The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-02


inield and Bluege itching on the
However, Peck will have to /
from ousting him. A year ago
Griffmen. The year before he
playing for Peoria against Bloom
was watching Ralph Miller, Bin
quickly grabbed the opposing SHIT
When he reported here Bluege
made a profound impression by his
speed in handling a ball. 1t is
doubtful If any major league in
fielder can handle thrown ball or
a ground bali any faster, or even
as fast, as Bluege can.
He is lightning itself. But this
was his one claim to possible fame
last spring. He knew little .lbout
hitting. Bluege was sent to
Minneapolis where he became an
immediate success.
He was shortstop for Peoria.
He was tried out at third base with
the Griffs. He played both posi-
tions for Minneapolis and, best of
all. he acquired the knack of hit.
ting. finishing the season with a
mark above the 800 line. Back he
came for his second big league
trial and if the youngster is not up
servers are sadly in error.
Peck's broken finger has given
Bluege q fine chance to show his
class and Manager Bush was the
first to go into .raptureS. The
y0ungSter covers a lot of ground
and has the true infielder's ability
to smother bad Founders. His
throwing is q delight to the eye.
With no seeming effort he can
shoot the ball to any target from
any angle. Joe Judge says
BIuege throws light ball, easy
to handle. He seldom makes
bad toss, no matter how hurried
be may be.
Baseball men speak of a sure
catch in the outfield as a Ball
Hawk" Bluege comes close to being
the same thing in the infield. He
shows smooth accuracy in handling
any kind of bounder and works
with Harris in double plays like a
piece OF well-oiled machinery.
This spring the young shortstop
has looked better at the bat than
On his first appearance in a wash
ington uniform. He is a right
field hitter, but he pokes hard
drives into that field and needs bat
a little luck to turn some of them
into two-baggers.
Peckinpaugh deserves first crack
at that regular infield job and. IL
he can open the season at his best
form. he is sure to retain the job.
But Peck cannot go on forever. He
must quit sometime and when he
f1a ary N
hop right in and play the position
rs though to the manner born.
The remarkable Improvement in
for Chick Gagnon. obtained from
the Detroit Tigers for Ray Francis.
The former Holy Cross star football
and baseball player came here in
good shape and was immediately
tried out in Peckinpaugh's place, he
showed a tendency TO be erratic
and gave way to BIuege.
Since then GagnOn has not APP
peared in the regular mfield quar-
tet, and is not likely to again.
BIuege has stifled all opposition,
and is destined to become Wash
mgtOn's crack SIlortstOp ere long.
II Is a similar story about third
base where Bill Conroy looks Ger.
tain to start the season. On re-
porting here Bob Lamotte came
with the prestige of his good work
toward the close of the 1922 sea
son.
joey Evans. known to be a speed
merchant with Cleveland. was pick
ed to give him a battle for the
place. Then in came Bill Conroy.
Conroy attached himself to the first
squad the very first day he ar
rived. He has stayed with ii ever
since. He took turns with Evans
at third base until Judge was in
jured when he went to first base
and played fine ball.
With Judge back in the game,
Conroy resumed playing the hot
corner and now Evans is being talk
ed of as an outfielder. Lamotte
is suffering from a Charley Horse
in his left leg. This prevents him
out of all but hitting practice for
several days
But even without that, it is
doubtful If he would have showed
COurOy out OF the lineup. The
ChicagOan looks like a ball player
and is proving himself one every
day. One more week remains he.
fore the training camp will he
broken. Tomorrow and Welnes-
day the Yannigans will clash with
Doc Names Tampa team. of the
Florida State League.
Next Saturday the regulars tackle
the Boston Braves here in their last
exhibition contest in Florida.
Shortly after noon on Sunday both
teams will start for Jacksonville,
being due there at 1880 O'Clock.
Next Friday night the Yannigans
will leave for Jacksonville. where
on the following afternoon they will
play the Boston Braves Yann'gans
in a game for the benefit OF the
Near East Relief Both Yannigan
squads will then wait for the regu-
lars to come to town and leave for
Savannah, where the regulars will
clash next Monday in the first
game OF the short transforming
trip.
Intensive drills are booked for
/ fuET or TOP COAT
MADE To FIT