Evening star. [volume], March 31, 1936, Page A-14, Image 14

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

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Nationals Show Striking Improvement Over Last Year’s Squad
- ❖-*--—■— ..._
AT ENDOF CAMP
Harrismen Seen 30 Per Cent
Better Than ’35 Lot—All
Berths Bolstered. ,
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Staff Correspondent ot The Star.
RLANDO, Fla., March 31.—
A Washington ball club, rated
in better condition than any
Capital team in a decade,
pulls up stakes tonight in this citrus
center training camp, and by a devious
route, heads northward prepared to
furnish the surprise of the American
League pennant quest.
Twenty-six strong, the Nationals
will leave for Cordele. Ga.. following
their farewell game with the Cincin
nati Reds, and a week from today will
arrive in Washington to inaugurate
a final preliminary series before the
barrier is sprung.
The team, as it leaves tonight, has
wound up what Manager Bucky Harris
and President Clark "Griffith enthusi
astically term a virtually Utopian five
weeks of training. With only two or
three exceptions, not a sour note has
been struck, and in each instance of
an oft note it has been in a minor
chord.
“When I look back at last year's
club at this stage of the season,” de
clared Harris today, "I feel mighty
proud. This team is 30 per cent
better, at least, than the 1935 squad.
That was a joke team in comparison.”
Spirit of Club High.
'T'HE Griffs leave for home as pos
- sibly the most spirited Washington
ball club of all time. From the most
calloused veteran down to the veriest
rookie tney have the bit in their
mouths. For all of their collective
youth, they.'re a cocky, devil-may-care
band that very conceivably may prove
to be the giant killers of the league.
Of all the general assets of the
1936 club, as compared with the
team of a year ago, the spirit prob
ably is the most striking. There is,
for instance, no Heinie Manush sulk
ing in the outfield. Instead, in Jesse
Hill, the Griffs have picked up un
doubtedly the best team player on
the squad.
Jake Powell, although unimpressive
thus far. figures to be a better ball
player. He has a year of big league
play under his belt, is heavier and
stronger, and should be improved
generally.
Right field, the only open position
on the club, is certain to be well
guarded, regardless of whether Ca£
Reynolds, Johnny Stone or Dee Miles
opens the season. They form a trio
of capable outfielders with Reynolds
apparently leading the race by a
schnozzle.
Infield Rich In Promise.
Vl/ITH a bow to the up-and-at-'em
‘ spirit of Hill, the potential im
provement in Powell, and the general
prowess of Reynolds, Stone and Hill,
the infield nevertheless has provided
the greatest measure of joy.
Buddy Lewis, 19-year-old third
baseman, has been a positive sensa
tion at bat and acceptable afield.
At shortstop Cecil Travis has more
than fulfilled expectations. The
youngster, never quite at home on
third base, apparently has discovered
that added room to roam at short is
more to his liking.
Buddy Myer, slow to round into
•hape, but worrying no one, still
promises to be the grand second
baseman of yore while Joe Kuhel, un
less all signs are wrong, is going to
be the first sacker of 1933.
The last week has witnessed a big
ehange in Cliff Bolton, who will do
all the catching unless injured. Bol
ton, working like a Trojan, suddenly
has rounded Into shape, regained his
batting eye, and, best of all, he has
evinced a new interest in the business
d smartly handling the pitchers.
Newsom Best Since Johnson.
TN THE box there is no doubt bat
A that in Buck Newsom, screw-bally
as he may be, the Griffs will have
one of their best pitchers since Wal
ter Johnson hung up his glove. Buck
never has been a winner in his two
years of American League base ball,
but this seems to be blossom time for
the Hartsville harlequin.
Ed Linke bears all the earmarks
of a winning pitcher. Jimmy De
Shong, on occasions, has flashed a
fast ball and curve calculated to
make the .Yanks rue the day they
let him go in trade for Bump Hadley.
Earl Whitehill, after a timid start,
has been working more like a busher
than a 36-year-old veteran in an at
tempt to get into shape.
Aside from the prospects of mould
ing a good slab staff around the so
called "Big Four,” there have been
wore pitching reasons for rejoicing
on the part of Harris and Griff.
Henry Coppola is coming around in
the fashion expected Joe Boklna has
been a surprise package, who may de
velop into a helpful hurler. Kendall
Chase is making such rapid strides
that he may stick.
Lanahan Disappoints.
'T'HE sourest of all the sour notes
1 concerns Mr. Richard Lanahan.
one-time Eastern High slab star and
former Washington sandlotter. Har
ris, who held such high hopes for the
young southpaw, is ready to give up on
him and devote more attention to
Bokine and Chase. Monte Weaver,
the sensation of 1932, apparently is
not the hurler he used to be, although
Monte still has a chance. Ditto for
Jack Russell. Jack has been ordered
to wind up to cultivate more decep
tion and it is believed this will add to
his effectiveness.
