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~ WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1937. PAGE C—1
Lanahan's Dismal Showing May Regain Griff Berth for Phehus
^ ___A P ' ' "" ----I
Harris Hopes to Have Look
at ’Nooga Pitcher in Con
test Tomorrow.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.
ORLANDO, Fla., March 31.—
With camp scheduled to be
broken in less than 10 days,
it develops that Washing
ton's base ball Arm isn't quite as ready
to stand pat on its pitching staff as
originally suspected.
This much was intimated today by
Manager Bucky Harris, who is hoping
that Ray Phebus will pitch for Chat
tanooga when the Nationals invade
Sanford tomorrow. If Phebus looks
good, the Nats will bring him back
to Orlando and leave Dick Lanahan
with the Lookouts in exchange.
It is suspected by now that Lanahan
does not have a major league pitcher's
complex, although the boy only has
been given two real chances—against
Detroit and the Red Sox. True, he
opened the game against the Giants
on March 17 and was nicked for three
runs in three innings, but the National
League champs at that time were far
ahead of Lanahan and the rest of
the Griffs.
What Harris and President Clark
Griffith have not been overlooking,
however, was Dick's dismal perform
ance last Sunday in Sarasota. In
between the Giants' game and that
with Boston, he worked a nice four
inning shift against the Tigers but
he could not follow up with another
good exhibil’on. In three innings the
Red Sox pounded him for Ave hits,
got three walks and a hit batsman
and scored eight runs to make off with
the game, 13-12.
Cohen Only Promising Lefty.
TT WAS plain, at the time Phebus
was released on option 10 days
or so ago. that Lanahan's presence
with the Nats was preferred. This, of
course, was due to the fact that
Richard is a southpaw while Phebus
Is right-handed. Washington, with
Earl Whitehill gone, has too few
southpaws this year and it was hoped
that from among Lanahan, Syd
Cohen and Ken Chase enough left
handed pitching could be squeezed to
•uffice.
Of the trio, however, only Cohen
has made good. Syd far out-stripped
Lanahan and Chase, the latter having
been destined for Chattanooga long
since. It now is probable that both
Dick and Ken will go and that Phebus,
If he makes any kind of a showing
with Chattanooga, will come back to
Washington.
“I still have hopes for Lanahan,”
declared Harris, “but I'm not sure he
Is ready now. Py gosh, but I wanted
to see him repeat a good effort last
Sunday. If he could only do that
once in a while I could be sure of
him.”
Rain Cancels Columbus Tilt.
T'OMORROW may tell the tale,
although there is no assurance
that Phebus will pitch for Chatta
nooga. At any rate. Ray is almost
certain to face Washington some time
in the next couple of weeks, for a total
of four games will be played, by the
Nats with their "farmhands.” It
would not be surprising if the Griffs
came north with only Cohen as a left
handed pitcher.
A cold, steady rain forced cancella
tion of yesterday’s game with the
Columbus Red Birds in Deland. The
GrlfTs are back in Orlando today,
which js a regularly scheduled off-day.
A light practice is slated, for ahead
lies a rough road. After playing
Chattanooga tomorrow the team will
meet the Phillies at Winter Haven,
Cincinnati at Tampa and Detroit at
Lakeland before returning to Orlando
on Monday to play the Cardinals.
10 “Y” QUINTS LISTED j
WILLIAMSPORT. Pa.. March 31 !
UP).—Ten teams entered the National
Y. M. C. A. basket ball tournament
here April 8. 9 and 10. and officials
said more district winners were ex
pected.
Wilmerding, Pa., will defend the
Championship it won last year.
The Hoquiam team, Washington
State champion, will travel the
farthest. 2,671 miles, to compete.
Other teams entered are from Han
nibal, Mo.; Kokomo, Ind.; Louisville,
Ky.; Brockton, Mass.; Niagara Palls
and Buffalo, N. Y„ and Williamsport
and Harrisburg, Pa.
Exhibition Games
By the Associated Press.
Pittsburgh <N.h ]2: Seattle (P. C.). 8.
Chicago <N.). 11: Los Angeles CP. C.', 8.
(Other fames canceled—rain and wet
frounds.)
Schedule Today.
Brooklyn tN.) vs. Philadelphia (N.).
Boston <N.) vs. Cincinnati (IJ.1.
