Evening star. [volume], March 26, 1938, Page A-14, Image 14

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

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A—14
WASHINGTON, D. C., SATUBDAY, MARCH 26, 1938.
Wasdell’s Blazing Bat May Land Him Outfield Job With Griff men
ose or
Livingston, Ready to Leave Nats, Is Disillusioned.
Kid Catcher Was Touted Too Highly at Start.
By FRANCIS E. STAN,
Staff Correspondent of The Star.
ORLANDO, Fla.. March 26.—This is the old story of a baseball heart
break . . . only a sharper twist. For young Mickey Livingston the
skies are gray and another season in a bush league beckons. Long
bus rides and blue-plate luncheons . . . wild, hare-brained pitchers
... bell games at night, with the daily steak at midnight and breakfast in the
afternoon ... ball games in the day and nobody in the rickety, wooden stands.
It wouldn’t have been so bad if Orville Thompson Livingdton, in the be
ginning, had been regarded as just another rookie in the Washington training
camp. But Mickey from Newberry. S. C., rode into Orlando in too grand a
style for a rookie. His illusions were too well fed and full fat. When they
were blasted Mickey took an awful fall.
Livingston really did not deserve the fanfare and trumpeting that was
given him. He had played only one year of professional baseball before he
came to the Griffimen but he finished with the class A-l Chattanooga club
and nearly every qualified observer said he was a prospect. During the
winter the Washington club gave Catcher Walter Millies his release. When
newspapermen asked Ow ner Clark Griffith who was going to understudy Rick
Ferrell the old gentleman said he had "a couple youngsters aplenty good
enough.”
Griff meant, of course, Livingston and Jake Early. He could not have
been sincere, thought the writing boys, but weeks and months passed and
the old gentleman was acquiring no new catchers rapidly. So they began
to take him seriously. Down in Newberry, poring over what scraps of news
print he could get, Livingston probably was believing Griff, too.
Most Publicized Rookie in Camp.
Mickey came to Orlando, put on a uniform, and Griff and Manager
Bucky Harris looked at him for the first time. The kid looked the part of a
ball player. He cuts a better figure in a uniform than Johnny Stone, even.
He whipped out his dark brown catcher's mitt and began to go to work.
There is no denying it, Livingston has what , the trade calls •'action."
Griffith said he was a coming catcher and that if Rick Ferrell became
Injured he was sure that Liwngston could hold the club together until his
recovery. Harris raved about Mickey in front of the newspaper crowd and
Bucky's enthusiasm, as usual, was contagious. A good many words on Liv
ingston were wired out of Orlando. This is not to condemn Griff or Harris.
What they saw was pleasing to even the practiced baseball eye. They saw a
good-looking 22-year-old boy who stood an inch over 6 feet and weighed 175
pounds. They saw he could throw and catch and, in batting practice, he
seemed to have a fair sort of a batting stroke.
Clippings drifted back to Livingston. Frankie Baxter, the clubhouse
major domo. called Mickey aside and handed him a regular s uniform and a
new cap and a pair of brand-new spikes, bought by the club. When the
Nats first started to play exhibitiorf ball Harris always sent Livingston to
relieve Ferrell.
Harris Says He Can’t Hit.
Who wouldn't be built up? In the hotel dining room Mickey was the
envy of the rookie colony. He was the chosen man. Early, his rival who had
been found wanting a year ago, sat next to Mickey three meals a day and
congratulated him Nearby a few nondescript catchers like Bill Beard and
A1 Evans watched him enviously.
Then, suddenly, Griffith and Harris seemed to change their opinions on
Livingston. The boy behaved well, showed a lot of hustle on the field, and
handled the pitchers creditably. But he was making no base hits. Harris
was the first to say it. ‘‘He can’t hit," Bucky told newspapermen. ‘‘Further
more, I don't believe he ever will hit.”
Griffith said nothing, publicly, but advised Harris that maybe he should
start using Early behind the plate. Nobody paid any attention to Early, a
homely youngster who neither wore uniform well nor displayed much power
at bat during the last two springs. Jake was the ugly duckling of the catch
ing staff.
Quietly, Griffith began to pull all strings in his efforts to land a catcher.
The other night he finally grabbed one—Angelo Giuliani from the Browns.