The only other disappointment in
camp has been Sam Holbrook, under
study to Bolton. It is obvious that
Sam could do better if he spent an
other year in the minors and caught
every day. He has the spirit, but right
now he is rather short on ability. The
same Is true of Bill Starr, who, along
with two of the 11 pitchers, probably
will be cut when Harris prunes his
squad to 23 men on May 15.
But the fulfillment of expectations
far outnumbers the disappointments.
A pretty good ball club, rich in prom
ise, is en route.
1
WHO NEEDS A SPRING TONIC? —By JIM BERRYMAN
FOR CITY SERIES
Play Browns After 11-Tilt
Tour—One-Run Beatings
Have Phils Peeved.
By the Associates Press.
ALBANY, Ga.. March 31.—The
Cards, who broke camp at
Bradenton, Fla., yesterday,
came here today to begin a
schedule of 11 exhibition games before
arriving in St. Louis to tackle the
Browns April 11 and 12.
Yesterday's win gave them 9 vic
tories against 3 defeats in games with
major league clubs this Spring.
WINTER HAVEN. Fla.—The Phils
are somewhat peeved over losing two
consecutive games by a single run— 1
to the Red Sox and the Reds.
Leiber Lags at Bat.
pL DORADO, Ark—Hank Leiber,
the Giants' clean-up man. has
been at bat 26 times and has made
only 5 hits.
The Giants and t.he Indians ar
rived here together today from Alex
andria, La., where they played yes
terday. Odell Hale of the Indians
was right at home in Alexandria, where
he got his start in the Cotton States
League in 1929.
On his first trip to the plate in
the Cotton League he drove in two
runs with a single. Yesterday he
duplicated the feat.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla—The Pirates
are hoping they can continue their
home-run hitting pace. Schulte, Jen
sen, Todd and Dickshot all toured the
bases in one Jump at Austin yesterday.
Fun for Dodgers.
QLEARWATER, Fla.—Several of the
Dodgers played two games yester
day. There was a nine-inning intra
squad tilt in the morning, preceding
the 13-inning tie with the Red Sox in
the afternoon.
Ed Brandt and Van Mungo, the rival
managers in the morning game, added
to the frivolity by engaging in several
"heated” arguments with the umpires.
The Cub regulars were expected to
return to work against the Dodgers
today. A mixed line-up took a beat
ing from the Cards yesterday. Man
ager Charlie Grimm has named Jim
Carleton and Clay Bryant, right
handers, to pitch.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—The Athletics
came here to meet Knoxville today.
Mack said: “Our team has not yet
found itself and is just groping along.
Many edges must be sharpened before
we meet the Phils in the city series.”
Bonura Accepts
Terms of Chisox
By the Associatea Press.
^JHICAGO, March 31.—J. Louis
Comiskey. owner of the White
Sox. announced today that Zeke
Bonura. holdout first baseman, had
reached an agreement with the
club and would report to Manager
Jimmy Dykes at Austin. Tex., im
mediately.
Bonura has demanded $12 500
annually, against the club's offer
of $8,500.
"Zeke,” Comiskey's office said,
“met the terms of the club by tel
egraphic agreement from his home
in New Orleans.”
FURR BOUT NEXT TUESDAY.
Phil Purr, District welterweight
champion, will defend his title against
Cary Wright, local 147-pounder, irf a
15-round fight at Turner’s Arena next
Tuesday night. A Jewish holiday is
the cause for shifting the bout from
the regular Monday night assignment.
I---1
Exhibition Tilts
By the Associated Press.
New York <N.), 10; Cleveland (A.), 4.
Brooklyn (N.), 6; Boston (A.), 6
(13-inning tie: darkness).
New York (A.), 5; Boston (N.), 4
(10 innings). ✓
Cincinnati (N.), 3; Philadelphia
(N.), 2.
Pittsburgh (N.), 10; Chicago (A.), 8.
St. Louis <N.), 10; Chicago <N.). 4.
St. Louie (A.), 6; Milwaukee tA. A.),
2.
Philadelphia (A.), 6; East Griffin,
Ga., 0.
Baltimore (I. L.), 6; Newark (I. L.),
2.
Albany (I. L.), 12; Toronto (I.
L.), 10.
Today's Schedule.
Cincinnati (N.) vs. Washington (A.).
Chicago (N.) vs. Brooklyn <N.).
Pittsburgh <N.) vs. Chicago (A.).
St. Louis (A.) vs. Philadelphia (N ).
Cleveland (A.) vs. New York (N.).
St. Louis (N.) vs. Albany, Ga.
Philadelphia (A.) vs. Knoxville
(S. A.).
Newark (I. L.) vs. New York (A.).
