Evening star., 1927-05-15
M DICK SMELLING TO REPORT
Is TO GRIFFMEN NEXT MONTH
sslo DAYTON u. Athlete, a Six-Footer Weighing I95
Pounds, Has Reputation Varsity Pitcher.
Speaker Day" Opens Poorly for Iris.

LEVELAND, May 14.--Rich-
ard Smelling, n young CleVe-
e lander, is to join the Ma
~ tionals in Washington the
first week in June for trial
as n pitcher Smelling now awaits
only his graduation from the Cniver-
sitv of Dayton before reporting 10
Manager Bucky Harris.
AccOrding to sports writer's of the
Cleveland papers, Smelling 1s one OF
the greatest ana most versatile attn
letes ever to go out of Cleveland.
While a student at Dayton, Smelling
starred in foot ball and basket bali
as we'll as base ball. but it is in base
ball that he won his greatest fame.
The young man was given the spot
light while still a student at Cathe-
tlral Latin. where he pitched three no
hit games When at Latin Smelling
was one of the outstanding schooiboy
pitchers of the city and lost but few
games. While still at Latin, Smelling
starred for a class G nine and was
as effective in the sandiOt circles as
he was in high school.
Versatile on the Diamond.
In college, Smelling did not confine
his base ball to pitching. Because of
his great hitting ability he was used
in the outfield and at third base, when
not in the box. During his first year
in college he was forced to battle
against three experienced pitchers for
a place on the team but won berth
and in his first game let Huntington
College down with six hits:
The following year he pitched and
won three games, defeating Winning
ION and Butler-teams that had beat
en- other Dayton pitchers. Last year
he pitched two shutouts and won three
other games when going to the relief OF
some pitcher. Late in the 1926 season
he was shifted to third base. when the
regular occupant of that position was
hurt, and finished out the year there.
This season Smelling has been divld-
ing his time between the box and
centerfield His outstanding pitching
performance of this Spring was a no
hit game against Toledo, in which
only one ball was hit past the infleld.
Errors, however, allowed several
d, Toledo batters to reach first base.
Smelling is batting $3.50 for the season
and included among his hits are eight
home runs.
Smelling is a husky 22.year-old ath-
lete, standing an even feet ana
weighing around 1875 pounds. He was
~-~--
by Francis Powers, former director OF
athletics at Dayton University.
What price glory? Although TINS
was iris Speaker day at Dunn Field
and the former Indian chieftain, now
a member of the Nationals. was great
Nv honored by his one-time fellow
townsr1en prior TO this afternoon
contest, he was only stranger when
he arrived at the Cleveland Union
Station from Chicago this morning.
The citizens committee that was to
meet Iris missed him at the train ana
he entered the depot unheralded. Spoke
couId not find the car he had been IN
formed would be waiting for him at the
station entrance and asked ponce.
man where it might be parked. The
policeman knew nothing OF car LOT
'.Mr. Speaker" nor even of Mr.. Speak
er" himself and it was not before sew
eral station officials were called on for
aid that the famous base ball player
was made to feel at home in his Old
town.
But the citizens of Cleveland more
than made amends for this slip dur
ing the ceremonies at the bail YARD
This afternoon. Bands blared, dele
cations from fraternal and civic or
ganizations and city police and fire
departments made speeches and pre-
sentations and City Manager William
r. Hopkins handed Spoke the key
of the city. Among the many gifts
were a $500 silver table service, a
wrist watch. a life size oil portrait
in a gorgeous gold frame and stacks
OF flowers.
Homage to Speaker was not to be
ended today. Monday night he will
head a parade of cowboys and In
tiians at the formal opening of
rodeo and Tuesday night he will be
rendered q banquet by the citizens
OF Cleveland.
After all OF this, iris will get back
to his big business of playing base
ball.
Considering the handicaps it has
been compelled to buck against, the
Washington club has done fairly well
so far, but now that most Of it's mem
bers are in good condition physically
once more it will have to step along
at a lively rate If it would find itself
in the pennant race in another month.
And stepping along at a lively rate
cannot be done unless there is a dis
tinct Improvement in the work of
three players now reckoned as reg
ulars.
Those particularly off form are Sam
Rice in right field, Muddy Ruel behind
the bat and Ossie Bluege at third base.
Rice has failed to hit effectively and
perhaps this has so depressed him
that his fielding has fallen off. Sam
has not been covering the amount of
territory Washington fans have been
accustomed to see him care for in
other seasons and several times his
: sluggishness has proved costly
Ruel. although he has been banging
the ball right well, so far has failed
to reveal a good throwing arm and
recently runners of rival clubs have
been taking advantage of this heaving
weakness. Once the Nationals have
been around the circuit, players of
the opposition are likely to take many
chances with Muddy's arm.
While never a fiery player, Bluege
has in past seasons been rema rkable
for the steadiness of his play around
the hot corner. This year, however
he has not Jared so well afied. leaving
much Of the plays to his left TO the
shortstop and letting go through TO
safety many drives to his right that
he formerly used to intercept.
Ii does not seem the charley horse