Evening star. [volume], April 19, 1937, Page A-13, Image 13

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
I
Balance Biggest Asset of Nats : Mack Glad to Open Season Here
Ill BE IN FIGHT,’
GRIFFITH ASSERTS
“Best Long Shot Since ’24
Says Boss of Club Seen
Better Than Last.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.
TO THE man most vitally in
terested in the Washington
ball club it looked today as—
‘‘The best long shot I've
had since Bucky Harris opened the
season of 1924.”
This was the picture Mr. Old Fox
Griffith painted as the Nationals were
to parade to the American League
barrier and open the annual 154-game
quest against the Athletics at Griffith
Stadium.
The 67-year-old owner of the Wash
ington firm hasn't been saying much
this Spring, but never for a moment
have the Nationals escaped his
scrutiny. When he brands them a good
long shot they probably will prove to
be exactly that—barring undue in
juries.
“That 1924 club,” added Griff, re
calling the team which swept to Wash
ington's first pennant and only world
championship, ‘'happened to finish the
year previous where this club finished,
Incidentally—fourth place. Maybe
that’s the spot from where Washing
ton teams jump into first place.”
“How ’Bout Tigers’ Pitching?”
GRIFFITH refuses to predict the
exact spot his club will finish.
*'I know it sounds like the same hokum,
but all I’ll say is that we'll be in the
fight—and I mean it. There isn't a
•tandout club in the American League,
cot even the Yankees. It’s wide open.”
They say that Washington hasn't
•nough pitching.
“Well,” snapped back the old gen
lleman, “have the Yanks, without
Ruffing? Has Detroit, which a lot of
experts are picking? We’ve got bal
ance that covers a lot of sins. The
team has plenty of power and by
gosh, it’s the best defensive club in
1 the league.
“Pitchers mean a lot, but they can’t
win all the games. Good hitting and
fielding will make up for some of our
pitching faults.”
Griff was reminded that Cleveland
has some fellows named Harder, Allen,
Feller, Whitehill and a few others.
“But the Indians don’t have the
■tability of some of the other teams,
like Washington’s, f'rinstance.”
With this he went out to prepare
for such festivities as greeting a fel
low named Roosevelt, comparing eye
brows with Gamer, and counting the
“house.”
*37 Opener Marks Changes.
TyjEANWHILE, weather permitting,
Washington's 1937 edition will
have been unveiled to some 31,000 fans
by nightfall. It is a club similar to
lest year’s outfit, which ran a sur
prising fourth, but, all things con
sidered, it is a club which must rate
•s stronger than the 1936 team.
The '36 opener found Jesse Hill in
left field. Today was to find Hill still
In a Washington uniform but, A1 Sim
mons in his po6t. Of the two, Sim
mons packs far more power and, com
ing as it does from the right side of
the plate, this is important.
Instead of the harum-scarum Jake
Powell in center, there was to be
Ben Chapman today, and nobody, not
•ven a Yankee official, rates Powell
•s good a ball player as Chapman, for
whom he was traded last Summer.
Chappie simply couldn’t get along
with the New York management. At
fielding, hitting and chiefly throwing,
Chapman is Powell’s superior.
Myer Is Big Difference.
gUDDY LEWIS, with a year of
steady play under his belt, is an
Improved ball player. Cecil Travis,
who was not slated to play today, due
to a spike injury, finally seems to
have found his stride as a shortstop.
Buddy Myer—and this is important—
definitely resembles the Myer of 1935,
and Joe Kuhel, rounding out the in
field, is, of course, a capable first
baseman and hitter.
True. Travis and Myer opened last
Season, but neither stuck. Ill health
removed Myer from the game, and
half a dozen men filled his post from
time to time—and with varying re
sults. Travis never was at home at
•hortstop until late in 1936, and this
position, too, was occupied chiefly by
transients.
Back of the plate Shanty Hogan,
next to Myer, is likely to make the
greatest individual contribution to the
club’s improvement. Intelligent in
handling pitchers and a hard hitter,
Hogan must be rated higher than Clif
Bolton, who did the receiving a year
•go.
Some Old Faces Gone.
*pHE pitching, on paper, looks to
^ be the same. Bucky Harris has
Bo great staff. It may not even be
adequate, but there Is always that
chance that Pete Appleton, Joe Cas
carella, Monte Weaver, Jimmy De
Bhong and Buck Newsom simultane
ously will reach the peak season of
their respective careers.
