Evening star., 1924-03-24

Last 1ail- Bluege was told he mis- hit
undergo an operation upon the knee
which, If successful, would remove
the trouble for all time but if un-
successful probably would perman-
emily retire him from base ball; or
submit to a massage treatment and
carry the leg in cast until it was
strengthened. Bluege elected to try
the cast and hobbled about on
crutcheS for weeks. After the cast
was removed. he did special training
IN Chicago gymnasium and reported
TO the Tampa camp with the trick
knee apparently Q. Is.
He went along in great style un.
Saturday, when without warning. the
trouble returned. The joint was N
ray Saturday night and the developed
plate yesterday indicated that the
hurt was more serious than at first
suspected An excess of fluid was re-
realCd. but the examining surgeons
were of the opinion that the trouble
4 was more than one of so-called
= water on the-knee, so common in foot
p Joint to do away with the excess of
duid has been ordered, but it is high
ly probable that more serious treat
ment, possibly the operation that
Bluege sidestepped last fall, will be
necessary.
Surgeons Not Optimistic.
There is a chance, of course. that
cessful and permit Bluege's return
10 the game after a few days of rest,
but as to that the examining surgeons
are not so optimistic as Trainer Mike
Martin and some others vitality in
'tereSted in the welfare of the club.
Bluege's trouble seems to be too
deep seated to be corrected by meth
eds applied externally.
While Doc Prothro, Memphis grad
uate. who seems destined to start at
- al M
proving in his work, both afield and
at bat. Bluege's loss would be a
severe blow to the club. Not since
Bucky Harris joined the Griffs in 1919
has more promising youngster come
: up to the club. OsSie has been used
/. mostly at third base, and at that posi-
; ton has performed brilliantly. But
Y this season Manager Harris has been
grooming him particularly for emer-
gency use in the shortfield, where he
played in the minors.
With Rluege out of the running at
: present, Chick Gagnon will have to
sdo the substitute work on the left
side of the infield. Like his team
) an ailing knee last fall, but his limb
: has given no signs of a recurrence
: of the difficulty. Instead, the former
= Holy Cross base ball star has been
: bothered by a crippled arm, but the
? wing seems to be getting around to
normal and within a few days Ga
: gnon should be able to give a good ac
: count of himself.
z Five Games This Wecw.
3 Given fair weather, the Nationals
@are to get plenty of competition this
week. All told. five games are sched-
be played at Plant City tomorrow
with the Indianapolis Club of the
American Association. the outfit now
managed by DOME Bush. who piloted
p, Clark Grifith's charges last year
Then will follow engagements with
Brewers and Reds. All of these Tits.
except that with the Cards, which is
listed for Bradentown, will be con-
Quoted on Plant Field here.
Manager Harris is going after these
games In determined manner, hop
ing to keep unmarried the slate of the
Nationals. He has named Fred Mar
berry and Slim McGrew, big right
handlers, for mound duty tomorrow,
the first mentioned to go five innings.
Fred Wingfeld and Byron Specie,
also orthodox fingers, will be held in
reserve.
This Indianapolis club has been
travelling at a good clip in exhibition
games, having several victories to its
credit, and ought to prove a, tough
nut for the Nationals to crack.
Speece Is Disciplined.
Speece. by the way, is the first MEM
Der of the squad here to be struck by
the disciplinary hand of Manager
Harris. The pitcher. who came to the
Griffs from Omaha in exchange for
bundle of kale, does not always have
the brightest of dispositions, and at
times is inclined to resent what he
considers infringements on his per-
sonal rights. Recently, when taken
10 task for violation of training
rules Specie failed to regard the re-
buke seriously enough to satisfy the
manager, and a substantial fine was
inflicted. And if Specie is retained by
the club this fine will stand, unless. Of
course, the hurler becomes more
amenabIe to discipline.
The purchase from Omaha appar