Evening star., 1924-12-12
COVELESKIE AND McNALLY
BOTH NEEDED BY CHAMPS
Boss Expects Veteran Spball Pitcher to Earn Regu.
lar Job and Regards Mike as Ideal Player
for Infield Utility Roles.

BY DENMAN
Sports Edit
~ONFIDENT that his team has
business OF defending its lo
w. laurels, President Clark Grif
from the league meetings in New Y,
negotiated. aided by Manager Stan
CoVelcskie OF the Indians was obtain
helder Carr Smith. and 1nhelder
through tranSfcrcnce OF Third Base
SoN.
OF the political aspect OF the
make. contenting himself with the
OF the American League considered
was in the process OF being acconlpl
atmosphere Will be finally cleared
Chicago next week, which he plans
"Coveleskie figures to give us addi-
tional strength where we need it,.
said Grff in reference to the veteran
%pithalI pitcher. He, is no Eoun gSter.
its true. hut there unquestionably is
:, lot of service Still in that right arm
"f his, and by judicious handling he
ought to prove a most valuable asset.
'CoveE certainly will be given an
'bl''t lHHihN 10 get a JoD as reg SulaF
On the pitching staff. and if care is
exercised to avoid overworking him
should have little difficulty making
the grade. \ change of scene always
u a good thing for an athlete of his
length of service. and becoming affili-
ated with a world championship out
fit should act as an additional tonic
'or him. Given plenty of rest be-
tween efforts and accorded the sup
port, both on attack and defense.
that our team is capable of putting
np. Covey should prove a really vaIu-
able asset.
Climate Here Is Better.
The climate here is calculated to
prove a big help to CoveIeskie in it,
self, II being warmer than in Cleve-
land, and with none of the stiff, cool
brCezes that blow in from the lake
there to the dctriment of ageing soup
bones. We did not relish the idea of
giving UP Specie. of course, for that
Young man has Il lot of potential abil-
itE, and in the course of a couple of
seasons or so ought to develop into
dependable boXman.
What VIC had to obtain. however
IS Immediate additional strength on
The mound. With some doubt exist
ing as to the return Of johnson, al
though | really believe Walter will be
on deck again at Tampa next Spring
- was up TO us to AXE any steps posr
Stblc to adj to the power of our hurl-
ing corps, and Covey is better equip
ped to do that than Speece, so far as
next season is concerned. at any rate
w arc taking a chance. of course
put you never get anywhere in base
hall unless you are willing to gamble
CoVelesklc won Il games for a far
from first-class club last season and
under conditions that proved severe
handicap to him. Used only every
fourth or fifth day. he should make a
better showing in the box for u.s. but
II he can turn in only as many wins
Tor Harris as he did last Summer for
Iris Speaker we will be eminently
satisfied
Lose Little in smith.
so far as Carr Smith is concerned.
we could very well afford to let him
go. He showed flashes of ability
when on trial with us and gave prom
lse Of development but we were not
IN a position to wait until he ac-
ouired the polish that might make
him factor in the big show. He was
rot ready for the test this year, and
it is extremely doubtful whether he
could give us much assistance next
season
In the opinion of Griff. Mike Nc
Nally will prove OF far more value to
the Nationals than Doc Prothro.
snunted to Memphis of the Southern
Association after the season got un-
der way and brought back at the
close of the campaign.
McNaiIy Versatile Player.
For the purpose McNally was OBJ
tained, fulfilling utility roles, McNally
~ much more valuable man than
Prothro," Griff opines. IF we had
TO choose between the two for strict
ly third base duty, Prothro probably
would get the call, as he figures to
hit harder. but McNa1ly can play
bang-up game at second base and
shortstop as we'll as at third, and that
is the type of man we need. Atpres-
ont there is no chance of any one
breaking into our infeld. but ac-
cidents cannot be foreseen nor
guarded against and if Harris, Peck
or Bluege are put out of commission
next season we will have in NFcNally, a
thoroughly competent understudy for
any of them.
There is not much difference in the
age of McNally and Prothro, accord
ing to the record books, which show
a more agile type than Prothro and is
bound to wear better than the latter,
Prothro has a tendency toward
taxing on weight, in addition to hay-
!ng ankles that have caused him a
lot OF trouble and served to show him
up. Confined largely TO bench duty,
as he would be with us. Prothro would
have the same difficulty he eH-
perienced last season when excessive
a 70
his efficiency. Both Manager Harris
ana myself are very well satisfied
with the deals made in New York"
Both Newcomers Over 30.
CoYeieskie, who is native of
Shamokin Pa, is 33 years old and has
been member OF the Cleveland club
for nine years. having been obtained
from Portland of the Pacific Coast
League in 1915, after career in the
minors which began in 1905 He was
the last member of the famous Maps
that Larry Lajofe piloted in Cleveland
&nd the only pitching bulwark of the
club Iris Speaker guided to a world
championship in 1920, when the sturdy
Pole won three games from the
Brooklyn Dodgers. Only as recently
as season before last Covey was the
most effective pitcher in the Ameri-
can League, having an earned run
average of o.16 runs game, although
he won but - while losing IA that
season. as against 10 won and 16 lost
this year.
McNally was born in Oakland,
Calf, June Q, 1898, although in re-
cent years he has made his home at
AIinooka, Pa, in the coal mining belt
which produced Manager Harris as
we'll as Coveleskie, in addition to
other famous figures in the game, in
Guiding Christy Mathewson and the