We 11 send Livingston away soon," said Griff, in making his announcement.
“Early? Well keep him around for a while. I like him."
Crash! The world came tumbling down on the ears of Master O. T.
(Mickey) Livingston of Newberry. Today he rides to the ball parks in the
team bus. warms up the pitchers, and retires to the dugout. It is only a
question of days before he will be sent away.
Not All Make Good at Start.
There still are some semi-official observers in training camp who are
dying hard on the boy. It is quite possible they are right, too. Everybody in
baseball makes mistakes and even astute old hands, like Griffith and Harris
are no exceptions.
. A young man named Babe Ruth was sent bark to the minors when he
first came to the Red Sox. Lou Gehrig, when first judged by the Yankees,
was found wanting. A gangling kid from the Western Association came to
the Cardinals back in 1915 with a .277 batting average and a lot of people
did not like his batting stroke, either. But Rogers Hornsby improved that as
he went along and who was a greater right-handed hitter except maybe A1
Simmons? ’
Livingston will have these thoughts to carry back with him to Charlotte
when he leaves in a few days. Maybe they will balance a mighty heartache.
A good majority of rookies fall when they first come up but not many are
given send-offs to measure up to that presented to Mickey. The kid Just got
a tough break.
What probably happened, really, was that Livingston was used to throw
off guard the ball clubs that had catchers wanted by Griffith.
Opposition’s Odd Baserunning
Helps Wild Krakky as Griffs
Take Measure of Columbus
»T a Staff Correspondent of The Star.
ORLANDO, Fla., March 26._
Jimmy De Shong and Pete Appleton,
a pair of Bucky Harris’ right-handers,
were to face the Kansas City Blues
today in the Nats’ third straight ex
hibition game against an American
Association club.
Today’s game was to mark the end
of the Grills’ current home stand.
Starting tomorrow they will embark
on a four-day tour of the'State, which
will include games with the Bees at
Bradenton, Cincinnati at Tampa, Co
lumbus at Winter Haven and Detroit
•t Lakeland.
The Griffs don’t relish exhibition
games of any description and particu
larly those out of town. The bus
rides get the Nats down. When they
went to Daytona Beach the other day
Uncle Will Smith, the spring road
secretary, produced a massive, stream
lined bus.
Three players, a newspaperman,
a radio announcer and a photographer
had the bus all to themselves. The
rest of the club managed to find rides
In private automobiles.
Some quaint base running by the
Columbus Red Birds yesterday helped
Krakauskas out of a hole in the second
inning. After Joe had walked Gleason
and Wright to start the round, Clark
singled to right. Instead of trying to
score Gleason stopped at third. Wright
wound up on the same bag and was
run down for the first out. Colum
bus only got one run out of the inning.
Almada's home run in the third
Inning was his second of the exhibition
campaigning. It wasn't exactly a
clean blow, howaver. Danaher, in
right field, was no gazelle in getting
to the ball and Crespi, the second
baseman was not much help in han
dling the relay.
Wasdell’s homer in the fourth
Inning was no fluke. Jimmy really
taggad that shot, just as be did the
A*
day before at Daytona Beach. The
ball was far over the head of the
Columbus right fielder and would have
been over the fence at Griffith Sta
dium.
Krakauskas gave up only two hits
in his four innings, but he also gave
up nine bases on balls. Eight Red
Birds were left on the bases during his
term in the box.
Bucky Harris sent up Pitcher Dutch
Leonard to pinch hit for Krakauskas
in the fourth inning. It was a new
role for Dutch, but he did nothing to
jeopardize his standing in the Pitchers’
Union. Dutch whiffed.
George Case was given a lesson in
the advantages of speed on the bases
in the sixth inning after he had sin
gled. Harris sent him down on a
pitch to Ossie Bluege. The fleet
footed kid stole easily and then con
tinued to third when the catcher’s
throw went into tenter field. He
scored a moment later on Bluege’s
single.
Phil Clark, Columbus’ bespectacled
left fielder and former Dartmouth
quarter miler, had eight straight hits
against Rochester, Indianapolis and
Washington before he came up to bat
in the eighth inning. Then he
slammed a screaming liner down to
Bluege at third. That ended ’the
streak.
Case had another good day. He
relieved Almada midway the game
and collected two singles in two times
at bat, scored two runs and stole a
base.
