New-York tribune., 1920-03-09

Coast Player
Impressive in
First Workout
Newcomer to Yankees Shows
Batting Power Of ssBabe"
and reater Speed
By w. J. Macbeth

By w. J. Macbeth
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. March 81
Friend fan of Gotham, how would two
Babe" Ruths on the New York team
this season strike you?
Higgins may not be able to deliver
such consignment. And. then again,
he may. AS a matter of fact, it is up
to Bobbie Meusel, rather than to the
wee manager of the Yankees. to do the
delivering. Meusel seems to have the
goods, including temperament ard am
bition, and so far as he has gone can
fill the bill. But many potential dia-
mond star wastes all his efforts on the
Southern air.
Meusel INDUCED in his first work
out to-day. He is a great broth of a
lad, more than six feet tall and weigh
ing close to 200 pounds, who gets about
remarkably well under such avoirdu-
pois. Babe" Ruth is a big man and
reasonably fast for one of his weight
Meusel is as big and even aster.
Bobbie has a fine style at the plate.
He reminds one Of Hans Wagro~ Che
bats right-handed, like the Flying
in the natural ability with which he
| seems able to reach for the BALL, no
matter where it may come up, if it is
within hitting distance He is more
graceful in his bearing than Wagner,
but not quite so graceful as Lajoie
he carries sitter punch, If one may
Judge from spring pitching, then even
the mighty Honus or the Frenchman.
Hits Terrific Drives
Before Meusel showed on the scene
the ball players all believed no ether
player, past or present, ever hit ball
with the force behind Ruths shoulders
Tonight, after watching Metsel pun
mel dozen or so to all fields, they
were ready to withhold judgment for
the time
Even the great Babe himself was held
IN open -mouthed wonder at one or two
OF Meusel's lustiest clouts. And to his
credit, be it said he was is no manner
sparing of admira ton
Judging from a first brief practice,
Meuseps defensive forte is not the out
held He was assigned q sun patrol,
and handled himself none too we'll in
chasing the long fungoes that Huggins
started his way. He doesn't seem to
get the proper jump for that fnesse Of
grace in fielding that characterizcs the
real stars. Once in motion, however,
Measel covers a lot of ground He
UOCoil UppSAC IdSI- DuC ne Is long
strider of the Merkle type.
Meusel simply set the bleacherites
half crazy when he worked out at third
base. Aaron Ward had made a great
hit there, but his most ardent admirers
admitted he wouldn't have ghost of
show against such playing as the big
Coast boy put on exhibition.
Higgins Pick Team
Miller Higgins has decided to begin
tomorrow the series of practice games
among his candidates tnat viii put
them on edge for the Dodgers-yankees
also practised at first base and &C.
Quilted himself we'll. The lineup for
tom orrow's game will be:
FIRST TEAM-Pipp 1b; Pratt. 2b;
Peckinpaugh, IS; Fewster, 3b; Bodie,
If; Ruth. CT; Wick, II; Ruel and Han
nah, c; McGraw, Smallwood and De
5 sEcoND sf!{s: Fl TEAM-s1susel, 1b; Bic
If; O'Doul, CT; Geiser, If; Hoffman and
Murphy, c; Quinn. Mays and Miller, D.
"A committee composed Of Peckin-
paugh, Shawkey and Pratt waited on
Higgins this morning and voiced dis
satisfaction with the manner in which
he had allotted third place spoils from
the worlds series. Trainer Al Wood
Groundkeeper Phil schenck, Allen Rus
sell and Bob McGraw were declared in
by the midget manager.
:. The players think that Russell and
McGraw, who were traded to Boston
for Mays, should be given nothing more
substantial than a pleasant Chow d'vou
do" They will ask the Yankee club
owners to make good the $92 involved
SO that it may be divided into twenty
seven parts additional.
Duffy Lewis and Bill Piercy are the
only players unsigned, or unpledged.
Lewis is coming as soon as an infected
arm RECEIVERS sufficiently. He doubtless
will come to terms in short order.