Liukc Gets “Heat Bag” Stock
-. ' i
Will Use Device to Warm His Pulseless Arm,
Despite Tiger Protest.
dj a oian uonesponccm ox xae oiar. #
ORLANDO, Fla., March 31.—
Eddie Linke, who may
pitch Washington's open
ing game of the American
League season against the Yankees,
will start the campaign with his
heating bag regardless of rumors
of a protest by the Detroit Tigers.
The chubby right-hander, after
testing regular heating bags, has
ordered several built especially for
| his hip pocket, because of his
pulseless right arm. Linke's fin
gers get cold in sharp weather
and he is unable to grip the ball
properly.
The bag will be rubber, lined
with canvas, and measuring 4x4
inches. There is a patented chem
ical treatment to the canvas lining
which, when a teaspoonful of cold
water is added, will throw off heat
for 10 to 12 hours. When Linke
is finished with his pitching he can
empty the bag and use it again.
He will not receive the bags until
the Griffs reach Washington on
April 7.
Despite the informal protest
made by the Tigers, Linke is un
worried. He conferred with Pres
ident William Harridge when the
American League chieftain visited
here recently and was promised a
thorough investigation of the rules
regarding the use of such an ac
cessory. Umpire in Chief Tom
Connolly has told Linke to go
ahead ana use tne Dag untu lur
ther notice.
There is a much broken rule
prohibiting pitchers to go into
their hip pockets, but, if necessary,
Linke can carry the bag elsewhere.
He already is mulling over various
methods of complying with the
rules and still getting the benefit
of the heating arrangement,
-•———
COLLEGE BASE BALL.
Michigan State, 18; Clemson. 0.
Louisiana Tech, 7; Purdue, 2.
“poppi/m^
i
Orlando, Fla., March 31.—
The fine managerial hand of
Stanley Raymond Harris,
whose tracings can be noted
in every movement of the latest model
Washington ball club, has effected,
among abler accomplishments, a
coaching line brain trust possibly sec
ond to none in the American League.
The average base ball fan probably
doesn't give a hoot who is on the
coaching lines. If the manager of
the club is out there, so much the
better, because he's in a convenient
spot to take what abuse may be de
creed necessary by the customer. But,
by and large, a coach is accepted as
somebody who stands on the lines,
occasionally directs a runner to go
for another base or hold up and makes
a lot of noise with yells of encourage
ment to the batter.
The good coaching Arms embrace
more responsibilities than traffic
copping and noise-making, however,
and the Nationals' current set-up of
Harris, himself, and First Lieut. Earl
McNeely already has presented evi
dence of this fact. A good pair of
coaches will win a lot of ball games,
because they will turn signal thieves.
Baker Master “Thief."
J^EL BAKER, the able third-base
coach of the Detroit Tigers, long
has been regarded as “tops” among
American League coaches as a signal
thief. This rating does not include
Harris, who has confined himself to
bench-managing the last couple years,
but Baker ranks with Bucky. It is Del,
a former catcher and a smart potato,
who calls practically every pitch for
Hank Greenberg, who is strictly what
the boys call a “guess hitter.” It
was Baker who beat the Washington
club out of a couple of ball games
last year by calling every curve ball
Ed Linke was throwing, much to the
consternation of Mr. Linke and all
concerned.
Baker stood out among signal thieves
in the last couple of years, but this
season he will have real competition.
Harris' return to the coaching box al
ready has been felt by the Nationals,
and Bucky’s choice of Earl McNeely
as a successor to Johnny Kerr on
third base will not be regretted. Mc
Neely is something of an observer of
signs in his otvn right, and from his
perch at third base It ill behooves
right-handed pitchers to tip off a
pitch by even the slightest of motions.
A southpaw has Harris, on first base,
to combat.
Walberg Was Mark.
pOR years Rube walberg, when he
pitched for the Athletics, couldn't
beat the Washington or Detroit teams
managed by Harris. Not until Wal
berg followed Bucky to the Red Sox
was he told by Harris that his left
wrist was a dead giveaway. When
Walberg was to throw a curve, his
wrist instinctively was bent as he
wound up.
Nearly every pitcher, even the great
ones, had their shortcomings in wind
ups. stances, etc. On this Washington
club Buck Newsom was a set-up
until Harris went to work on him.
Buck was the easiest pitcher in the
league to "pirate.'’
Few hurlers have the grace and
finesse of Pete Appleton, but although
Pete has been around base ball forj
years, it was not until this Spring1
that he was cured, by Harris, of a
tip-off fault in winding up. Linke
long ago was ironed out.
The olTensive division of the GrifTs
already has prospered, rather reluc
tantly, too, from the alertness of the
Harris-McNeely combination. Most of
the Washington batters are timid in
relying on stolen pitching signals, but,
a few notable instances of this benefit
of late is bringing ’em around.
