The Washington times., 1925-03-04
GR|FF ROOK
.HITSHARD
ASGOOSE
But Roy Carlyle Lacks Speed
to Be Regular With
Champions
Bv LOUIS A. BOUCHER.


TAMPA, Fla, March 4 In Roy
Carlyle, last years champion slug
ger of the Southern Association.
Bucky Harris appears to have
found a lad who hits the ball as
hard and as far as ever Goose
Goslin did. He is a truly ferocious
"-zangler of the well-known horse
hide, but he is stiff-legged and
sadly lacking in the speed re-
quirements of a major Lacquer.
Unless the youngster can loosen
up a bit and show more activity
on his feet, he will hardly break
into the ranks of the champions
of the world.
Carlyle, who swings the heaviest
bat in camp, got his first peek at
a pitched ball served up by Allan
Russell. He laced it on a line into
deep right. Uncle Nick Altrock
patrolling that sector, posed, caught
the ball in his gloved hand, al
lowed it to roll caressingly around
the back of his neck. and then
tossed 1t toward the diamond. The
practice season was on that minute.
Later the Memphis slugger
faced George MOgridge and
JehOsaphat BrilIheart, sOuthpawS.
He treated them roughly, ham
meIing their soft pitching to the
wide open spaces I'm center and
right field. Now and then he
would send q hot shot through
the empty infield by way Of
variety.
Carlyle is a six-footer, heavy in
the shoulders, but not in the legs.
He stands up almost straight at
the plate and puts all he has into
his swing at the ball. II he Is re-
tanned, he might look good hitting
in the pinches. but he appears to
have sturdy competition. McNeely,
Matthews, and Leibold are all
faster, though not such sIuggers.
Speed is a necessity in the big
show, and Carlyle seems to lack a
sufficient quantity.
Eyes OF experts will be watching
the Memphis batsman here Satur.
day. He will hold down g place In
and show his stuff against the
Tampa Cuban An-Stars. Bucky
Harris likes CarIyIe's hitting
strength and will be pulling for the
youngster to show some fielding
ability.
Goslin. despite his long stay at
Hot Springs, was outshadowed by
Carlyle in that seasons initial bat
ting drill. The Goose swung and
swung and swung, usually popping
up lilies to the infield or over behind
the stand which held a goodly crowd
OF winter tourists shivering in muf.
ders and fur coats. 1t was a right
chilly morning.
Movie fans will soon see AItrOck,
Schacht, Matthews and Carlyle
grouped around q fire, trying to
keep warm. An enterpriSing blOke
took that picture. However, it
wasn't really as cold as that pic
ture might make one believe,
though a chilly wind kept the
athletes moving.
A real miracle took place in that
opening practice. For the first time
since he became q member of the
Washington club, George Mogrtdge
faced the batters on his first day out.
Always before he has loafed and
lazed his way through the first two
weeks entering the box only af.er
considerable cOaxing and hectoriIg
Being with q winner seems to have
filled the Duke of Rochester with n
lot of pep and ambition. Russell
opened the season on the rubber,
Mogridge following him without any
hesitation.
Walter johnson, Stah Coveleskie,
Fred Marbery, Curly Ogden and
Dutch Ruether were the only hurlers
who failed to take their turns on the
rubber. They contented themselves
with warming up, playing the bunt-
ing game and running around the
track. Coveleskie added some fungo
hitting to his portion before calling
q halt.