HELD TRIALS APRIL 2.
ELKTON, Md., March 26 (/P>.—A
one-day meet for Maryland field
trials of Chesapeake Bay retrievers will
be held on R. R. M. Carpenter’s estate
at Bohemia April 2.
A
/
. . J- Peterson. Devitt (left), here is shown carrying his teammate, N. White, to the mat just
before the finish in the 94-pound, class bout in the finals of the District A. A. U. junior wrestling
championships at the Central Y. M. C, A. last night. Peterson was the winner by 'decision.
RICKEY IS SILENT
ON LANDIS’ EDICT
Breadon May Be Critical.
Bengals Believe They
Can Win Pennant.
By GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
TAMPA, Fla., March 26.—Any come
back the St. Louis Cardinals decide to
make to Judge Kenesaw Mountain
Landis will come from President Sam
Breadon Monday in St. Louis. The
Card boss is motoring home, and before
leaving intimated he might have a
few words to say.
Branch Rickey, outwardly at least,
doesn't appear in the least ruffled by
the commissioner’s action in amputat
ing some 100 young players from the
Cardinal system. He was in high good
humor as he watched the Cards battle
the Detroit Tigers yesterday at St.
Petersburg.
"I'm not admitting anything and
I’m not saying anything until Judge
Landis gives out the list of players
made free agents,” he repeated. "Then
maybe I’ll have something to say.”
Rickey is much interested in an ex
periment in “streamlining” baseball
being conducted by Frank Wright at
the University of Florida. The idea is
to speed up the game, and there are a
dozen innovations.
“I watched them play, and they've
got. at least one mighty good idea.”
said Rickey. “That is to provide a base
runner for the catcher after he has
reached first. It would speed up the
game a lot and supply the fans with
new entertainment. For instance,
Sammy Baugh out there would be a
big attraction as a special runner. I'm
all in favor of it. and I'll recommend
it to the Rules Committee when I get
a chance.”
Koy Is Yankee Problem.
Some of the other “streamline”
stunts Rickey didn’t like, particularly
the idea of keeping the manager off
the playing field and out of arguments.
"That's too much a part of the
game to chance.” he said.
The Yankees are caught in a switch
about Outfielder Ernie Koy, former
fullback at the university of Texas.
They’ve farmed him out for five years
now, and were going to do it again
this season until Judge Landis told
them no.
Now they’ve either got to keep him
or ask waivers on him, and there are
several clubs in the American League
that would break their necks to get
hold of Koy. In exhibition games up
to today he has been hitting .385.
That’s higher than any of the reg
ular outfielders.
It's a tough decision Manager Joe
McCarthy has to make, and he says
he probably won’t make up his mind
until late in April.
Bengals Baring Fangs.
The flghtingest crew in Florida Is
the Detroiters. They really believe
they are going to beat out the Yankees
this time.
‘"Boo much importance has been at
tached to whether Rowe’s arm comes
back,” said Manager Mickey Coch
rane as he warmed up Vernon Ken
nedy. “We’ve got a great chance of
winning whether he comes back or
not. I’ve got five or six good
pitchers.”
In the three innings he has pitched
so far, Rowe allowed three hits, and
said he finished without any pain
in his wing.
Best-looking rookie pitcher seen in
these parts belongs to the Boston Red
Sox, who need another winning flinger
worse than a farmer rteeds rain. He
is Jim Bagby, jr., 21-year-old son
of the famous Jim, who won 30 games
for Cleveland when Jim, jr., was in
swaddling clothes. He appears to
have everything, and Manager Joe
Cronin can’t keep his eyes off him.
Reds Seem Most Improved.
Pitching for Hazleton last season,
the youngster won 21 games and lost
8 and was voted the most valuable
player in the league. He had an
earned run average of 2.71 and piled
up 113 strikeouts.
Everybody seems to think the Cin
cinnati Reds show the biggest im
provement of any of the clubs in the
region. At least, they have been win
ning at a reckless pace and their
young pitchers are showing better con
trol under Bill McKechnie’s admin
istration. *
The most important addition to the
team is Frank McCormick, 6-foot,
4-inch first baseman, who is slugging
the cover off the ball.
SEEK DIAMOND FOES.
i
Southeast Business Men insect base
ballers are booking games for the
season. Call Manager McIntyre at
Lincoln 0363-W.