Detroit (A.) vs. Boston (A.>.
New York (A.» vs. St. Louis <N.).
Pittsburgh fN.> vs. Chicago (A.).
Ohicago <N.) vs. Los Angeles <P. C.).
Cleveland (A.) vs. Milwaukee (A. A.).
8t. Louis (A.) vs. Tulsa (T.).
Heavyweight Fight Situation Surely Is “Mess”
Murphy Due to Get Ruffing’s Starting Job With Yanks—Texas Relays Pretentious.
BY EDDIE BffUETZ,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, March 31.—No
body can make heads nor tails of
the current heavyweight situation
. . . To-wit the following one-min
ute interview with Joe Gould, man
ager of the world's champion: "Is
the Chicago bout with Joe Louis
still on?” ... "I think so.” ... "Is
the Berlin fight with Max Schme
ling still on?” ... "I think so.”
St. Louis writers may have been
letting Paul Dean down lightly
when they wrote: “His perform
ance was anything but inspiring”
,.. Charlie Dressen and Del Baker,
the best signal catchers in the
two majors, say it is easier to swipe
a pitch directly from the pitcher
than from the catcher's signs . . .
Bet that Lefty Gomes will be the
opening-day pitcher for the Yan
kees.
Bucky Harris and Buck New
som have patched up their differ
ences, and the Nats again are a big,
happy family ... A portly Los
Angeles sports editor writes: “I can
throw Man Mountain Dean, and
I haven’t had a pair of tights on in
six months” ... To which a San
Francisco scribe replies: "That's
no distinction. <Find me a sports
editor who can’t throw Dean.”
Several of the Giants say Van
Mungo is faster than Bob Feller
. .. Johnny hfurphy, who deserves
it, will get Charlie Ruffing's old
starting spot with the Yankees, if
the latter doesn’t sign . . . The
Texas relays will pul on the dog
this week end, with Qene Venske,
Don Lash and the Rideout twins
among- the participants.
Why do big league scouts stay
away from his door? ... In 12
games Bill Peisel, Brooklyn high
school pitcher, whiffed 214 men,
and he is only 16 . . . Many fight
men say Pedro Montanez is the
best of the lightweights . . . Frank
Shields’ tennis game has gone to
the dogs since he became* a movie
star . . . Djlph Camilli’s holdout
begins to resemble the real thing.
Jim Coffroth, famous fight pro
moter of a by-gone day, will sail
from here tomorrow to see Russia
. . . Shanty Hogan of the Senators
is a great favorite with fans around
the grapefruit circuit . . . Jimmy
Dykes, the manager, is the only
member of the White Sox with
tippers on his uniform.
Newsom “Telegraphs” His Pitches With Windmill Wind-Up
ME MIS ACES
Stars Thrill 1,000 as U. S.
Players Rally to Beat
Europeans Here.
BY BILL DISMER, JR.
IF YOU had told the average sports
fan three weeks ago that 1,000 of
his ilk would burst into spon
- taneous cheering at table tennis,
he'd have called the wagon. Yet he
probably was among those at Heurich’a
gymnasium last night unable to re
strain themselves during two and one
half hours of a precedent-setting ex
hibition by world champions of the
game.
Precedent-setting because it prob
ably marks the birth of public sup
port for table tennis in Washington.
The game here is two years old, offi
cially, but not until last night, when
a sell-out house watched America
twice rally to grab a 3-2 victory over
two Europeans who have been playing
since the game assumed an interna
tional status, has the general public
known what it was all about.
Skill is Amazing.
'J'HEY said it was the world's fastest
game; that it required personal
speed beyond the imagination. But
not until after seeing the sport played
by the best can one know the un
canny ability to return the little white
pellet from all angles which may be
developed by a constant practitioner.
These boys actually reached to within
inches of the floor 15 feet back of
the table’s end to return the celluloid
to their opponent's court. It would
be a “miracle” shot for you and me;
It was a regular thing with them.
Service doesn't seem to be delivered
with a great deal of speed, but when :
the rallies begin—well, they’ll soon
begin testing a table tennis ball’s
speed for comparison with Walter
Johnson's old smoke ball and Babe
Ruth’s home-run drive the moment it
left the bat. Incidentally, Sandor
Glancz (who thinks the American ban
against it should be modified) gave a
perfect exhibition of “chiseling” as he
was forced into a strictly defensive
game by the terrific speed of World
Champion Standa Kolar in the eve
ning’s first match. Kolar won by
scores of 21—17, 21—10.