Gone from last year’s cast are Bol
ton and Powell, Carl Reynolds and
Bed Kress, Earl Whitehill and Jack
Bussell, and such minor members as
Bobby Estalella, Bill Starr, Joe Bo-.
Irina, Henry Coppola. Ken Chase and
Deo Miles. Only Whitehill, however,
la likely to be missed, and as against
thi* loss seemingly are Improvements
enough to make it more or less negli
gible.
Exhibition Games
By the Associated Press.
Washington (A.). IS; Baltimore (1.1. 9.
New York (A.). 6; Brooklyn (N.l. 4.
New York <N.), 5; Cleveland (A.l. 4.
Philadelphia (A.). S: Philadelphia (N.), 4.
Boston (A.l. 10: Boston (N.l. K.
St. Louis (A.), 6; St. Louis (N.l, 4 (12
Innings.I.
Chicago (A.l. 7; Chicago (N.l. B.
Cincinnati (N.l, 5: Detroit (A.l, 4.
Pittsburgh (N.l, 5; Des Moines (W.L.l. 2.
Jersey City (I.). 2: Trenton (N.Y.-P ), 1.
Newark (I.). 12: Norfolk IP ). :k
Buffalo (I.), 12; Portsmouth (P.). 6.
Schedule Today.
Jft Jersey City—New York (N.) V*.
Jersey City (I.).
At West Point—New York (A.l v«.
United States Military Academy.
f\
Last Rehearsal
Wash AB. H. O. A. Orioles. AB. H. O. A.
Chap n cf b 1 2 1 Schalk.ss 4 14 1
Lewis.3b 6 112 King 2b 3 0 14
Kuhel.lb 6 3 11 1 Powers lb 4 113 1
Sim ons.lf 5 p 3 0 Pucc'lll.rf 3 2 0 0
Stone.rf 5 3 10 Wright.lf 4 2 10
Bluege ss 5 12 6 Ab'thy.cf 4 10 0
3 2 2 4 Marlin.3b 10 0 0
C mpton.c 4 2 5 0 Oray.c 4 17 0
lanhn.p 3 10 0 Lohr'n.p 10 0 3
•Sington 110 0 Hoff'r,3b 3 0 0 2
} 0 0 0 Hem'ko.rf 10 0 0
Mih lie,2b 10 0 1 fDuay 10 0 0
Van'bg.p 0 0 0 0
Mat'ztk.p 0 0 10
ISavlno. 110 0
Totals 45 15 27 15 Totals 34 ~9 27 ll
•Batted for Lanahan in seventh.
■ Batted for Matuzak in ninth.
TBatted for Lohrman in sixth.
WASHINGTON- 114 004 410—15
Orioles .... 160 010 010— 9
Runs—Chapman, Lewis, Kuhel (3), Sim
mons. Stone (2). Bluege, Myer (2).
Crompton (2>. Lanahan. Sington. Schalk,
King (2). Powers. Puccinelli. Wright (2),
Gray. Lohrman. Errors—Shalk, Aber
nathy. Hoffner, Runs batted in—Kuhel
'41. Puccinelli (4), Crompton. King,
Powers 02). Stone (3). Bluege (2), Myer,
Lanahan. Lewis. Simmons, Singtor. (2),
Wright. Two-base hits—Crompton (2),
Stone i2). Myer. Three-base hit—Bluege,
Home runs—Kuhel (3). Puccinelli. Stone.
Wright. Double play—Bluege to Myer to
Kuhel. Left on bases—Washington. 5:
Orioles. .!. First base on balls—Lanahan
4; Lohrman. 2: Cohen. 1. Struck out—By
Lohrman. 3: by Lanahan. 2: by Matuzak.
' J?y, Cohen’ 2 Hits—<)ff Lohrman. 10
in h innings: off Vandenburg, 3 in no in
nings: off Matuzak. 2 in 3 innings; off
Lanahan. , in 6 innings: off Cohen. 2 in
.1 innings. Wild Pitch—Lanahan. Losing
Pitcher — Lohrman. Umpires — Messrs
Rohimel. Basn, Sipple ar.d Johnston. Time
GRIFFS’ BATS HOT
IN LASTPREVIEW
Kuhel, With Three Homers,
Tops Attack That Beats
Orioles, 15 to 9.
WITH bats literally still smok
ing, the 1937 Nationals
were to open their Amer
ican League campaign to
day. On the eve of the big day they
emerged from a 10-day offensive slump
yesterday in Baltimore to defeat the
Orioles, 15 to 9, and wind up their
exhibition season.