A
Sports Program
For Local Fans
TODAY.
Baseball.
Washington vs. Kansas City,
Orlando, Fla,
Boxing.
District A. "A. U. tournament
finals, Turner's Arena. 8:30.
Rookie Slow at Relaying
Throws—Chisox Look for
Speed on Bases.
By the Associated Press.
ST. PETERSBURG. Fla.. March 26.
—The Yankees are discovering that
young Joe Gordon is a little short of
perfection as a second baseman. One
of his bad habits is to hold onto the
ball and run a few steps while relaying
a throw from the outfield.
The Yanks fear smart base runners
will notice it and beat his throws to
the plate.
LAKELAND, Fla.—Schoolboy Rowe,
still the big mystery of the Tigers
camp as he stepped out for a second
test against Cincinnati, claims his arm
is as good as ever. After giving up
four hits to the Nationals Wednesday
he said Coach Del Baker had advised
him not to bear down, adding. "I had
as much stuff as I ever had in my life.”
Browns’ Clift Proud Papa.
HOUSTON. Tex.—In fielder Har
lond Clift, who finally joined the
Browns yesterday, explained why it
took him so long to come from Yakima.
Wash. ”1 had to take my time on ac- |
count of that new third baseman,” he
beamed, pointing to recently-arrived
Harlond, jr.
LOS ANGELES.—Chicago's White
Sox, whipped in five straight exhibi
tion games, and the more successful
Cubs resumed their spring "city” series
today. Manager Jimmy Dykes was
confident the Sox would start hitting
and predicted his club would be one
of the speediest on the base paths this
season.
Dean of A’s Out of Action.
BILOXI. Miss.—Chubby Dean of the
Athletics was missing from the line-up
today as the A’s and Phillies resumed
their spring series. An injured finger
on his pitching hand sent him to Dur
ham, N. C., where he will work out
with the Duke University squad.
- '■ ■ •
LOCAL NINES BOOKED
Special Dispatch to The Star.
FRONT ROYAL, Va„ March 26.—
Games here with Woodrow Wilson
and Western High Schools of Wash
ington, D. C., are included In the
Randolph-Macon Academy's baseball
schedule, according to Capt. George
W. Riddick, athletic director.
Randolph-Macon will play Wilson
May 7 and Western May 14, journey
ing to Alexandria, Va„ to face Episco
pal High April 27. Following is the
schedule:
April 6, Middletown; 13, Fishbume
at Waynesboro; 16, Bridgewater; 20,
Augusta Military Academy; 27,
Episcopal at Alexandria: 30, Fifh
burne; May 4, Augusta Military
Academy, Fort Defiance; 7, Woodrow
Wilson; 11, Woodberry Forest,
Orange; 14, Western.
BY HELPS’ INJURY
Blow May Compel Trade of
Hassett—Cardinals Now
Turning on ‘Heat.’
By the Associated Press.
CLEARWATER, Fla., March 26
Babe Phelps' broken thumb may lead
the Dodgers' officials to change their
minds about trading Buddy Hassett. j
Phelps was hurt'in Thursday's exhi- j
bition against Detroit and may be on
the shelf three weeks. Meaning the
Dodgers have only Roy Spencer and
Paul Chervinko to do the receiving.
ST. PETERSBURG. Fla.—Sunburn
is the chief complaint of the Cardinals.
Southpaw Max Lanier is the chief
victim. The Cards are turning on
some “heat" themselves, with Bob
Weiland due to go nine innings against
the Yankees today and Dizzy Dean
scheduled to hurl tomorrow.
Reds tack Pinch Punch.
LAKELAND. Fla —Here's Manager
Bill MeKechnie's cure for the Reds’
exhibition game defeats: "Some of the
boys will have to do a better job of
hitting with men on the bricks or
they’ll find themselves sitting on the
wood.”
To translate, the ‘'wood” is the bench
and the "bricks” are the bases, where
the Reds had 16 men left in yesterday's
game with Brooklyn.
BATON ROUGE, La —The Giants’
pitching prospects, a trifle off color
now. may look better if Clvdell Castle
man's training methods work out. Al
though he has refused to come to
camp and train according to Manager
Bill Terry’s ideas, the Giants have
heard Castleman is working out with
a high school team at Nashville. And
Terry has admitted he might forgive
the hurler if he needs him badly
enough.