Youth Thrills Crowd.
'P'O THE uninitiated it seemed that]
one player always must be a |
“chiseler,” however, depending upon
the opponent who first gets the jump
with a driving, forcing game.
The biggest thrill of the night, of
course, came when 17-year-old Robert
(Bud) Blattner, not yet graduated
from a St. Louis high school, whipped
Champion Kolar by the decisive scores
of 22—20, 21—'ll. Even a bigger thrill
might have been gained by the specta
tors had they known that it was the
twenty-first time in their 25 matches
(See TENNIST^Page C-3.)
While most of the smart hurlers take pains to conceal their intentions from enemy batsmen,
Louis Norman disdains any such subterfuge, as is clearly shown by these three views of his
delivery. First, on the upswing, with his arms crossed in front of his chest, then icith arms over
head and finally with arms down and ready for the pitch the ball is in plain view, with rival
coaches able to call the turn on what's coming. Blustering Buck icas induced to cut out the
showy style for a time as a means toward conserving energy, but went back to it. The bashful
one points out that he won 17 games with the circus stuff last season. But it also is a matter of
record that he lost 15. Photos by Elwood Baker, Star Staff.
"POPP/NG
OFF***
School’s Out.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
RLANDO, March 31.—Mr. Stanley Raymond Harris, who climbed to
the top the hard way, is not part and parcel of the army of diamond
people who are willing to accept the so-called base ball "schools” in
a general sense. The aging "boy manager” of 1924-5, whose rise
from the coal mines of Pennsylvania smacked strongly of an Alger book, put
a gentle blast on the set-up in general today, and if it lacked viciousness, it
did not lack for well-pronounced arguments against the racket angle.
Mr. Harris is fresh from frequent visits to the Washington club’s own
"school” in nearby Sanford, but this is not the type of diamond class room
he blasts. "I don't like to see big base ball's names grab dollars from wor
shiping kids.” he said. "I had to work and struggle to get in base ball. Some
players had an easy time reaching the top—fellows like Mel Ott and Bob
Feller and those who had plenty of natural ability. I had to work hard, just
like a majority or players, but 1 never
had to shell out. That is a part of the’
set-up nowadays that I don’t like
to see.”
Bucky mentioned no names, but It
was obvious he had two or three spe
cific “schools” in mind. In Hot
Springs, for instance, a Ray Doan
conducts a “school” where tuition is
charged. Joe Stripp is a dean of an
other class here in Orlando, and in
Miami still a third is run by Leslie
Mann.
These strictly are money
making propositions, where no
body can lose except the kids,
who, fascinated by beckoning
advertisements in sundry pieces
of base ball literature, sign up
for a course and lay their dough
on the line.
Anywhere from 50 to 125 young
sters are included in a “school.” The
course usually lasts from four to six
weeks, and the pupil is promised a
job in organized base ball if he show’s
enough promise. Most of them do not.
Those who are good enough could
have received a job without going to
"school.”
"Schools” Prospered This Year.
“T SAW a similar view expressed by
Jake Ruppert,” declared Harris,
“and I agree with him, by and large.
Every big-league ball club has scouts
and in this day and time every club
has anywhere from two to a dozen
"farm teams” in the minor leagues.
Base ball constantly is on the lookout
for fresh talent, just as Washing
ton is at Sanford, where we have a
free 'school'.
"It doesn’t seem to make
sense, having the big leagues
spending money to dig up talent,
and at the same ti ne having
talent spending money trying to
dig up a major league job. It
sounds something like running
in a circle.”
With base ball bouncing back into
the prosperity it knew before the
economic depression, the cash-on-the
line “schools” prospered this year.
Kids all over the country became base
ball conscious and invaded the South
in droves. Third Baseman Stripp, here
in. Orlando, cleaned up a tidy sum
before the Nationals opened camp and
forced him to get off the local field,
close his class and probably reluc
tantly join the Brooklyn Dodgers.
May Die Natural Death.
