The Washington times., 1925-03-11
.RIFF MEN
MAKE BIC.
GAIN
harris Tells Walsh That Team
Is Twenty-Five Per Cent
Stronger
BY DAVIS ]. WALSH,
anternAalonal News Service sports


1nternA2aonnl News Service Sports
Editor.
TAMPA, Fla, March 11:-If
past performances are worth their
weight IN pink sleeve garters, the
Washington Senators today are
IS per cent better ball club than
the outfit which won the cham
pionship Of the world no later
than last October.
This statement was made to me
by Stanley Harris, the managerial
Horatio Alger hero of major
league baseball. Stanley, it would
seem, Is not one Of those I-Yiew-
with alarm specimens. Quite the
contrary, he points with pride.
The oratorical gesture. in this
case, Is directed towarde what
might be termed exhibit A, COM
prising three gentlemen who COM
bine age, experience and the ability
70 fool all Of the bafters some Of
the time. The trio Is made up Of
Dutch Reuther, Stanley Coveleski
and Vean Gregg, acquired in mid
winter deals that cost the club less
than nothing at all in player
strength.
Lest his statements be confounded
with these OF the attorney for the
defense, stanley coppers his het
with one proviso. He asks only
that the men in question live up
20 their immediate past.
Granting that they do, the juve-
nile il willing to bet his right to
breathe that Reuther and Coveleslsie
will win thirty games between them
and that Gregg win add at least
ten more.
They don't represent al the
paper strength we have gained,
however, quOtli Stanley. I'VE
almost lost the pennant and
later the world series because we
didn't have an adequate reserve
infielder. We have him now in
Mike Mentally. who can Jump IN
and play second, third or short
nt0p over almost any stated
period.
.Bluege and McNeely will be bet
ter for the experience they gained
last year The latter broke in at
q very tough period for a recruit,
but with q world series under his
belt, he win play with greater con-
fidence. Bluege right now looks
ike one Of the great tnfielders Of
baseball. Peckinpaugh has com,
plekely recovered. Ruei, Judge,
Rice GosIin and Zachary are as.
good as they ever were and Wal
ter Johnson and Mogridge stilI have
plenty OF baseball left in them"
In brief, Harris feels that he has
bettered his hand on the draw and
Is sitting back serene in the knowl-
edge that the Yankees and Tigers,
the admitted contenders. viii be
forced TO do likewise in order to
beat him.
Reuther and CoveIeskie. to him,
look Ike q pair Of aces in a two
card draw, the former has been
somewhat ibeled by critics who
have spoken sagely Of his ad-
vanced years. They number exact
" thirty-one and only six Of them
have been spent in active major
league pitching.
'.ReutIler may have gained .
reputation as q hard man 20
handle. but he has given no
intimafiOn Of it to me" Harris
said. eff / know my own name
he win pitch his arm off for the
Senators"
Which is probably true. Reuther
had q great year in 1919 when he
saw q pennant coming to the Reds.
He Topped in 1920. The following
year he landed with the Dodgers and
was or on another winning streak,
In 1922, a flop; In 1928, a great
pitcher once more and last year a
semi-flop, so to speak. That makes
him due again in 1925, particularly
with q worlds championship team
supporting him in the style to
which has not been accustomed:
Coveleskie Is hardly the pitcher
he was in 1920, but few baseball
men believe he is altogether over
and done with. For one thing, he
is a spitbalIer and that almost ex-
tinct specimen usually can fool
batter with a mere grimace.
''They ought TO win twenty-five
games between them," ventured.
''Twenty.fiver' says he. III. they
don't win thirty, I'll give you my
wfndpipe."
The young man, Of course, is not
Altogether certain that the age Of
those concerned will not deprive
him OF his breathing concession.
That is the reason he insists upon
the past performance clause. John
son Is thirty-eight, Mogridge thirty
five, Coveleskie thirty -threel and
Gregg is q jaunty forty. The aver
age age Of the nine leading pitchers
= thirty-one.
Ten, I'm all. win be carried and
the extra man will be either Harry
Kelly, from Memphis, Of the South
ern Association, or Jim McNa-
mara. from Wichita, Of the West
ern League. The latter holds a
slight but lefthanded lead over
Harry.
Among extra infielders, Spencer
Adams, for whom the Pirates were
constrained to pay $4,000 several
years ago, has the best chance tO
stick. There are six outfielders and
one OF them must go. Rice, Nc
Nicely. Goslln and I1eiboId are GER
taiuties. Spark Plug" Matthews
q back again and seems fated to re
main, although he must show cause
20 Roy Carlyle. That young man
led the Southern Association In shit
ding last year and might go so far as
% bat his way right into the lineup
GTlRnM - v,Sa0 aWA 1fHyn eerTSNA nNitfi0id0Fe