Bees Buzz With Mystery.
SARASOTA, Fla.—The Bees have
cleared up one of their major
mysteries. First Baseman Max West
discovered his “missing" pair of $18
shoes right in the bus where he left
them.
Another mystery was whether they
could whip the Red Sox today.
TIE HOCKEY SERIES
IS GOAL OF BRUINS
Toronto, Victor in First Game,
to Be Favored by Precedent
if It Wins Tonight.
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 26.—The pres
sure ©f precedent rests squarely on
the broad shoulders of the Boston
Bruins tonight as the National
Hockey League's American division
winners resume their series with the
Maple Leafs, international group lead
er. at Toronto.
Past performances indicate the
Bruins, beaten 1-0 in overtime Thurs
day, must square the series in this
second game if they hope to come
through to the title and the final
round of the Stanley Cup play-offs.
Since 1927 no team has been able to
capture a five-game play-off series
after dropping the first two battles.
Devitt’s Nick O’Donoghue was given a tumble at this point
by G. Conant of the same school during their 70-pound-class
match. Nick, however, won his fall. —Star Staff Photos.
D. C. GIRL EARNS
Par Golf Played by Helen
Dettweiler Overcomes
Jean Bauer, 3*2.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
AUGUSTA, Ga„ March 26—A
steady brand of golf which saw her
deviate from par figures only twice,
once to score a birdie, placed the eighth
annual Augusta women’s open tourney
crown squarely on the blond head of
Helen Dettweiler of Washington, D. C.
Consistently matching par figures.
Miss Dettweiler defeated Jean Bauer
of Providence. R. I„ 3 and 2, after
grasping a lead on the fourth green
and staving in front until she termi
nated the match on the sixteenth.
Get* Distance Off Tees.
The Washington girl, smashing long
shots from the tees to outdistance Miss
Bauer from 25 to 50 yards, was 1
over par on the second hole, but offset
that with a birdie on the seventh to
wind up even par and 2 up on Miss
Bauer at the turn.
Continuing to duplicate par over the
remaining route. Miss Dettweiler saw
Miss Bauer experience trouble through
out with her putter.
Helen clinched the match colorfully
Trapped on the same hole that cost
Bobby Jones seven strokes in the 1930
Southeastern open. Miss Dettweiler
blasted an explosion shot to within 8
feet of the pin and halved the hole
in one putt to end the match.
PROS WOULD LIMIT
BIG-TIME GOLF LIST
/ ———————
Plan to Keep Top-Flighters Out
of Cheaper Tourneys Will
Be Considered.
Br the Associated Press.
SARASOTA, Fla., March 26 —
George R. Jacobus, president of the
Professional Golfers’ Association, said
today the association would decide
late this month whether to keep Its
top-flight stars out of all except the
big-money tournaments.
Final action on a proposal to limit
25 or more pros to events paying at
least $5,000 in prize money will be
taken at Augusta, Ga., March 30.
“These top-ranking players will be
more valuable to the tournament in
which they participate because they
will not appear so often in cheap
events,” Jacobus explained.
DEVITT k C. RULES
A. A. ILWRESTLING
Senior Title Holder Gets
Junior Crown in Tussle
With ‘Y’ Squad.
The wrestling supremacy of Devitt
Athletic Club in local A. A. U. circles
was undisputed today, following the
addition of the junior championship
to the senior title which it won some
weeks ago.
Furthermore, two of its members
won more than usual individual honor.
Bob Fleming capturing the Sports
manship Trophy and Harry Pritchett
being acclaimed the best class C
boxer.
Devitt scored 78 points to win—7
more than Y. M. C. A.’s runner-up
squad. Police Boys’ Clubs Nos. 5, 4
and 10 scored 15. 11 and 9 points, re
spectively, while Georgetown and
Washington Boys’ Clubs tied for the
sixth position with 3 each.
The "Y's” Mudd and Holland were
voted outstanding class A and B
wrestlers.
Summaries:
Class A (t'nder 12 Years).