TV/fAJOR league Dali players, who
are anything but idealistic for
the most part, found that in some in
stances a ••school" was a financial
bonanza. Doan, in Arkansas, con
tracted with Dizzy Dean to appear in
Hot Springs for a few days and
“teach.” • Cleveland's young Feller
received the same sort of an offer.
Rogers Hornsby is an old “school
teacher” and others are becoming
legion.
Now Mr. Dean and Mr.
Hornsby, to cite two, certainly
- (See POPPING OFF; Page 0-3.)
1
LIFE GETS EASIER
FOR GRID TUTORS
McMillin’s Ten-Year Pact at
Indiana Is Typical of
New Trend.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. March 31—The
college foot ball coach who
fits on the uncomfortable pin
nacle of a one-year contract
rapidly is passing out of the sports
picture. No longer is the director of
alma mammy's gridiron destinies re
quired, in one short season, to produce
a winner or “git.”
The long-term contract, designed to
give a man sufficient time to establish
his own system and prove its value, is
becoming the vogue from coast to
coast.
The latest development in this move
to give the “man behind ttK guns” a
break is at Indiana University, where
Alvin N. (Bo) McMillin yesterday was
signed to a 10-year renewal of his
contract.
Contracts Get Lengthier.
DO, OF COURSE, already has estab
U lished satisfactorily a winning sys
tem for the Hoosiers, but his new 10
year contract is indicative of the
trend. Dana X. Bible this year starts
a similarly lengthy term at the Uni
versity of Texas, having accepted the
Longhorns’ lucrative offer after a long
and successful career at Nebraska.
At least 15 others will start work
next Fall under new contracts or re
newals of old ones which range in
length from two to five years.
In the latter group are Lawrence
M. (Biff) Jones, wno resigned his post
as major in the United States Army
to replace Bible at Nebraska; William
(Doc) Newton, who stepped into Hunk
Anderson’s shoes at North Carolina
State; Lynn Waldorf, who, as a reward
for guiding Northwestern to the 1936
Big Ten championship, was given a
five-year renewal, and Madison
(Matty) Bell, similarly rewarded for
his work at Southern Methodist.
Dickinson Keep* Kahler.
At Dickinson College, which la&t
Fall withdrew from the Eastern Penn
sylvania Intercollegiate Athletic Con
ference so that it might have "a wider
(See MCMILLIN, Page C-2.)
PACKARD
Pry Motor Car Co.
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Polansky, Man Behind Title
Tourney, Once $4-a-Week
Bundle Wrapper.
B> the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 31.—Prom a
$4-a-week bundle wrapper in
a Midwestern department
store, Jack Polansky, now a
New Yorker, ,has made himself into
what Broadway calls an "angel.”
He’s the man behind the current
world pocket billiards championship
tourney, and if all his plans go
through he may become one of the
most important figures in the game.
A little over 20 years ago Bundle
Wrapper Polansky became interested
in his spare time in what was then
known as a faintly vulgar game called
pool. Since then the game has be
come refined and has ' changed its
name to pocket billiards. In the same
period Polansky became successively a
delicatessen proprietor, organizer of a
big New York taxicab company and
officer of an automobile finance or
ganization. Last November he sold
out his business interests, but he re
tained his love of pocket billiards.
Admits He’s an “Angel.”
■yyfHEN the manufacturer of bil
liards equipment which previous
ly had sponsored world championship
tourneys decided not to hold one this
year, Polansky took things into his
own hands. He went to the National
Billiards Association and received its
sanction to hold the title tourney.
Twelve famous players accepted his
invitation to compete for $8,000 in
prize money.
In all, Polansky has spent about
$16,000 on the tournament. When
asked what he expects to get out of
all this, he answered: "A good seat
down front. I’m not a promoter. I'm
an 'angel.' If I break even I’ll be
pleased, but I won't feel disappointed
if I lose a thousand dollars or two.”
Each of the players has completed
one match so far. This afternoon two
more matches are scheduled, Erwin
Rudolph of Cleveland meeting Fay
Gainer of Vineland, N. J„ and the
1936 champion, Jimmy Caras of Wil
mington, Del., playing Marcel Camp
of Detroit. Tonight Andrew Ponzi,
1935 tournament winner, faces Charles
Seaback of Boston and Ralph Green
leaf of New York. 14 times world
champion, meets Onofrio Lauri of
Brooklyn.
