Evening star., 1925-03-19
Philadelphia Nationals
Finished Seventh in 1924
Won 55, Lost rs; Pct, 1854

! II never like to make predictions
! and the pills are not half through
/ their work of preparation" said Ar
| thur Fletcher in Bradentown one
day last week.
Il have seen enough, however, to
| convince me that the team of 1925 is
going to be far above that of 1924
| believe we are in for good sea-
son and that we will show enough
/ gain TO make it pay TO continue our
policy of developing youngsters"
| When the ages OF some of the
| Philadelphia outfielders and the
| pitching regulars are recalled this
may cause some surprise, but the
| fact is that Fletcher is working now
on in infield combination that will be
the youngest in the big leagues. And
not all of his pitchers are sere and
yellow veterans. The outfeld is about
evenly divided between age and
youth.
AS il stands now. 24year old
Heinie Sand is the veteran Of the
Quaker infield. He has developed
into a better than everage short
stop after .spasms of errors in his
first two years in Philadelphia.
With Horace Ford on the retired
list the youthful kimmick of the
Vernon Coast League Club, who once
had trial with the Reds, VIII be at
second base. At first will be Chick
EN-" Hawks, who was once a Yankee
and a fieet-footed and handy hitting
outfielder. He has been converted
into a first baseman and according
to the opinion of those who have seen
him play both her and in the Southern
Association last Summer, he viii
about rob Wilter Holke of his place,
though Holke will be retained
Another daring experiment of
Fletcher's is TO place Bill Huber, a
young star from the Texas League,
at third base. He has made great
| impression. shows fine speed, hits
the ball and throws well. Russell
Wrightstone is available for third;
but here again there is complica-
ton, for Fletcher plans to place
Wrightstone in the outfield for his
| batting ability.
Cy Williams, the home run hitter;
Johnny Mokan, George Harper, George
Burns. just signed from the Cincin-
natl Reds; Schultz, Heinrich and Leach
| are all striving for places in the out
| field. There's a chance that Fletcher
will take up Branch Rickey's "rever-
sible" outfield idea, using some COM
bination like Williams, Harper and
| Wrightstone against against right
handlers. and Mokan, Burns and
Schultz against southpaws. There's
plenty of material, and all of the can
didates can hit
Two young catchers, Butch" Hen
| line and Jack Wilson, and veteran,
| Lew Wendell, will take care of the
catching. Henline, year ago, was
rated as one of the best in the Ma
tiona1 League. but Wilson is coming
fast and it will be hard to keep him
out of the game.
It's the general opinion that Fletch-
er will have to get some new pitch
ing blood if he is going to arise from
the depths. Jimmy Ring, Belts, Carl
son, Johnny Couch, Clarence Mitchell.
! Wilbur Hubbell and Joe Oeschger, all
but castoffs from other clubs, have
been around a long time and have
taken beating after beating in the
cause of the Phils. To them have
been added Dana FilIingim, turned
loose by the Braves and recalled after
year in Texas.
The youngsters of promise are
Knight and O'Neal, both Texas
Leaguers, and Ulrich, last season with
Waterbury in the Eastern League. If
they can bolster up the pitching staff
the Phils may get somewhere
The team hits hard and well and
there Is promise of more speed on the
bases. II the infleId defense improves
that will help the pitchers. There
may be the improvement in June and
| July that the energetic and able lead
er hopes for now.