65 pounds—Jacobs (Y.» threw Topper. 4
minutes: 70 pounds—Conant <D.' dpfeated
O'Donoehue 'D': 75 pounds—Mudd (Y.i
defeated Moorman (No. 4): 81 pounds—
Jones iD.> threw Chambers in.'. 2 47:
87 pounds—Albrecht iD> threw Har
wood (D). 0:24: 94 pounds—Peterson
(D.I defeated White iD): 3 n 1 pounds—
Shank (Y i threw Bateman (Y). 0:59.
Class R (13 to 1.5 Years).
75 pounds—Pant (Y.) threw Stockstill
(No 41. o:22: 81 rounds—Conant (D.)
threw Wrieht (No. 111. 1:08: 87 pounds—
Vinson (D.) threw Posey (No. 4). 0:27:
94 pounds—Hollon (Y.i defeated Keene
(O': 101 pounds™Papanicolas (Y.I threw
B. Wriaht (No iTT 1:51; 109 pounds—
Benedict (D.i defeated Shenard (D.i: 117
pounds—Miniehella (Y.i threw Lochhead
(D >. 1.37: Hollon (Y.i threw Chambers
•D.i. 14:7: 135 pounds—Alberdina (No.
ini threw Hofbera. 2:00; 145 pounds—
Cremins (D) threw Watts (No. 11), 1:35.
Class C (Id and 17 Years).
118 pounds—Gross (No. 5) threw Bos
well (No. 5'. 1:12: Hollon (Y.i threw Mez
zsnotte (No. 10i. 2:27: 145 pounds—
Dixon (Y.) threw PritchetY (D.i. 2:00:
3 55 pounds—Petro (No. 5) threw Gaist
<Y.). 0:41.
AFTER PADDLE TITLES
Federal, D. C. Employes Open
Table Net Tourney Today.
The second annual table tennis tour
nament for Federal and District em
ployes. to be held over the week end
at the Washington Table Tennis
Courts, will begin tonight at 6:30
o'clock. Titles in four events—men's
singles and doubles, women’s singles
and mixed doubles—will be at stake.
Tomorrow's action will start at 2:30.
with the final matches scheduled at
7:30.
Norman Engelberg, defending men's
champion, faces keen opposition. Pete
Devties, Department of Agriculture,
flashed fine style in the recent city
tournament, while Phil Eagan and
George Clark are other outstanding
contenders.
Battleship's Triumph Is Ironical Joke on British
Great Sire Not Listed in English Stud Book—Di Maggio Loses Contract Switching Homes.
By SID FEDER.
Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, March 26.—The
joke, folks. Is strictly on blue
blooded British racing today . . .
They wouldn’t list Man o’ War in
the English stud book because his
ancestors weren’t in it... So, what?
... So along comes Big Red’s little
boy Battleship to cop the No. 1
English racing event—the Grand
National... Bet if Man o' War had
a sleeve, he’d be laughing up it.
Gunnar Barlund, the flailing
Finn, is on the way to the Coast to
tangle with Chuck Crowell in Los
Angeles April 19 . . . But what he’s
really after is Maxie Baer's scalp—
take Manager Paul Damski’s word
for it . . . Figures he got a run
around . . . May also take on Lou
Nova or Phil Brubaker while he’s
out there.
Is Lou Comiskey sore because
Jimmy Dykes traded Zake Bonura
h
to Washington? ... Tee Hee Dept:
Joe Di Maggio says the reason he
didn’t return his contract to the
•Yanks—signed or unsigned—was
because he lost it moving to a new
house . . . Word from the Coast
says Gerry Walker, whacky as ever,
has the White Sox camp in stitches.
S'funny, but the highest scoring
team in the National Hockey League
(Boston) and the third highest
(Toronto) have played the lowest
scoring game in the Stanley Cup
play-offs to date (overtime, 1-0).
They clocked Hank Greenberg in
15 seconds flat for the 120-yard trip
around the bases at Lakeland the
other day . . . which really is
picking ’em up and laying ’em
down . . . Michigan and Yale
footballers, who meet this fall,
last clashed in 1883 . . . and Yale
only won 64-0. . . . The Chicago
golf open will be sliced from a
810,000 to a 85,000 event this
summer.
f
Detroit Tigers’ camp followers
say Rudy York still is far from a
classy catching product . . . but,
boy, can he sock ’em ... Deep Run
Hunt Club, down Virginia way, in
vited the Duke of Windsor to serve
as steward for its spring racing.
