Evening star., 1926-02-17

mated at from 90 to IS per cent OF
OF Walter Johnson, Stan Coveleskie,
berry and Dutch Ruether naturally
hurting aspirantS grouped in a hazy
Whether Johnson can continue
his twentieth season as a National
champions debate, followed by conf
other good season in his ancient so,
much benefited by change OF scene
They are prone to speculate on
whether Marberry's arm, injured last
Summer, will permit him to shine
with his usual brilliance in relief roles,
whether Ferguson can be banked on
for continued high-clasS service, and
whether Ruether will keep in condi-
tion to deliver to the degree he is
known to be capable Of.
Like Mound Prospects.
Having mused along these lines,
hackers of the Griffmen then are apt
10 recall with regret that Zachary
and Baliou no longer are on the roster
and dismiss the remainder of the staff
aS Il collection OF INFESTED rockies
who have only an outside chance of
really helping the title holders.
But not so Clark Griffith and Stan
Harris. They believe that i'll Kelley
anu L HOllldS, dl ISdSl, liley nave d
pair of Juveniles destined to make
their marks in major league base bail,
and what is more to the point, are
convinced that Warren Ogden will
prove one Of the greatest surprises of
lhe campaign.
Ogden demonstrated what he is ca
paDle of the Summer before last, when
he was obtained for song from Con
lie Mack, who had him tabled as
through" by winning some eight
straight games, and thereby tidlnS
the Nationals over critical period
and putting them in Il position to nose
out the Yankees at the wire.
Last year ogden got started none
too well and with IL wing that gave
him trouble off and on over Il long
period, 1aiied to measure up 10 Specl-
ncationS, with the result that he was
tarmed out TO the Chattanooga club.
Returning at the end OF The South
ern Association season the Shelk OF
Swarthmore displayed SO much class
that, had he been eligible, he I'M
doubtedly would have geen drafted
for service IN the world series argu-
ment with the Pirates.
Ogden Has Confidence.
This year he has reported feeling
better than ever before in the Spring
and believes he can attain TO the dis
tInction of d hrstStrlnS performer
with the Nationals, d conviction that
both Griffith ana Harris are inclined
TO share.
Il have a lot of confidence in Cur.
ly,' was the observation of Harris
today, as the pilot eyed him in action
1ieldlng bunts ut Plant Field. He
looks TO be III great shape. A tritie
over weight, perhaps, but with this
kind OF work in the warm weather
we are having here, he should be
down TO the proper mark in short
order.
Curly has "a great advantage over
the rest OF this bunch" harris con-
tinued, indicating with a sweeping
gesture the perspirlng juveniles com
prising the early squad, because of
MS experience. He Is u cagey- chap
andslt his arm We're as strong as the
average he would give EN- all a battle
for top ranking.
~ weak shoulder has been Ogden s
sole handicap, but there is no good
reason why IL should remain that way
II proper care is taken of it and he
Is not oVerWOrked. In condition he
has Il fast ball that almost any pitcher
would envy, but his noodle is his best
asset and II he doesn't prove valued
player to us this season L will be
greatly mistaken"
Griffith Lauds Curly.
ogden showed enough last fall t.
convince me that he Will prove a
telling factor Tor us in the box this
year, was the way Griff put it, Il
never realized before that he had such
stuff. No one with a weak shoulder
could make a ball perform the way
ne did. lie knows what its all about
has good head, and if he doesn't
win lot of ball games this year
III be very much disappointed. |
venture the prediction that lie will
earn regular berth right from the
start"
At the close of his first work.
out of the year with the Nationals
Marberry chortled the belief that the
kink he developed in the elbow OF
his pitching arm last season has
been completely eliminated. Fred
did some tossing at his home in Texas
before coming here and, after letting
out a little yesterday, voiced his con
tidence in the fact that his arm will
cause him no more concern.
Firpo is some 10 or l. pounds
above his best playing weight, which
happens to be 1876, but he has rrac
tically two months in which to re
duce, and by taking the surplus Off
gradually he hopes to be in prime
condition for the start of the sea
son, barring some accidents such as
that which befell him last year al