For the second year in a row the
Washingtons were among the exhibi
tion leaders. Their complete record
for this Spring reveals 20 victories, as
against only nine defeats. Only two
of the 12 major, minor and college
teams they faced hold an edge on
them. And the Nats did not receive
a second crack at either of these clubs,
the Giants and Reds.
The Griffs came from far behind
yesterday to bury the Orioles under
a 16-hit barrage that included three
lusty home runs by First Baseman
Joe Kuhel. Another homer was
j slapped by Johnny Stone of the lo
i cals, while Count Puccinelli and Ab
: Wright drove out of the bandbox
■ Baltimore park for the Orioles.
CUCKOOS AND OTHER BIRDS PERCH ON LIMBS
" •
By JIM BERRYMAN
1
] 3~NA7s\
I (soRRy) But even \
1 <r*BRy,NQ A SHOULDER 1
/ Cr.,,/ so-so pitching
WILL KEEP US OUT 1
OF THE''HEAVy yL II
/nags*
lKSS«S£,
1
%4
?
r
Sports Program
For Local Fans
TODAY.
Base BaU.
Washington vs. Philadelphia,
Griffith Stadium, 3.
National Training School vs.
Washington-Lee High, Ballston,
Va„ 3:30.
Boxing.
Marty Gallagher vs. Sandy Mc
Donald, 10 rounds, feature bout,
Turner's Arena, 8:30.
Tennis.
Central vs. Georgetown Prosh,
Hilltop courts, 3:30.
TOMORROW.
Base Ball.
Washington vs. Yankees, New
York, 3.
Georgetown vs. Delaware, Hilltop
field, 3.
Wilson vs. Central, Central Sta
dium (public high title series), 3:30.
Georgetown Prosh vs. Eastern,
Eastern Stadium, 3:30.
Tennis.
Western Maryland vs. Maryland,
College Park, Md., 4.
Episcopal vs. St. Albans, St. Al
bans courts, 3.
Orioles Off in Front.
J^ICK LANAHAN started for the
Nats, and had one bad inning—
' the second. The Orioles, although
getting only two hits, shoved across
six runs to take a 7-2 lead. Puccinelli
inserted his homer in this inning with
the bases loaded.
Kuhel's homers came in the first
inning, the third and the seventh.
His last was a terrific clout that
might have been a homer in any
park.
The complete won and lost record
of the Nats in exhibition games fol
lows:
Against Major League Teams.
W. L.
Cardinals . 5 0
Tigers ..I 3 2
Bees .. 2 1
Phils _ 1 1
Red Sox_ 1 j
Giants... 0 1
Reds _0 1
Against Other Teams.
W. L.
Chattanooga _3 1
Montreal_ 1 0
Atlanta _ 1 0
Baltimore _2 1
Georgetown U. _1 0
--•-—
BOXERS. MATMEN PICKED.
Having closed successful seasons,
nine men have been proclaimed eligi
ble for the varsity boxing and wres
tling squads at Howard University.
They are James Williams, Clifton
Gans, Noah Moore, Phillip Randall,
Russell Hines, Anthony Kelly and
Washington Garner, boxers, and Jack
Jones and Gonzales Carmichael,
wrestlers.
Frick Sees Five
Teams in Fight
BY FORD C. FRICK,
President of the National League.
]^EW YORK, April 19 (/P).—It looks
like a wide open race in the
National league this season.
Most of the base ball experts pre
dict four clubs will battle it out for
the pennant. I am going a bit further
and give five clubs a chance.
To the champion New York Giants,
the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago
Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates who
made up the first division last year, I
am going to add the Cincinnati Reds
as pennant possibilities.
Presidential Pitch Custom
Established hy Taft in 1910
With His Throiv to Johnson
BY DILLON GRAHAM,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
BASE ball fan* can thank
William Howard Taft for
founding the custom of start
ing major league base ball
season with a presidential pitch.
It’s been 27 years since Taft at
tended the Washington-Philadelphia
inaugural here, April 14, 1910, and
tossed out the first ball. Every suc
ceeding President has followed his
precedent.
Today Franklin Roosevelt was to
wind up his sturdy right arm and peg
one toward the pitcher’s box to be
gin another Washington-Philadelphia
game and send the 1937 big league
campaigns a-winging.