Along fight alley the latest is
that Schmeling-Louis will go to
Chicago if Mike Jacobs can swing
Soldiers’ Field . . . which may or
may not be pne reason Der Moxie
will start his training at French
Lick Springs, IndT
Old Papa Jesse Haines has en
tered politics in Montgomery
County, Ohio . . . Auburn can't
figure out what's happening to the
athletic captaii* down there . . .
Andy Curlee of the basket ball
team quit school, Bill Ellis (track)
and Miller Herrin (polo) are out
for scholastic difficulties . . . end
now Capt, Billy Hitchcock of the
base bailers to having a knee oper
ation and will be sidelined lor the
season.
Funny-bone tinklers from the
grapefruit belt: Howard Lane,
Nashville rookie, kayoed himself
with his own foul tip in batting
practice at Tallahassee . . . The
ball glanced off his bat onto his
chin and knocked him colder than
last night's mashed potatoes . . .
P. S.—He was released the next
day.
Pitching Rookie Walter Higbe
started out* three times from his
North Carolina home for the White
Sox camp in California, but never
made it . . . Seems he got as far
as Chicago once and turned back
because his wife was ill . . . Next,
he reached Knoxville and took sick
himself . . . Third time he made
Spartanburg, S. C. ... As far as
Jimmy Dykes is concerned, Mr.
Higbe is going to find "three strikes
is eut”—of the White Sob squad.
A
BDNURA A FIXTURE.
BUT ALMADAISN’T
Jimmy Looming as Garden
Prospect to Team With
Simmons and Stone.
By FRANCIS F. STAN,
Staff CorresDondent of Th« Star.
ORLANDO, Fla., March 28.—Rookie
Jimmy Wasdell may or may not be a
major league first baseman at the
moment. Nobody who has any official
say in the Washington training ewnp
seems prepared to commit himself.
But Wa«del! rapidly is proving he has
one requisite. He has plenty of heart.
It will Ire only a question of days
before Zeke Bonura will be ready to
step into the Nationals’ line-up and
I take over the first basing. Wasdell
j knows it as well as anybody else. But
I before he steps out Jimmy seems bent
on giving Manager Bucky Harris
something to remember him by.
Wasdell rapped a home run yester
day as the Nats defeated the Columbus
Red Birds, 11 to 2. He socked a home
1 run the day before, when Washington
whipped Minneapolis, 8 to 1. A triple
and a single were his offensive con
tributions the game previous, when the
Nats bowed to the Tigers, 9 to 4 in
| 10 innings. In short, Wasdell is
swinging the hottest bat in camp, not
excluding that of A1 Simmons.
Good Since Bonura Arrived.
Jimmy's streak started the day that
Bonura reported to camp. Up to then
he had been a thoroughly whipped
young man. He had counted upon
beating out Joe Kuhel for a Job when
Washington traded for Bonura, to
whom no “beating out" is connected.
After going hitless in the first four
games, winding up with no blows for
11 official times at bat, Wasdell started
to click against Detroit last Wednes
day. He singled off Schoolboy Rowe
and then tripled off George Gill. In
Washington his triple would have
cleared the right-field fence.
The next day Jimmy doubled,
singled and homered in four official
times at bat against Minneapolis. He
scored a run and batted across four.
Yesterday at Tinker Field the 22
year-old first baseman hit a home run
in three tries, scored two runs and
drove across three more runs.
Briefly, and summing it up, Wasdell
has batted an even .500 for the last
three games with 6 hits in 12 appear
ances at the plate. He has scored four
runs, doubled once, homered twice,
and driven across seven runs.
Spurt Won't Hurt Jimmy.
Wasdell hardly can hope to keep
Bonura ofT first base. Zeke w-ill be
in the line-up as soon as he gets into
shape. But if Rookie Jimmy keeps
socking the ball as he has been doing
he may put some ideas into the head
of Mr. Harris.
Last fall, when Wasdell came up
from Chattanooga. Harris placed him
in outfield so he could play Joe Kuhel
at first base. There is just a rare
possibility that Jimmy may be dis
patched to the garden again. A1
Simmons and Johnny Stone are eer
j tain of their jobs but Melo Almada,
despite his home run yesterday, has
i not been impressive. Griffith main
tains that Almada is not in top shape
and Harris has been unable to muster
any appreciation for Mel’s batting.
