The Washington times., 1924-03-17

SOCd 4nuISOdy.
johnson is able to pitch three
innings today. Indeed, he could
have done that a week ago on hi!
arrival from Hot Springs. Manager
Harris announced johnson as Ger
tain to oppose the Giants Thursday
and ran right into nest of hornets
Tampa fans wanted the first view
of the veteran. So Harris, being g
diplomatic young man, decided thai
johnson would break into bon
score for the first time against the
Cardinals here instead of against
the Giants down at Sarasota. 1t is
all the same to Harris and Johnson
but not to Tampa fans, who like tc
feel they are the Griffs' home sup
porters.
They are piling on more wood
on those fires over in Mexico
Judging from the rising tempera'
ture here. Yesterday was a won.
derful day, coaxing some Of the
estimable athletes into the gulf
at Sunset Beach. Today promised
to be another such day. Following
the regular drill many of the
Griffs formed motor car parties,
visiting Lakeland to see the Cleve.
land Indians battle the Cincinnati:
Reds. 1t is Ohio day at Lakeland
with Ohioans travelling from al!
parts of Florida to see the Indians
mix with the Reds.
Tomorrow the Griffs play at
St. Petersburg. They will like
~ find the Braves stronger than
they were here ON Saturday.
Joe Genewich, Rube MaFquard
and Johnny COOney are expected
to be BancrOft's pitching selec-
ton for the day. Cold winds
kept them away last week.
Against them the Griffs may
find it considerably more diff
cult to hit safely, though Rice,
GOslin and Judge are slamming
the ball hard.
The rockies are looking forward
eagerly to the scrub games planned
for Plant field. Batting and field
ing drills don't give the youngsters
much chance to show their class
They want to measure themselves
against the regulars in the prac
tice skirmishes. Manager Harris
> was undecided whether to stage
one today or not, but he will pu'
them on sooner or later, if only tc
get a. peek at some of the young
sters himself.
Aside from the pitchers, the only
rockies getting a trial thus far in
the games against the Dodgers are
Prothro, Smith, and Tate. The
third-sacker is overweight. He has
had little to do in the field, though
doing that little we'll enough. Ir
nine times at bat he has hit safely
once.
Smith played four innings against
Brooklyn and six against the Braves
His fielding chances were of the
simplest. He seemed able to gel
under fly ball without trouble
when the ball was in front of him
but he has not been compelled tc
throw. Going to bat officially four
times, he drove one single to right
field. Smith is young, big, and
energetic. He may develop.
Tate, the kid backstOp from
Memphis, has been seen in eleven
innings. He shows all the ear
marks of a good catcher, handling
his pitchers well, keeping ON his
toes all the time, and inspiring his
mates with much of his peppery
spirit. He has not hit safely in
four trips to the plate, which
means nothing.
In the two games to date Mar
berry shaped up the best. He i:
practically assured of a regular
berth this season. Still overweight
he is slowly getting down to where
he will do his best work.
While Fred Wingfield was hit
hard by the Braves Saturday, never
theless the youngster from Chat
tanooga looked like a ball player
not merely a pitcher. He hit safely
twice in two attempts, ran the
bases like a veteran and made ar
excellent impression.
This week Joe Martina, Lefty
Brogan and Byron Specie are ex
pected to make their bow before
the Florida fans. Martina is moi
exactly a youngster. He Is a vet
eran Of the minors, knows how tt
pitch and needs only the incentive
OF clinging to a major league berth
+. to cinch job for himself. He has
perfect control, speed enough anC
a good curve ball. Without hall
trying, Martina appears to have
earned thorough trial in cham
pionship games.
Nothing much has been seen Of
BrOgan or Specie. The former is
a haIf-pint sOuthpaw, about the
size Of Dick Kerr, once with the
White SOx. He has excellent con-
troll of a good curve ball and