The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-02-17
BIJRKES IS
AMP
ATTIRE
BY Louis A. Dougher

80"
BY Louis A. Dougher
TAMPA. Fla. Feb. II. - They
have a long, thin lad here, Bob
Burke. from Joe Cantillon's Little
Rock Club in the Southern Associa-
tion, who seems to have the entire
respect OF every other hurler in the
squad from the same circuit, despite
I the fact that he does not appear
70 measure up physically to any
.fOf the others.
Burke is 20 years old, stands an
inch and half above the six-foot
1 mark. yet weighs but $50 pounds.
One can almost see through him,
n he Is so thin. He looks like long,
! gawly boy when compared with
such behemoths as McEvoy, Van
Alstyne, Ogden or Hadley. He can
hardly be seen from the side, he
IL that shallow around the middle.
Don't worry about that kid, .
is said Hadley, who pitched for Biz.
mingham last season. Every time
he went up against us. he beat us
last year. He's thin, but he's got
4 something and as soon as he &C.
quires control. there won't be a
better southpaw around anywhere. .
Burke's gracefulness Is no
ticeabIe from the moment he
picks up a ball. He may be
gaWky and awkward walking
into the box, but that's all. He
" is q different lad the moment
be begins fOndling that ball.
From then on he IS graceful
ness itself.
AZ There is something beautiful
about the way he delivers the ball
to his catcher. His follow through
B motion of the wrist is not so much
different from similar motions of
1 those classic dancers seen on the
stage. He has serpentine motion
: from the wrist to the finger tips.
Hes only a boy now" says
Bucky Harris. HE probably has a
lot to learn. but he may develop
into another Mogridge. He looks
something like him right now, and
always think of Mogridge as one
of the most graceful pitchers !
ever saw
Tall, raWboned and most deter
mined looking, Burke left his home
In Joliet, ILL.,, and joined the Little
rock Club for his first professional
service. He won II and lost &
games for Cantillon's Club, which
is not so bad for a mere kid.
Joe Engel, scouting for Washing.
ton, happened to see this tall south
paw performing at Birmingham, and
he chased him half way around the
circuit. He saw him work against
several clubs and finally decided
him worth trying out here. The
lad may not make the grade at the
first attempt, but he seems to have
world of promise merely on his
looks in three days.
HE has a delivery all his
own" says Ralph Stewart,
another former Birmingham
pitcher. "He lets the ball go,
and it's right up on top Of you
before you're ready. When he's
not wild, he is a terror and
used to make us all look bad
last summer. I'm glad to see
him getting a big league trial.
each day the Griffmen have been
here, no practice session has been
missed yet, and the hard work is
beginning to tell on the boys, es-
pecially those needing to reduce
weight. The contingent OF fat boys
are already suffering sadly and
wishing they had moved around
more during the winter.
VTa1Io.1 Aa1I Gov. en- hn1IVs fn1lnxEyfT1eS
warming up and bunting drills. Is
becoming hardship, with Trainer
Martin cracking the whip as only
he knows how. In yesterdays vol.
ley ball more than one athlete had
to quit and limp to the clubhouse
with its soothing shower bath.
Bump" Hadley, Frank Lotus,
Curly Ogden and George Murray
are doing most Of the grunting.
while Leo Mangum doesn't smile
much when told to run around the
track in the hot sun attired in
heavy shirts and sweater. This IL
work of the hardest kind. The aft.
ernoons are now being used for
siestas by a large majority Of the
squad.
AS soon as Joe Carroll pulls into
4 viii be on the job Carroll may ar.
! rive today or tomorrow. John
Berger, the New Haven backstop, and
Garland Braxton. the forward Yam.
Z kee southpaw. are in uniform now.
Berger resembles Muddy Ruel, both
in size and facial appearance, though
they are as different in action as
night from day.
Nfin,1a To 4arnaa1e, SVnfiaI6 &c,
{ fast getting to look ready. The
Z diamond has been sowed and the
baselines dug up and rolled. BY
B next week the athletes may use it,
though not till the regulars arrive
& will it be actually needed,
With so many pitching can.
di6ates on the job, the spirit
o: competition has appeared and
Manager Harris, Coach OnslOw
holding the boys back. Each
wants to attract attention to
to his style. There is plenty
Of time for that, the season be-
gin almost two months away,
and the youngsters are being
Curbed continuously.
Dutch Ruether, who wore q
Washington uniform here last
spring and now with the Yankees
motored up from his home Ia
II Sarasota yesterday for peek al
& the squad. He was impressed by
its size and by the apparent cali
Der of the candidates.
"Bucky has my best wishes,
said Ruefher before deuartine hou1e