Pictures of Taft, his arm drawn
back ready to throw, hang in the
office of Owner Clark Crifflth of the
Nationals. The plump President is
smiling broadly. He wore a wing
collar, a big black cravat and a dark
derby hat. Surrounding him in his
box were military aides and several
women with the flowing, broad
brimmed hats popular in that day.
One of Johnson's Best.
^FTER Taft had done his pitch
ing chore, Walter Johnson treated
him to one of the best hurling exhi
bitions in base ball history. The Big
Train set down the Athletics with a
single hit and won, 3 to 0.
Only the crowd surging onto the
outfield grounds apparently kept
Johnson from a no-hit performance.
Gessler, running to catch a fly off
Home Run Baker’s bat, barged into a
spectator and the ball fell safe.
Walter had pocketed the ball Taft
pitched and later the President au
tographed it for him. Johnson has
the ball now, along with others signed
by Wilson, Harding. Coolidge and
Hoover, at his Germantown, Md,
farm.
Griffith considers Wilson and Hard
ing the top among the presidential
fans.
“They were real enthusiasts,” he
says. “They followed base ball closely
and came to the park often.”
Wilson at Eight Openers.
^flLSON attended eight inaugural
games, more than any other
President.
Harding often made small wagers
with members of his party on the
game or the fortunes of various players.
After the 1921 opener, Ban Johnson,
then American League president,
asked Harding for his scorecard as a
souvenir. On it was scribbled “Hoover,
$1 minus.” Hoover then was Secre
tary of Commerce.
Coolidge didn't care much about
base ball and sometimes would leave
before the game was over. But Mrs.
Coolidge, Griffith recalls, was fond
of the game.
"She would keep score and she could
mark a card as good as any base ball
man.” he says.
With the exception of one world
series game—the only one Washington
won in the 1933 duel with New York,
Mr. Roosevelt has limited his visits to
Griffith Stadium to opening days.
Fifth Start for Roosevelt.
J-JIS pitch today will be his fifth at
an inaugural game. The Nationals
regard him as a good luck omen, for
he’s never seen them lose.
They’re counting heavily on Mr.
Roosevelt this season. The first year
he attended their opener they won
the pennant. The President is starting
a new term of opening day assign
ments and the Nationals feel they may
be starting another flag-winning
campaign.
BUILD RINGER COURTS
Layout at Twelfth Street “Y” to
Be Lighted for Night Play.
Three horseshoe courts in the rear
of the Twelfth Street Y. M. C. A. will
be constructed this Spring to accom
modate the large number of colored
enthusiasts. The courts will be out
fitted with lights for night play.
An organization meeting will be
held at 6 o’clock tomorrow evening at
the “Y” to discuss league and inter
city competition.
BEES DUE W
Hub Interest Centers on
Second Half of Opener
With Phillies.
By the Associated Press.
BOSTON, April 19.—Probably
the smallest opening day
crowd in major league base
ball history was expected to
watch the 1937 National League cur
tain roll uj this morning when the
Boston Bees and Phillies swung Into
action 29 hours ahead ol their rivals.
This afternoon's half of the Patriots’
day double bill, however, was expected
to draw a 35,000 crowd, despite the
fact that the experts have doomed
both clubs to the second division.
Both managers, Bill McKechnie of
the Bees and Jimmy Wilson of the
Phillies, who appear to have obtained
new pitching strength, predict their
clubs will improve their 1936 showings.
McKechnie awarded the opening
pitching assignment to Veteran Danny
MacFayden and was to call upon Jim
Turner, one of his impressive rookies,
to start the afternoon game. Wilson's
pitching selections were Bucky Wal
ters, former Boston inflelder, for the
morning game, and Wayne La master,
southpaw rookie, for the afternoon
contest.
The Bees, who completed one of the
most satisfactory—from a physical
standpoint—Spring seasons in many
years, will introduce such newcomers
as Vince Di Maggio, older brother of
the Yankees’ famous sophomore star;
Deb Garms, who appears capable of
plugging the club's third base gap, and
Elbie Fletcher, a hometown product,
who has won the first-basing job
away from Baxter Jordan, the club’s
leading slugger last season.
SEEK MARATHONERS.
Candidates for the Twelfth Street
Y. M. C. A.’s cross-country team, which
wll run in the Baltimore marathon
next month, are wanted. Interested
parties should report to the physical
director’s office at the "Y” for workout
assignments.
