Evening star., 1925-04-02

OF his mound crew in the two engae
Pitching assignments for today's
battle with the Southern Association
team were likely to be Joe Martina
who has quite a few years behind
him, and Stanley Coveleskie, no
youngster in the hurting ring. To-
morrow, Manager Harris intends to
employ Walter Johnson, dean of
American League pitchers where
length of service is concerned, and
Vean Gregg, who probably does not
yield, even to John Picus Quinn in
the order of ages of moundsmen at
tached to teams of the Johnsonian
circuit.
OF this quartet, Martina and Cove
leskie have reached better pitching
form than either Johnson or Gregg,
but the Nationals pilot is of the opin-
ion that the latter pair can get
through game as handily as the
first two mentioned. johnson. though,
still insists that he is far from the
condition he should be in at this stage
of the training season, and that he
does not expect to round into good
form until before the American
League campaign is at least two
weeks old On the other hand. Gregg
declares that the soreness is gone
from his pitching arm and that d
continuation of moderately warm
weather for. a week will enable him
to fit himself thoroughly for the
start of the championship race.
Martina in Good shape
Martina was in fine fettle when he
left Tampa last week to come here
for few days visit with his family,
and in d workout yesterday in Peli-
can Park, oyster Joe did not seem to
have!lost any of his hurting effective
ness as a result of his lay-off from
the rigors of training. Coveleskie
appears TO be gaining strength and
confidence in his right wing daily.
In recent practices there has been
plenty of zip to his spit ball, his
most valuable pitching asset, and his
control has been of high order.
That Fred Marberry, who made
such splendid name for himself as
a relief pitcher last year, needs much
more work before he may be account
ed dependable, becomes more appar-
ent each time he steps to the mound
this Spring. Against the Giants at
Fort Benning Tuesday, MarberTy
showed next to nothing in his pitch
ing and came out of the game COM
planning of a very sore arm. The
husky Texan is far from right and
lays his lack of effectiveness to the
hand injury he sustained while at
Hot Springs.
The hurt prevented him from han
ding a ball until some time after
the other moundsmen of the squad
started actual hurting. The delay
probably set Fred back to some ex
tent, but more than likely his slow
ness in acquiring good pitching form
may be attributed to his lack of
physical condition more than any
thing else. He put on considera bic
weight during the Winter, and while
he has been working faithfully to
get rid of the superfiuous poundage
much of it still sticks.
Marberry is around the 200-pound
mark now, but Trainer Mike Martin
thinks the slabman should not tip. the
balance at more than 190 Most of
those 10 pounds are so placed as to
interfere seriously with the freedom
Of Fred's pitching motion, and getting
rid of them probably is not going to
be anything easy.
Martin has arranged a strenuous
conditioning program for Marberry,
and faithful adherence to it, which
may be expected of a toiler like Fred,
ought to accomplish wonders within
the next two weeks, provided the big
boy does not offset his physical work
with worry over his failure to get
into shape earlier. Fred is worrying
now, despite the efforts of those in
terested in his case TO keep him
well poised.
A long drill was held by the world
champions at Pelican Park yesterday,
and so pleased was Manager Harris
with training conditions here that
he has ordered extensive practice to-
day and tomorrow. But one mishap
marred the Wednesday drill. johnson
wrenched his right leg slightly
while toiling during batting practice
and came in after the workout with
a decided limp. Martin Immediately
began treating the hurt and both he
and the pitcher were sure it would
not prevent the latter from appearing
on the hill tomorrow.
Chisox Look Impressive.
In the afternoon yesterday a lot of
the Nationals, headed by the mana
ger, attended the game between the
Pencans and the White Sox. The Sox,
who were fellow guests with the
world champions at the hotel here
yesterday, are quite confident of at
tanning great success in the impend-
ing American League campaign. The
Nationals after viewing the Chicago
outfit in action are of the belief it
will have to be watched carefully dur
ing the pennant race.