The Washington times., 1913-01-26
FRANK LAPORTE To
Be PINCH HITTER
FOR THE CLIMBERS
Even Though He Fails to Hold
Down Second Base His Hit
ting Cannot Be Wasted.
SLUGGERS TO GET
REGULAR BERTHS
Manager Griffith Will Lay Stress
on Clubbing of His Young
sters This Spring.
By SENATOR"

Even il he fails to make a place for
himself at second base, and most folks
are thinking that he will never do.
Frank Laporte should prove mighty
handy pinch hitter for the Climbers
next summer Indeed, Manager Grit
fifth viii never let 20 of him until he
has fallen down absolutely with the
stick. His slashing drives at the right
places will win many games of ball
during a season.
Second base will be one of the bus
lest places imaginable this spring in
this mans town. 1t is generally con-
sidered the one really weak spot in the
Griffmen's armor Strengthening this
one position may bring the American
League flag to the Capital and TINS last
is Griff's own particular TASK ne sets
for himself.
Laporte, never the fastest man in the
world, is too slow 10 fit into Grin
lightning infield. Ray Morgan, green
and inexperienced as he is, is as fast
as they make 'em. But some doubt Ray
ability as a second baseman even while
lauding him as a shortstop or tnlru
baseman- He will have his chance tnis
spring. If he fails then, il will be his
own fault not that of his manager, ais
mates. or the fans. Morgan is one OF
the most popular players on the local
team.
But no matter who becomes the teams
regular second baseman, Frank Laporte
Is too valuable siugger to be released
until he has been superseded with tne
stick Herman Schaefer is cool enough
In a pinch, but his success last year IN
this role was hardly up to snun- KIP
py" Williams proved himself terror
in q pinch many time last year, but
Griff's plans calls for his appearance In
more games in 1913 than in 1917, ana
frequently II will be impossible for him
70 come to bat.
There Are Others.
OF course, aside from Frank Laporte.
Grin will have other good hitters, but
they must yet prove their weight in the
big show. Joe Connolly and Harry Well
chonce have welded the bludgeon to
sood advantage in the bushes, but
major league pitching and major league
fielding may cut down their average
sornewhat However, both of these lads,
until they land regular berths VIII De
eligible for this pinch-hitting job with
the Climbers.
The Mackmen will have mighty
good slugger to go to bat in the plnches
II Danny Murphy is able TO put his
weight on his weak knee. This veteran
fs one of the most dangerous men IN
the game when a hit means victory;
Indeed, Bob Groom has frequently told
the writer that he feared Danny Murphy
more than Ty Cobb or Frank Baker.
s.Sea-Ii ion" Charlie Hall and Olaf
Heuriksen are two pinch-hitters with
the worlds champion Red Sox- They
think nothing of poklng, out a oihgie
that swings victory their way.
Matter of Slugging.
Aside from second base, where good
fielder will stand the best chance of
holding down the berth. provided he can
hit at all, the job with the Climbers
will I'm all probability go to the men
with the heaviest wag on tongues. If
weIchonce, Allen, Calvo. and Cen
nelly can. hit In fast company as they
have done In the bushes, Danny Noel
Ter and Howard Shanks may sit on the
hencb while before sliding back to
some slower company.
But hitting in the bushes is far diff
ferent from hitting in the majors, and
that's why one must not DISMISS tne
chances of Shanks and Moeller TO make
good another season Moeler has shown
himself one of the headiest batsmen
and base runners with the ClimDers;
when in good condition. He should
travel at a wonderful pace this spring II
se can manage to have that weak
shoulder of his behave.
Shanks has no superior in major
league baseball today handling ground
hall Although not very fast on the
bases. this young man can fly over
the dirt in the garden. He pays no at
tention TO the other men in the game.
gets the ball, however hard il may be
10 do that, and knows just what to do
with II from the jump. III he could hit
around 800. Manager Griffith wouldn't
hesitate a second about making him
a regular The hitch comes right
there. though.
For those outfield jobs the men must
he hitters. II is more than probable
that Griff viii experiment with several
men in the gardens before making his
final selection. Indeed, the fans may
ace Calvo, Connolly WelchOnce. and
Allen filling In for the others during
the spring games of the regular cam
paign. The Jobs will 90 to the hitters.