Griffs, Reds Clubs to Watch as Diamond Gong Rings
Feller’s Pan Dominates Scene—Hunk Revamps Michigan Grid Style—Neil to Spain
oi LUU1L WUt'I'Z,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, April 19.—Base
ball is here, gents—and
how! . . . Bob Feller's map
decorates the front page of
one national magazine ... In an
other the managers tell you just
how the pennant races are coming
out ... A third starts a base ball
serial . . . Fun begins today and
tomorrow if Jupe Pluvius will only
have a heart . . . This comer still
rides with the Yankees and Car
dinals . . . Our “clubs tc watch’’
are Washington and Cincinnati
... All ready? Let >r go!
Legislator up at Boston wants
to put over a bill transforming
historic Boston Common into a
public parking lot . . . Say it ain’t
so, mister . . . Where would the
i
West Pointers parade when the
Army goes to Cambridge to play
Harvard?
Hunk Anderson completely has
revamped the style of line play at
Michigan , . . After glimpsing a
picture of the nurse, you can’t
blame Jimmy Foxx for sticking
around that hospital, can you
now? . . . Most of the kids around
the country stayed up late Satur
day night to hear Bob Feller tell
them via radio how he does It.
Braddock crowd Is dickering
with Francis Albertanti, one of the
best press agents on Broadway, to
ballyhoo the Louis fight—If it
comes off . . . Francis, now dish
ing out publicity for the bowling
tournament, never has worked in a
losing fighter’s camp ... He was
with Braddock before the Baer up- {
set and with Schmeling while
got ready to annihilate Joe Loula.
Eddie Neil", the reformed sport*
writer who did a four-star Job cov
ering the Ethiopian war for the
A. P., is going back abroad, this
time for a three-year hitch with
doings in Spain as a starter . . ,
Happy landing, Butch.
The story tellers are busy with
tales about Prank Mt. Pleasant,
former Carlisle foot ball star, who
died at Buffalo the other day . . .
One is that when the Carlisle scout
(or whoever it was that plucked
Frank off the Tuscarora Reserva
tion) found him, he was all togged
out in full Indian regalia ... On
the train, Prank demanded and
received a suit of paleface clothes
. . . Thereupon be doffed his bead
gear rubbed off his war paint,
chucked his Indian dads out of
the train window and never put
them on again as long as he lived.
Izzy Jannazzo, who figured in
the welterweight situation not so
long ago, is West Coast bound to
fight Olenn Lee next month . . .
Lee is the guy who beat Ceferino
Garcia, who tied Jannazzo . . .
Squire Jack Sharkey, the Boston
heavyweight, is enjoying the fish
ing at his camp at Cedar Lake,
Nova Scotia.
Bob Feller's weaknesses are pin
stripe suits and loud neckties . . .
Situation at Minnesota is terrible
. . . Only 192 candidates reported
for Spring grid drills . . . Yet they
wonder why Bemle Bierman has
gray hair.
Checking Over A Few Items.
WHEN that grievous moment arrives when Mr. Old Pox Griffith is
thumbed out by the Great Umpire, it is likely that only then will
base ball really appreciate one of the more appropriate of the old
gentleman's contributions to the industry which is called our na
tional pastime. 1 mean that annual gesture of the United States' Presidents
in throwing out the first ball.
While it was Thomas C. Noyes, then president of the Nationals, and not
the Old Pox—the latter didn't get to Washington until 1912—who induced
William Howard Taft to come out to the ball park 27 years ago and lob a
crisp, white ball from a field box to Walter Johnson, it was Griffith who saw
the value of the gesture and established it as an annual custom.
The Old Pox. of course, was buttering his own bread. In a few seconds,
news photographers can snap several score “shots.” The President and party
in a flag-draped box . . . thousands of ordinary fans in the background . . .
strains of the Army Band synchronized in the sound movies . .. , fleeting
glimpses oi Dase Dan neroes in me
foreground. No wonder the industry
bears the stamp of the national pas
time!
The bland Mr. Griffith really is re
sponsible for this. Of the five Presi
dents since Taft, none has seen fit to
fail to appear at a Washington opener.
Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover and
Roosevelt have been happy to co
operate with the Old Fox.
What other sport has a similar
grip? No President, nor even a
Mayor, ever has thrown out the
first boxer for Mike Jacobs.
Or the first rassler for Jack
Curley, or the first foot ball.