Today a year ago — Bobby
Cruickshank shot 29, seven under
par for nine holes in practice
round at Augusta: Francis Ouimet
eliminated by 16-year-old Bobby
Dunkelberger in first round North
and South amateur golf.
Well named because it copies the Norwegian
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seamed at the toe and heel, with "plug" over the
instep.
A TRI-WEAR MODEL
5.7 5
With Leather Soles and
Detachable Golf Spikes,
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Brought up-to-date by our stylists. Entirely leather
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ing the creasing which is so common in moccasin
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•
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14th & G • 7th & K • 3212 14th
^1 PADTfl New Auto Entrance Road
vll 1 fAnr Sole Need Now to Make
kJ k/\A/liJ Bowie Ideal Track.
BY WALLACE DUKE. !
IVEN a break in the weather,
a banner crowd will greet the
return of racing to Maryland
with the opening of Bowie
tomorrow.
Santa Anita and Hialeah both set
records for mutuel play the last sea
son, and, too, attendance and betting
has been larger than ever before at
the other Winter tracks. It is -ex
pected the return of prosperity also
will be evidenced at Bowie and the
Spring meetings at the other Mary
land tracks.
Post time daily for the first race
will be 2:30 o’clock. The daily double
always has been popular at Bowie,
where the record is held for the
largest pool on that event. Doubles
will be sold as usual on the first
and third races, with the daily double
windows closing 15 minutes before the
bugle blows for the first race.
There are representatives of 143
racing stables on the grounds for the
opening of the nine-day meeting The
track has stable room for 1.000 horses
and it is expected that all stalls will
be occupied. The mild Winter has
enabled trainers who Wintered in
the East to get their charges in shape
for the opening.
RUDIE for the Rowe.
'T'HE opening program tomorrow is
A a good one. The feature race is
the Rowe Memorial Handicap, a 6
furlong sprint with $5,000 added.
We believe that the horse
that wins will have to catch
RUDIE.
The remainder of the card is
evenly balanced and spirited racing
is expected.
The management has promised a
well lighted and policed track. There
are many other improvements and
conveniences for which the public will
voice its approval.
We feel sure that the new electric
approximate odds board will add
confidence to the mutuel game. The
Lj 100-1
- --
flashing of the numbers as the horses
speed around the oval will enab e
those who do not easily distinguish
colors to know the position of their
favorite during the running of the
race.
A New Road Badly Needed.
DOWIE wisely has set aside ample
parking space for cars and
motorists are shown every attention,
once the track is reached, but the
management has overlooked the road
leading from the main thoroughfare
to the track. True, it once was a
quagmire and has been hard surfaced
in spots, but there still is much room
for improvement.
There always is congestion during
rush hours, due to the crowd from
(See”SPORTSCOPE, Page C-2.)
Griff About-Faces on Bolton
Declares He Won’t Trade Catcher, Then Says
He Might—Tears Up Letter to Landis.
RLANDO. Fla .March 31 —
President Clark Griffith
today holds a new un
official world record for
an about-face. Within the space
of three hours he (1) swore that
he never would trade Catcher Cliff
Bolton and (2) admitted that he
may swing a deal for the bolting
Mr. Bolton very shortly.
In between pinochle games yes
terday Griffith dictated a letter to
Judge Kenesaw M. Landis, apply
ing for a formal decision on Bol
ton. In the letter Griffith suggest
ed the placing of Bolton on the
ineligible list.
Asked if this would affect any
possibility of trading Bolton, the
old gentleman declared r
"I wouldn't trade him on a bet.
I don’t trade those kind of ball
players, I'd rather take the loss .”
It developed, however, that
Griff’s letter to Landis never was
mailed. Shortly after he had writ
ten it. Griffith received word from
the St. Louis Browns, who made
known an interest in Bolton. A
deal was suggested and Griff
promptly tore up the letter to
Landis.
He did say. however, that before
the Browns make any offers they
ought to contact Mr. Bolton at his
home in High Point. N. C. “If
Bolton tells the Browns he’ll play
ball.’’ said Griff, maybe we can
swing a deal. If there s any doubt
about Bolton reporting to the St.
Louis Club, I don't want to trade
him. That wouldn't be ethical.”
Griffith refused to divulge the
name of any player or players he
might consider in trade for Bolton.