The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-16
Browns Are Greatly
Improved Ball Team
Even IN Defeat, St. Louis
Looks 50 Per Cent Better
Than Last Year Stovan
Has Club Of Youngsters.
DEAD ONES ALL. CONE
BY WILLIAM PEET.


was crazy last year when got rid Of
Barney Petty. Joe Lake and Frank La
porte said George Stovall, the suspend
ed manager of the Browns. to the writer
in ST. Louis the other day.
Laporte at the time was hitting over
800 and several of the newspapers roast
ed me to a whisper.
"relty and Lake could not win ball
games for me-" he added. II knew that
Barney was all in as a pitcher, and
suspected that Lake had about reached
the end of his string. Jack Powell was
one Of my mainstays but he too had seen
enough major league service to convince
me that at best / could only use him
one more season, so sent him to the
minors
"a he only so-called veterans have
on my ball club at present are Jimmy
Austin. Bobby Wallace and myself.
"Catchers Krichell and Jimmy Steph-
ems were not showing the form I wanted
and I sent both Of them back to the
minors
Il had to completely reconstruct my
ball club. ! retained just enough old
heads to fit In with the youngsters and
II things break good for me I will fin-
ish the 1913 season not lower than sixth
place. and in 1914 confidently expect to
land In the first division.
''The fans and newspapers who howled
the loudest last summer when I cut
loose such stars as Peltry. Lake and
Laporte are now telling me that my
judgement was the best, after all.
II sold Laporte to Washington for =. 900
and got the money. With 500 Of the La
porte purchase price 1 bought weilman.
my giant left-handed pitcher. who will
some day be one Of the stars of the
American League.
MY catching staff last fall, consisted
only of Alexander, a nineteen-year-old
kid. so during the winter bought
Agnew from the Pacific Coast and Nc
Allester. both of whom have made good.
MY pitching corps with weilman.
Hamilton. LsSerenz. Baumgardner. ALI
son, and Stone, three southpaws and
three right-handers will before the sea-
son closes stack up favorably with any
In the American League.
'.Al Of my bah players are out there
hustling for me. They are. of course.
inexperienced, but 1 don't believe l have
picked any dead ones-one thing GER
tain they are coming, while Laporte,
Lake. Stephens, Krichell, and Petty were
going"
Manager StovaIl certainly has injected
lot Of life into the lowly down-trod-
den Browns. This team as constructed
at present will cause trouble for every
bunch in the American League.
Brief at first base. Stovalrs under
study, is a big fellow, who knows how
to handle thrown balls. He is not a
heavy hitter. but a dangerous man in a
pinch.
At shortstop. Dee Walsh. at presen,
subbing for BODY Wallace. possesses a
wonderful throwing arm, and covers a
lot of ground. Like Brief he can hard.
ly be classed as heavy hitter, but may
improve.
When the Browns come to Washing.
ton next month Capital fans will gel
their moneys worth at every game
Just take II from one who has seer
them in action. -
Joe Gedeon. the Pacific Coast kid, and
Griffs utility infielder, is a very muct
changed young man.
Down in Charlottesville this spring n,
promised to develop into a second Rub,
Waddell, always up to some mischie
and eccentric as they make EN-.
The old heads on the Washington ciut
grabbed Gedeon as soon as he had board
ed the train for the present trip anc
quietly tipped him OF that no rough
stuff'' on or OF the ball field would b,
tolerated. with the result that Gedeor
keeps his place. does not attempt {,
butt in where he is not wanted, ant
deports himself like a gentleman at al
times.
There is sure to be lot of fun un.
corked when the Nationals play the
Monaco Independents in Monaco, the
home Of Howard shanks. IL the game i,
finally arranged.
Shanks declares that the entire town
will close up for the occasion and that
holiday will he declared.
While Griff was manager of the New
York Highianders he booked an exhibit.
tion game In Urichville. Ohio, Frank La
porte's home town. and the natives flock.
ed to the park from miles around.
Eddie Ainsmith says he has a younf
brother who is making quite a name fol
himself as a pitcher, twirling for semi
pro teams around Cambridge, Mass.
IT he ever gets to be good enough fol
the big leagues / shall ask Griff to sigr
him. The Ainsmith battery ought to b.
q powerful piece of machinery" hs
added.
Raymond Carvel Morgan Gas he sign.
his letters) the Nationals watchcharn
infielder. continues to attract a lot Of
attention while the Climbers are on ths
road by his base running and hitting.
The Baltimore kid has improved won
derfuIly during the space Of year ant
Grin predicts that he will finish the pres
ent season NJ close to the 800 mark II