The nearest approach to taking a
leaf from base ball was committed
last Summer when Avery Brundage
opened the Olympics by tossing out
Eleanor Holm.
Big Order for Feller.
jgUT if Mr. Roosevelt Is sticking to
custom and the order unchangeth,
base ball itself presents a different
picture today. Whereas Washington
had the opening day to itself in the
past, due to its ability to furnish the
presidential flip, Boston now shoves
into the spotlight with, of all things,
a two-game bill for opening day.
It happens in the National League.
The Bees and the Phillies, who neces
sarily must cater to the unusual, were
t» play a Patriots’ day double-header.
A year ago Cleveland’s young Feller
was trying to get a job at the ball
park so he could be near the Indians.
When the barrier proper springs to
morrow Master Feller will become
probably the most highly touted rookie
of all time.
At 18, and with limited experi
ence, he has been contracted to
pitch for $10,500 in 1937. Nearly
everybody is calling him a
second Johnson or Mathewson.
He has, of course, a long way to go
before he becomes deserving of such
references. There have been child
base ball prodigies in the past who
have gotten off to a start almost as
fast as Feller’s and found the pace of
Johnson and Matty too arduous. One
was Waite Hoyt, who was a Giant
pitcher at 18. Another was Wes Fer
rell who won 21 games for the In
dians when he was 21 years old.
Wes, verily, bore the earmarks of
another Barney or Matty. He was
fast and he had a curve and he did
a lot of thinking. But after winning
91 games in his first four years with
Cleveland his arm buckled and Wes,
although still a consistent 20 and 25
game winner, is just another good
pitcher. He loses more frequently
now and nobody is classing him with
Matty.
>
---
Di Maggio No Myth Now.
J OU GEHRIG plows ahead to new
“iron man’’ laurels tomorrow in
New York when he plays his 1,809th
consecutive game. Same old Lou?
Well, not quite. He was a serious hold
out this year for the first time, and
finally showed a spark of temperament
when he demanded (and received)
base ball's largest salary.
Joe Di Maggio no longer is a
myth. A year ago he was
touted to the skies. There were
many listeners, but not too
many believers. Now he is an
established star, with or with
out tonsils.
Rogers Hornsby’s Browns finally
have a new owner. The hapless
Brownies captured him last Winter,
and Donald Barnes, subdued and re
signed to his fate, has promised a
loosening of the club’s purse strings
and happier days for the Homsbymen.
Mickey Cochrane’s Tigers haven’t
changed much since the last opener,
but Connie Mack finally stopped sell
ing ball players to pay off some back
bills and Tom Yawkey has slowed up
in spending, probably because nobody
is selling.
A1 Simmons, one of the great slug
gers of all time, recovered from any
humiliation he may have felt at be
ing sold to Washington at the waiver
price of $7,500 this Spring. At least
Al’s happy now, and if things go well
Washington fans will be happy, too.
Landis Still Needs Haircut.
PRESIDENTS HARRIDGE and
Frick of the American and Na
tional Leagues still write those "I
see-a-wide-open-race” predictions, but
base ball has decided to do something
about the lively ball. The manufac
turers have been Instructed to stop
making the overgrown golf balls, and
by 1938 a raised-stitch creation will
be used.
Ruth, after all, has gone.
Base ball Is preparing again for
emphasis on pitching and base
running.
Judge Landis still needs a haircut
and wears that 1896 felt hat, but the
old jedge, after a momentary setback
last Winter when he worked on the
‘‘Feller case,” has become tough again
and is cracking down on clubs which
‘‘cover up” ball players. He is Santa
Claus to fellows like Lee Handley,
Johnny Peacock and Tommy Hen
rich, all of whom were made free
agents and collected fancy sums for
signing with other clubs.
There are a few other items, but
It’s getting lat^. What’s the score?
EAGER 10 GLIMPSE
'DARK HORSE’CLUB
Veteran Pilot Also Holds
President’s Pitch Again
Will Give A’s Luck.
BY CONNIE MACK.
THE privilege of helping provide
a preview of the American
league season here before the
President, amid pomp and
color, Is Just the thing to make the
new season for me. In the 40-odd
years i ve Deen in
base ball I
haven’t come up
to many seasons
with more relish.
Even an illness
in camo failed to
spoil the fun. I
just kept plan
ning ahead.
I feel the
President’s pitch
is going to send
my Athletics off
on a season that
will surprise a
lot of people. But
beyond the thrill
Connie Mack.
oi starting before President Roosevelt,
with all base ball's bigwigs present to
add color to what is always a thrilling
thing—opening day—I'm tickled at
getting an early, advance look at
Washington.
