The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-29

Of the mereSt preliminary Stuff.
Goose Goslin is said to have spent
most Of the winter outdoors. He
10 a big fellow who eats well and
usually turns up at camp with
extra weight to be worked off. He
is also one of the hardest workers
In any major league training camp,
90 that by the time the curtain
goes up on the big show ne is
down where he belongs. You have
TO hand it to the Goose, he loves
TO play ball.
Russell is a careful chap. He
lives in Baltimore-the' only thing
that may be used against him
and naturally takes on little weight.
He is another hard worker and
undoubtedly will be in condition to
pitch long before he is allowed.
Last spring he had to be held in
check while other and younger
hurlers were complaining of sore
arms. Good old Rubber Arm never
yells about his wing.
Shirley and Bean are absolutely
unknown quantities. They may
be good or they may be boomers.
Shirley was q bear with the
North Carolina University team,
but that may mean little or moth
ing to the Griffs. Bean was q
sandIOt star, which is nothing
ct all to major league ball club.
Shirley is facing a wonderful op.
portunity, though he may not know
#. He is a left-handed thrower
and a right-handed hitter, a gem
for a big league club these days:
II he can show up as worthy OF
being retained he will sit on the
bench, learning many details of the
big league game from actually look
ing at it. Their he will know what
TO do when called upon.
Joe Judge great little player
that he is, cannot go on forever.
Already he is showing signs OF the
wear and tear Of baseball, his legs
are bothering him. Therefore, II
Shirley has the necessary ability
and can learn the tricks OF the
trade, he may be Judges successor
with the Griffs.
Judge is now at Hot Springs,
getting into the best possible ply
steal condition. He will report at
Tampa ready to take up his duties
at the initial sack. Shirley has
small chance Of ousting Judge from
the job. His chance will come the
first time Judge is unable to play.
It has come to others and Shirley
Is merely one of a long list OF
players who have camped on the
doorstep and awaited its opening.
Russell is likely to find cOmpeti-
ton this season from Joe Martina,
for several years star hurler for
the New Orleans PelicanS i'm tile
Southern Association. RuSselPs
chief value has been to be able
to hop in cold and stop the enemy.
That's Martina's principal claim to
fame, too.
Martina is thirty-four years old
and a veteran of the diamond. Some
ten years ago he had a trial with
the Chicago Cubs in the National
League, but since then has been
banging his way around through
the Southern Association and the
Texas League.
With the New Orleans club Mar.
tina has been a winning pitcher,
his known age keeping him from
getting big league trials. He is
thirty-four years old, for instance,
enough to frighten the average
scout. He won twenty-one games
and lost ten for New Orleans last
season and his record, not his age,
has earned him a trial with the
Griffmen.
Quite a number of outfielders
and infielders will be in uniform at
Tampa next week. This means
that Mike Martins pitching can
didates will have to be on the
mound, pitching to batters, for
that's what the athletes love, smash
the pitching in the spring
Mike Martins gang Of monde.
scripts are booked for an exhibit
ton game a week from tomorrow
against the Tampa Cuban All.Stars.
Nobody takes this seriously, barring
Mike and his players, but their
seriousness makes up for the leth
argy of all the others. The real
baseball begins on the following
Saturday. March Is, when tha
Washington club opens its spring
exhibition series against the Boston
Braves at Tampa.