Evening star., 1924-02-14

There VIII DE nine in the WaShlns-
ton delegation at the Spa from Feb
ruary 81 until time to chec!; in at
Tampa March 9, the performers, who
will do their preppinS under the
supervision of Harris being Johnson.
Zachary. Mogridge. Zahniser, Ruel;
Judge, Peckinpaugh and Prothro.
'Ruel's Signature Needed.
Before shooing his early birds
! aboard a train for Tampa next Satur-
day morning Clark Griffith hopes to
attend to a little matter Of business
| that will have a great bearing on his
plans for the 1924 Nationals. Said
| business consists in lining up Harold
Ruel for backstopping service this
year. 1t is rule with the president
not to publicly discuss financial arrange
pents between the club and players and
Grif has not departed from it in the
case of Ruel, but the fact remains
that Muddy has not yet accepted
terms and it also is true that the
agile receiver is q very important
cog in the local base ball machinery.
By reason of his fine work in the
. last campaign, when he bore the
brunt OF the catching burden for the
Griffmen. Ruel rated a substantial in
evidently was not big enough in
Muddy's opinion. No other explana-
tion has been forthcoming for his de-
lay in signing.
Ruel is not d-out" in the COM
mon acceptance Of the term He will
not enter that class unless he has
/ failed to accept terms by the time
designated for him to report for train
ing. SO his period of grace has a week
yet to run.
Muddy Faces Hard Season.
Last season Ruel officiated back of
the bat in about two-thirds of Wash
/ ington's games. getting a little assist
ance from Charity and less from
Hargrare. With Pat gone from or
ganized base ball this year, Muddy
races an even more strenuous cam
paign. Hargrave will be available
again. and should get considera bly,
more work than was allotted to him
in 1928. but the squatty Hoosier lacks
! this finish Ruel has acquired through
greater experience and rates far be-
low him in worth. Bennett Tate. the
Memphis purchase. also will be on the
job. but this youth has much to learn
! before he can hold his own with
,, cagey, veterans in the big show.
Ruel is badly needed by Manager
harris this year, and, as he never has
chap. IT is safe to assume any differ
ences between him and his boss will
be ironed out in due time.
McEraw Not In Yet. Either.
Receipt yesterday of the executed
documents of Byron Speece right
nand pitcher recently purchased from
Omaha of the Western League, and
Tabasco Shirley, star first-baseman
and all-round athlete of the Cniver-
sity of North Carolina. leaves only
Walter McGrew. in addition to Ruel,
unsigned.
McGrew. who last season showed
fine minor league class in the South
eI'n Association. where he won TWEEN
ty-two and lost twelve games with
Memphis. places a high valuation on
his services for q hurler who has
failed for the last two springs to
| show any class to fast company.
Dangerous Dan" has been conduct
! ing his correspondence from his home
! at Yokum. Tex. He has been in
| formed that he can loll around the
familiar scenes of his childhood all
summer unless he hops aboard the
band wagon by the end of the week.
THREE Start From Here Saturday.
Aside from President Griffith.
j Coaches Altrock and Chesbro and
! some press representatives the only
! members Of the advance squad that
will entrain here for the spring camp
next Saturday morning will be
Catcher Hargrave and Pitchers God
| frey Brogan and Ray Joyce. who are
to come here from their homes at
| Fort Wayne. Ind: New York city, and
Sta amford, Conn.,. respectively.
Pitcher Leo Moon will join the.