Sees Nats “Dark Horse” Club.
'J’HE papers are full of the Yankees
and Detroit. Nobody respects
them more than I do. But I've had
a hunch Washington would be the
"dark horse.”
I suspected it down in Mexico,
friends and other managers have sent
word to me. and now the Nationals
have A1 Simmons, who was one of
the great stars of my last pennant
winners.
Except for the Phillies-Bees holiday
games in Boston, our game was to be
the whole show today.
I'm thankful my brother club presi
dents revived this “preview” plan, be
cause among other things Presidents
have always been lucky for us. Dur
ing the 1929-30-31 As world series
run Mr. Hoover often saw us play,
and we never lost with the President
in attendance.
We come up to this opening game
well trained, and I feel, in the broader
sense of the season, that Mr. Roose
velt also will bring us luck.
j "We’re Right,” Says Connie.
^^HILE our sharpening against op
position was gradual—local
teams in Mexico, then a string of
typical grapefruit games en route
North, topped off by the city series
with the Phils—we’re right. We lost
only one afternoon in Mexico due to
weather.
Unless something unforeseen oc
curred, the President was to see Harry
Kelly, my time-tested and brainy
right-hander, pitching. He's been
consistently good all Spring, stepping
right into major exhibition games in
stride, and I expect him to have a
year. But if he's not right, I have
George Caster, whose baffling knuckle
ball should also please the President.
You can’t always be sure changes
are all for the best. But I feel ours
j have worked out right. Unless I’ve
lost the knack of knowing what the
fans want. I have it in Bill Werber,
I my new third baseman.
Werber is an inspiring player. He's
the type who can lead and lift a
j team. Think back over the clubs
1 which have suddenly hopped away up.
They always had a firebrand.
All A’s “Leaping Lenas.”
JJILL has made “Leaping Lenas" out
of everybody. I never had a team
that hustled more. My A’s from 1933
to 1936 were about as combative as
Aunt Maria's old tabby cat.
But Werber’s audacity on the paths
will have everybody worried. He seems
to be able to score on “nothing.”
It would be an immense triumph for
the A’s, the last-place club of 1936,
to win the opener before the President.
Why, we’d go all the way to first place
unopposed! Even though we’d be
champions for a day, it would be im
portant. We'll be swinging!
(Copyright. 1937. Reproduction prohibited.)
----.
GRAPEFRUIT TITLE
EASY FOR YANKEES
Win 26 of 32 Games, With Macks
Second and Griffs Third.
Bees on Bottom.
By the Assoc la tea Press.
^EW YORK, April 19—The New
York Yankees, who won the
American League pennant and then
stampeded the Giants in the world
series last year, showed no signs of a
let-down in their Grapefruit League
performances. The Yanks W'ound up
their exhibition schedule with 26 vic
tories in 32 games for an .813 average,
and closed fast with two wins in the
three-game city series with the Brook
lyn Dodgers.
Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Ath
letics held second place with .688.
Four other clubs, the Washington
Senators, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the
Chicago White Sox and the Brooklyn
Dodgers, finished above .600.
The standings:
Inter- Intra
league league All
games, games, games. Ave.
- 13 3 0 0 26 6 .813
Athletics- 4 1 2 1 11 6 .688
Senators 7 4 4 3 19 9 .679
Pirates - 3 6 1 1 14 8 636
White Sox— 12 8 O 0 16 9 labs
Dodgers- 6 3 3 6 14 9 .609
Qlants-in 9 3 1 16 11 .593
Indians - 9 9 0 0 16 11 .693
Red Sox- 6 3 1 3 10 7 .588
- 10 9 1 1 14 10 .683
Tigers - 6 7 4 3 13 11 .642
- 6 8 4 4 14 12 .638
Phlllie* - 4 6 3 2 9 10 .474
Browns - 4 6 1 2 10 12 .455
Cardinals — 1 8 3 4 1016 .385
Bees - 2 12 4 4 10 17 .370
REDS’ BOSS OKAYS GOLF
DAYTON, Ohio.—Quoth Chuck
Dressen, manager of the Reds, to
day: "I have concluded golf is good
for my players. The fundamentals of
hitting a base ball and a golf ball are
the same.
“Another thing, I’ll know my boy»
aren’t hanging around In pool rooms
and cafes."