Reynolds Apt Pupil.
QARL REYNOLDS, who has come
to understand Harris’ system of
play through association both at Bos
ton and Washington, paved the way on
the Nationals’ recent barnstorming
tour of Florida camps. Lefty Sullivan
of Detroit made a faintly perceptible
change in grip as he pitched to Rey
nolds. “No hurry, Carl,” yelled Harris
and Reynolds, waiting back, teed off
on a knuckle ball for a solid single.
Harris, like Baker and others of the
more astute signal swipers, adopts a
few expressions that mean much to a
batter. “No hurry” is the pitcher's
“let-up” ball. “Be ready” is the fast
one. “Get a-hold of one” generally
means look out for a curve.
--
EASTERN S RECORD GREAT.
Thirty-seven victories in 41 games
are the new figures on the Eastern
High School basket ball team, which
last night annexed No. 37 by whipping
a team of collegiate all-stars, 36-30.
Bucky Buckholtz and Lavalle Dean
were Eastern's stars, suppressing all
threats tossed their way by Charlie
Millar. Bill Wood. Gay Edelin, Ted
Capelli and Ed Delisio.
Ailing Hurler Will Rejoin
Club Here—A’s ‘Groping,’
Mack Moans.
By the Associated Press.
ST. PETERSBURG. Fla , March
31.—Vito Tamulis, the Yankee
pitcher, who is convalescing,
will join Newark temporarily.
He will be handed over to Bingham*
ton, another Yankee farm team, in
High Point, N. C., April 9 and will re
join the Yankees in Washington
April 14.
The itinerary was devised to give
him further training without much
traveling.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla—Manager
Jimmy Dykes of the Chicago White
Sox, rummaging around for pitchers
capable of stopping the Pirates, has
picked Phelps and Chelini to try It
today. John Whitehead was forced
to pass up his turn after being hit on
the head by a ball yesterday.
Thomas Scores With Browns.
yi/lNTER HAVEN, Fla. — Rogers
Hornsby, who brought his
Browns in for a game with the Phillies
today, was extremely pleased with the
work of Pitchers A1 Thomas and Earl
Caldwell against Milwaukee yesterday.
They kept nine hits well scattered.
RED SOX DRILLING. 1
SARASOTA, Fla—The Red Sox.
with an off day, planned an intensive
practice session before meeting the
Newark Bears Wednesday. Walbert
was expected to draw the pitching as
signment tomorrow.
Sports Program
For Local Fans
TODAY.
Base Ball.
Washington vs. Cincinnati at
Orlando, Fla.
Maryland vs. Cornell at College
Park, Md., 4.
Basket Ball.
Rinaldi Tailors vs. Globe Refiners,
Tech High School, 8:30.
Eastern High vs. Government All
Stars, Tech High School, 7:30.
Hand Ball.
District A. A. U. Tournaments,
Y. M. C. A.
TOMORROW.
Base Ball.
Washington vs. Cincinnati at Cor
dele, Ga.
Maryland vs. Cornell at College
Park, Md., 4.
Boxing.
District amateurs vs. Catholic
Youth Association of Yonkers,
N. Y.; Turner’s Arena, 8:15.
Hand BalL
District A. A. U. Tournament,
Y. M. C. A.
THURSDAY.
Base BalL
Washington vs. Cincinnati at
Macon, Ga.
Maryland vs. Vermont at Collage
Park, Md., 4.
Lacrosse.
Maryland vs. Harvard at College
Park, Md., 4. ^
Reds to Keep Griffs Busy
Slated for Tilts Through Friday—Lookouts
Next if Floods Leave ‘Nooga.
By a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
Orlando, Fia., March 3i.—
The Grills were to bid
farewell to Orlando today
by seeking to even a score
with the Cincinnati Reds on Tin
ker Field.
With Ed Linke and Henry Cop
pola dividing the slab assignment,
the Nationals were to play ball,
attack^a wholesale order of steaks
and grab a train for Cordele. Ga.,
where the Reds again will be played
tomorrow. On Thursday the two
clubs will meet at Macon and on
Friday they will wind up their ex
hibition series at Rome, Ga. Cin
cinnati defeated the Nationals, 7
to 5, in the only game played so
far between the teams.
Providing the flood waters re
cede and the Chattanooga ball
park dries out. the Griffs will in
vade the Lookouts’ bailiwick on
Saturday and Sunday for a pair of
games before proceeding to Knox
ville. Then to Washington.
Yesterday, the first "off" day for
the Griffs after 13 straight games,
was spent in one of the hardest
workouts of the Spring. Follow
ing a long batting practice. Man
ager Bucky Harris put his club
through a drill designed to break
up double steals. He was highly
pleased at the conclusion, particu
larly with the way in which Cliff
Bolton and Cecil Travis performed.
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