Evening star., 1926-03-16


Coveleskie. Walter Johnson. Joe Bus
campaign.
Curley Ogden, recalled late last
season from Chattanooga. ana VII
lard Morrell, who had ben suffering
with a sore fiinSing wing, strutted
their stuff for the first time yester-
day, when the regular National line
up defeated the Tampa Cubans. s
to I.
Of the veteran hurlers 10 be pressed
into service this week. CoveleSkle
probably is the most advanced IN
training The big Pole, who was the
surprise of his league in q National
uniform last year. after poor l9-f
season with the Indians. declares he
never has felt more lit at this stage
of the training grind. and he certain
" appears to he in splendid trim.
Was Overweight Last Year.
Last wear Covey reported at camp
somewhat overweight and had TO 90
4 deal of work to bring hlmseil
around to good playing form. MOI
nptil about the middle OF May dld
he reach what he regards as the
peak of condition for him. Now
however. he believes himself to he
"A that DOlIll dllllOSl tL lltO'it''
the championship season is to open.
He has been working diligently. es-
necially during the past week, at inns
training camu. lie was the hrst OF
the veterans to bear down IN ms
nitchins to batters in the daily Wand
drills. and in workouts on the Slde
line during the last three or Iouf
davs he has thrown few Spltters'
merely 10 get the feel OF ms arm.
he SAYS Covey is Slutton Lol
work. despite his long service III tiie
big show. and plainly IS eaee' 70
set plenty of it i'll the training SEA
son contests from now on.
Iohnson's arm apparently Is as
stronr as il has been at any Time
during the past five years. Time
saems TO take little toll OF the great
,i.,ht handlers salary wing. lie mas
been whizZinS the ball to the catcheIs
I'm daily drills since early last Wees
toiling both on the side line ana on
the hill He does his bit al pltch1ns
IN hatters in every practice. he
nrohahly will be sent into one Of the
games against the Phillies that are 10
he plaved Thursday and Friday.
Barney's Legs Feel Strong.
Last season Johnson was troubled
considerably with his legs-somethihs
TO be expected by an athlete VINO mas
been in harness as long as W after.
But at present his underpinnins
seems to be quite strong. he mas
wintered WELL getting an abundance
of exercise, hunting and golhng, ana
In his work here has experienced none
of the leg soreness that handicapped
him so often last year. johnson Is
rather confident that there VIII ne no
recurrence OF the trouble in the I'M
pending campaign.
Both Bush and Ruether are round
ing into form in great style. Inc
Brown transfer has deal OF speeu
and is not afraid to show 1t this early
in the conditioning grind. he also
hurls 20 batters daily and does not
serve them straight pitches all the
time. Ructher. late in signing with
the club, did some training at the
Giant camp at Sarasota before JOIN
ing the Nationals and it must have
done him Il world of good, for he mas
made rapid progress during the past
week. Dutch very likely will do some
uitching against the Giants next sat
urClay.
While the rockies to be retained
urol,ablv have been definitely select
ed. although there has been no an
nouncement from club headquarters
as to the ones to stick. Manager Har-
ris wants to see some of them per
form against big league batting talent.
He is especially interested in Irving
Hadlev, former Brown University
HEAVIER. who has given indications or
possessing real pitching ability. rms
i.otund young fellow probably will be
one of the Nationals to toe the slab
against the Phillies.
NorrpIrs Arm Now q. Il.
In their workouts against the Gu.
hans Yesterday, ogden and Morrell
did we'll Curley was off to Il slow
start and took some punishment IN
the first inning. hut the Tampa bunch
was helpless before his Slants in the
next two rounds. Morrell. who tolled
in the last trio of innings, appeared
to have something on the sphere. lie
had some speed. and employed good
curve occasionally. He declared after
his workout that his arm did not
trouble him at all.
The most impressive performance
by National during the fray was
offered by Buddy Myer at shortStop.
This young fellow. who came from
New Orleans to the Nationals last
Fall hacked by a lot Of glowing re-
ports of his capabilities as a fielder
and hitter played UP to those reports
for the first time since Joining the
American League champions. He was
a flash about the short field. accepting
II chances. most of which We're eX-
ceptionallv difficult to handle. Sew
ey-al of his nine assists were of
variety bordering on the marvellous.
He has Il great throwing arm. and
shoots strikes" TO the first sacker.
He was credited with only one hit,
a triple over the center fielder's head.
or nf n q ri
hit ground balls in two other batting
turns held down his clouting percent
age The last two times he stepped
TO the niate he drew passes. Myer
is virtually a chop-hitter. but he
seems to get as much into his punch
as do many swing hitters. His legs
are loosenine fast as result of the
special sprinting exercises and he
now can streak around the paths.
Peck Stepping Around Lively.
Myer probably will be given briet
respite from toll Thursday. Roger
Peckinpaugh, veteran shortstop, now
is thought to be ready for use and
will get into part Of the first game
with the Phillies. according to Mama
ger Harris. Peck. who arrived here
late carrying a bit of extra poundage,
seems to be down to normal playing
weight and he has been stepping
around in a lively manner during
fielding drills the past few days.
The Cubans gave the Nationals an
interesting tusSle for several innings
yesterday. They go. TO the slow
starting Ogden for Il single, double
and triple that netted two tallies in
The first inning, but the big leaguers
by hard work contrived to tie the
count before the third frame had
finished "A h9Se on bal1S and two
bagger off Hal Smith. with Tates