem to be the key men in sev
eral major league situations .
this year.
The backstop always is an important
figure in running a ball club, as any
one can explain who saw Mickey
Cochrane lead his Tigers through the
world series last Fall or Gabby Hart
nett lilt the Cuts in their final drive
to the National League pennant.
But the coming campaign finds the
chances of perhaps a half dozen clubs
in the National League depending
upon whether their catchers, veterans
or rookies, come through with able
stick work and the proper performance
of duties behind the plate.
The Cubs, Giants and Phillies ap
pear to be pretty well fixed. Hartnett
may not attain last year's hitting
heights, but he's a consistent clouter
and in reserve Chicago has Ken O'Dea >
and the slugging Walter Stephenson.
Cards in Doubtful Place.
QUS MANCUSO and Harry Danning
aren’t likely to cause manager
Bill Terry of the Giants any worry
and Jimmy Wilson of the Phillies han
dles the job himself with able assist
ance expected from Earl Grace, who
came from Pittsburgh, or Bill Atwood,
a .359 hitter at Johnslown last season.
On the other hand there's the rather
doubtful situation at St. Louis where
illness has forced Bill Dclancey out
of the Cardinal line-up and Dizzy
Dean, in one of his periodical pop
offs, has declared he won’t work with
Virgil Davis. Brusie Ogrodowski, *
rated the best catcher in the Amer
ican Association with Columbus last
year, may be the solution to this
problem. He’s been improving steadily <
in the Cardinal chain both at bat and
in fielding and handling the hurlers.
Ernie Lombardi’s failure to come to
terms with the Reds has put most of
the catching burden upon Gilly Camp
bell during Cincinnati’s training jaunt ,
to Puerto Rico and there are indi
cations Ernie may have trouble get
ting his job back if he changes his
mind about signing, as is expected,
when the Reds reach the mainland.
Phelps Seen Dodger Aid.
QNE of the brightest catching pros
pects in the senior league is seen
at Brooklyn where big Gordon Phelps
has stepped into the place vacated by
A1 Lopez and begun hitting so hard
that Casey Stengel has tentatively
nominated him as the clean-up batter. .
A broken hand kept the 225-pound
“Babe” idle most of last season, but
he hit .364 in 47 games and he's made
the right-field fence down at Clear
water look just a step away from the
home plate.
The Bees are counting heavily upon
Lopez to fill a weak spot behind the
plate, but Arthur Doll, picked up at
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, last year when
he clouted a 400-foot home run against
Boston in an exhibition game, and
Ray Mueller may give the senor from
Tampa some competition.
A1 Todd, from the Phillies, looms
as an answer to Pittsburgh's catching v
problems, but if he fizzles the Bucs
may be in serious straits. Tommy
Padden, the only prospective substi
tute unless Aubrey Epps recovers from
last Winter's illness in time to take
a hand, is light and hasn't been par
ticularly effective in the past.
Griff Picks Up Oates to Check
Phone Tolls Newsom Reverses
Orlando, Fla., March a.—
Harry Oates doesn’t believe
in leaving well enough alone.
Harry is me of Manager
Bucky Harris’ brighter pitching pros
pects who are battling for jobs in this
citrus city training camp. But Oates
isn’t satisfied, exactly.
“Ah sw'ar,” drawls the big boy from
Lamar. 8. C, "Ah wish Ah could git
a chance to catch. That’s what Ah
likes best."
Oates came to camp upon the rec
ommendation of bashful Buck New
som, admittedly the ace of the Wash
ington pitching staff. “He’s a good
pitcher,” Newsom assured President
Clark Griffith last Winter. “Why,
even I had trouble hitting him."
Despite this handicap, Oates has
(See OATES. Page 18,).
A
Sports Program
For Local Fans
TODAY.
Basket Ball.
American University vs. Hamp
den-Sydney at Farmville, Va.
Boxing.
Eddie Mader vs. Billy Nichy,
feature bout, eight rounds, Turner’s
Arena, 8:30.
TOMORROW.
Basket Ball.
St. John’s at Rockville. ♦
Woodward vs. Friends at Y. M.
C. A.., 3:45.
WEDNESDAY.
Basket Ball.
Georgetown vs. Pittsburgh at
Pittsburgh.
Boxing.
District National Guard amateur
bouts, Turner's Arena, 8:30.
Swimming.
George Washington vs. Lafay
ette at Shoreham Hotel, 8.
Squash Rackets.
District A. A. U. championships *
at Y. M. C. A., 7.
THURSDAY.
Basket Bali.
Georgetown vs. West Virginia at
Morgantown, W.. Va.
Maryland in Southern Confer
ence tournament at Raleigh, N. O.
*1 WELDED *1
Taken Off ant Put On, SOe
Other Metals Welded Radiators Repaired
WELDIT, Inc.
516—lit St N.W., Bet E & F ME. 2416 •
*- ¥
t