The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-08

The fading away OF the minor
leagues had much To do with the fall
'ure or Connie In rebuilding his Attn
'letics. You can't use players when
there are none. You can't buy play
4 ers when there are none for sale. You
can't fnd players when there are
none. And that's been exactly the
y trouble with the Philadelphia Athlet-
bics. Connie sold too many of his play
ers. He was unable to MI their
fplaces.
However. there's a chance for Con-
,nie this year. In the past five years
the scarcity OF players has affected
the other clubs. too. The others have
slowly but surely been coming back
to the Mackmen in lack OF class. 1t
is safe to say that the big leagues
, have been slowing up ever since the
supply OF speedy youngsters dropped
, on Today several clubs look much
stronger than the Mackmen, but
there are more closer to their stand
ara than they were In 1918.
Tries Out Many Kids.
Connie, following his announced
policy. is trying out many youngsters
this season, but many Of these new
players have had some experience.
Take. for instance. Bryan Harris. the
big pitcher from Houston, and Put
Martin, the southpaw from Bingham
ton. Harris is without major league
experience, but he has been perform
ing under shrewd managers in the
bushes for several years, and has cut
his eye-teeth. The same goes for
Martin. These pitchers are not young
boys of the lot. but players who have
faced the music, even II not the full
symphony of the big show.
Ivy Griffin. who will probably be
the first baseman in place of the
Oregon-booted George Burns, played
In the bushes last year. His fielding
Is said to be. fine, and the only mys-
terry about him is the mystery ac-
companying every candidate at every
big league camp, Can he hit?"
Then, look at Galloway, who
starred in seventeen games at short
last year. He was the premier short
stopper OF the Southern Association
before reporting to Connie last Sep
TENDER. He was a hero to every At
lanta fan.
Believing that his erratic work
won't be so noticeable at second as
at short, Connie has shifted Joe
Dugan across the diamond. II the
Holy Cross lad attends to business, he
should bloom into wizard second
sacker. He hits well enough, is fast
on his feet, and has a powerful throw
ing arm.
Third base offers Connie a real
puzzle. Not since Larry Gardner
went to Cleveland has he had a good
man on the hot corner. Fred Thomas
is good enough in the field, but he
can't hit. Now Connie hopes to make
Frank BRAZIL a big league third
sacker. BRAZIL was with the Brook
lyn Dodgers a minute or so last sea-
son.. but failed to hang on.
Right now Connie has a major
league outfield in Strunk, lilly Wall
ker and Lawton Witt. Strunk, the
teams field captain, has fallen of in
hitting, and so has Walker. but both
are classy enough for the big show.
witt is a hard hitter and fair out
fielder.
Three youngsters are trying for
outfield berths. They are Charlie High.
brother of Hughey. long the big
leagues smallest player; Wingo and
Welsh. Wingo hit for .305 last sea
son in ,his trial with the Mackmen
and seems the most likely to land
regular Job.
Has Them All Mixed.
Connie has his team well mixed be-
tween veterans and youngsters.
Gearge Burns slowness on the hoof
may keep him on the bench. but he
can teach both Griffin and Burrus
what he knows about work around
the first corner, besides hitting in the
pinches.
An entirely green infield might be a
weakness, so there are Fred Tho mas
and Lawton witt able to hold down
Jobs in IL as steadiers for the Others.
At least three of Comics twirlers
have already done good work against
American League batsmen. They are
Scott Perry, Rolande Naylor and Wal
ter Kinney, the big southpaw. Jing