The chances are that Wasdell, for
all of his terrific hitting of late, will
be relegated to the bench with the
appearance of Bonura at first base.
Still, his spurt won't hurt Jimmy. For
a while the Nats were doubtful if he
was even close to a major league ball
player.
Leonard Okay in 11-2 Win.
Next to Wasdell, the work of Emil
(Dutch) Leonard was outstanding
yesterday as the Nats ran their win
ning streak in the Grapefruit League
to two games in a row. Leonard, pick
ing up where Joe Krakauskas left off,
held the Columbus outfit to four hits
and no runs in the last live innings.
The Birds, champions of the Ameri
can Association last year, took a 2
to-0 lead over Krakauskas in the
third inning. Krakky wasn’t so hot
yesterday . . . again. In hie four
innings he gave up nine bases on balls
and two hits.
In their half of the third Inning the
Griffs tied the score and in the fourth
they fell upon Bill Siensoth for three
more runs, going ahead, 5 to 2. There
after it was easy. In the sixth inning
three Columbus errors and three hits
off Jack Lynn were good for five more
runs.
The Nats’ final run was added in
the eighth, when Rookie Taft Wright
singled across Rookie George- Case,
who also had hit safely.
Sports Mirror
By the Associated Press. >
Today a year ago—Little Rock
Flyers won women's National A.
A. U. basket ball title.
Three years ago—New York State
Athletic Commission named James
J. Braddock as No. 1 heavyweight
title challenger. ,
Five years ago—Maureen Orcutt
captured women's North and
South golf tourney.
In Stride
Col'bu*. AB. H. O. A. Wash. AB. H. O. A..
Klng.cf - 3 0 3 0 Case cf, 2 2 10
Crespl.2b 4 0 2 7 Almada.cf 2 2 10
Da’har.rf 6 12 0 Bluese.3b 4 114
Grllk.lb ' 5 0 0 0 Mihallc.2b 2011
Hlnger.3b 3 0 11 Myer,2b 2 13 3
Gleason.e 2 2 3 0 Wrlght.lf 2 110
Wrlght.ss 2 0 2 2 Stm'ons.lf 3 0 0 0
Clark,rf 3 2 2 0 Stone.rf .4011
Slen-oth.p 2 0 0 1 Travis.**. 3 0 14
Lynn.P-_ 1 0 0 0 W'dell.lb 3 112 1
'Fisher.. 110 0 R.F’rrell.e 4 16 0
White,p. 0 0 0 0 Kr'ukas.p 110 0
Leonardo 3 0 0 2
Totals 31 ”0 24 IT Totals .341027 16
•Batt/d lor White In ninth
Columbus _011 000 000— 3
Washington _ 002 305 Olx—11
Runs—Unger, Gleason, Case (2). Al
mada. Biuege. Mihallc, Stone. Travis,
Wasdell <2i. R. Ferrell. Krakauskas. Er
rors—Crespl (21. Danaher. Gleason. Mi
halic. Runs batted In—Almada <21. Case,
Blueae. Wright, Wasdell (3). R. Ferrell.
Clark. Siensoth. Two-base hits—Almada.
R. Ferrell. Oleason. Home runs—Almada.
Wasdell. Stolen bases—Singer. Case. Sac
rifice—Leonard. Double plays—Cregpi to
Wright to Grilk. Travis to Mihallc to Was
dell. Left on bases—Columbus. 10; Wash
ington. 5. Bases on balls—Off Krakauskas
<»>, off Siensqfh (3). off Lynn <2>. Struck
out—Bt Krakauskas <3>. by Siensoth ll),
by Leonard <2>. by White <2>. Hits—Off ►
Krakauskas. 2 In 4 innings. 2 runs: off
Siensoth. 5 in 4 Innings. 5 runs: off Lffnn. M
3 in 3 Innings. 6 runs: off Leonard, 4 In o f
Innings, no runs: off White. 2 In 1 Inning, J
irun. Wild pitch—Lynn. Passed balls— ,*
lesson. Winning pitcher—Krakauskas.'
Losing pitcher—Siensoth. TTmotre#—Messrs*
Quinn and Johnston. Time—8.00.
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