Evening star., 1925-04-12

alone remaining unimproved but the
need for more power in attack, and
preferably from an orthodox swinger
to help balance the preponderance of
southpaw sticksmiths. long has been
recognized and has been concIusiveIy
demonstrated in the exhibitions this
Spring
Jacobson would meet these require
ments to nicely. One of the biggest
men in base ball, towering well over
feet in height and weighing some
200 pounds, Jake swings a wicked
mace. He has proved consistently
good hitter, having achieved an aver
age OF 300 or better during his last
hNe or six seasons, and is just as
liable as not 10 hit for extra bases
any time he connects safely.
Jake Great Fielder.
The Baby Dolls value is not con-
fined to swatting, however. Although
Veritable giant in stature. he is re-
markably fast on his feet and.
against the Washington club at
least, has shown an ability TO 90 and
get them surpassed by no fly chaser
! in the league, not even the redoubt-
able iris Speaker. As a base runner
Bill is nothing to brag about but he
has strong throwing arm, and his
uncanny ability to place himself for
rival batsmen together with his
proved punching power more than
offset his admitted tendency to gum
| things bit when on the base lines
An evidence of his fielding ability
| is found in the fact that last season
| he caught more A balls than any
outfielder in either of the big leagues
On the score that it would be mad
vIsable to acquire a veteran who has
| left most of his career behind him in
| exchange for a sprightly youth like
| McNeely, who is not expected to fully
| realize on his capabilities for several
| seasons yet. it can be cited that the
| Nationals now are not in the position
they occupied for so many years Of
| trying to build up d winner They
have won the most -sought-for titles
| the game affords, and their problem
| is to hold on to these honors, is was
patiently explained when the club
| stepped out and landed three aged
| performers like Ruether. Gregg and
| Coveleskie. Jacobson is no doddering
| old man. He has passed the 30-yearF
mark, It's true, but he is a clean-liy-
| ing athlete who reasonably may be
| expected to furnish Grade A service
for some four or five years to come.
| certainly plenty of time for the pur-
chase or development of youngster
| to replace him
! McNeeIy "Lucky" Player.
1t is not believed that the outlay
| involved in the acquisition of McNeeIv
would influence the Washington man
4 agement to veto dicker for Jacob
/ son. Earl was obtained late in the
season of 1924 from the Sacramento
| club OF the Pacific Coast League at
an expenditure of $4,000
| This proved a wise investment. for he
plugged the hole existing in center field
and attained an average of $50 in the
As games he played in as a Griffman. in
| addition TO more than holding his own
in the Autumn classic. This Spring Earl
\ has given fairly satisfactory perform
ance in the practice games, but the
I question of whether he really is of
| major league caliber has not vet been
| determined. He has in his favor youth.
| speed and aggressiveness, but whether
! ne Will live up to the promise he has
given time alone will tell.
one rather significant thing about Nc
Neely work is that most of the safe
/ ties he has registered have been some
| what lucky in aspect-Texas I,eaguers.
drives that invariably fell in unp1iarded
| Spots and pokes that he contrived to
| peat out. due to his speed of foot OF the
| oS satetles he registered last season as
National, but II went for extra dis
tance, for two bases and for trinles
mus lar ne mas shaped up as a lucky
| payer ana such performers are valu-
aDle TO club, but not so valuable as
| an athlete of demonstrated worth Ike
jacobson, whose 1S4 hits in 152 games
| last season for an average of 31S in
| GUIDED Al doubles, II triples and 10
| home runs.
HAS Hidden Batting Weakness
| 1t is a known fact that McNeeIv hos
1 a serious hattiOpr
yet not generally known but it is hound
| 10 become common property among tbe
pltchers in the American League heforn
| the coming season has progressed verJ
/ Tar. IoE- the hurierS naturally make II
their business to learn just such things.
ana when this happens McNeely's i'm
pressive average for the six weeks -,
so he spent in the big show last sesso,,
| may De expected to take decided
| tumble.
I In addition. Earl's throwing arm, .js
none too rugged. 1t will be recaliaJ
that he was suffering with a lame
| wing when he joined the Nationals
Iast season, to such an extent that
1 Clark Griffith entered official nro+ast
1 that the Sacramento owners had haar
guilty of Misrepresentation. McNeelys
since has had his arm tinkered with
Dut his work in the Spring eran,es
this year indicates his arm is far
from strong.
Ball May BaIk.
| 1t may be that the general dis
inclination of all club owners to make
deal calculated to strengthen
championship outfit win initiate
| against any efforts that maybe made
by the Nationals to acquire Jacobson.
andN 1t also is not beyond the realm
of possibilities that President Phil
Ball may refuse to consider a trade
with Washington because of the
rumpus anent Ban Johnson last
Winter when he alone of the club
owners championed the cause of the
American League executive.
1t is our humble; opinion. however
that McNeely-for- ] AGO bson swan
| would be fine thing for the Ma
tionals. 1t is known, that Earl is
held in high esteem by Manager
George Sisler and the rest of the
Browns against whom he always has
| played whale of game and it Is
believed that IL Sisief ok's the trade
! PofI vxvfN