Evening star., 1927-03-25

Il plans. SO Manager Stanley
Harris on the casual list with
several others of his regular order, is
revising his scheme for the employ
ment of utility players in such an
Z emergency that he conceived some
! time ago.
While the clubs select order was on
active duty, Harris planned to employ
Emmett McCann at first base should
8 Joe Judge meet with a mtshap, while
Stuffy Stewart was to film in at Sec
ond should the pilot become incapaci-
tated. Nick Cullop, regarded as a pos
sible initial sack substitute, was look.
ed upon more as a reserve outfielder.
All that figuring seems to have been
for naught. Now Harris has about
Z decided that while the index fingers
of his right hand hurt so sew erely dur
ing the game with Cardinals at Avon
Park last Monday is healing, the Sec
ond sack job will be handled by Nc
Cam instead of Stewart and the first
basing done by Cullop as hong as
Judge continues on the shelf.
Harris still thinks Mccain can be
made into very capable understudy
to Judge, but believes the lanky in
fielder bought from Columbus is an es.
pecialy good middle station performer
and should get the call over Stewart
for the position, when the manager is
ailing.
Had Good Batting Mark.
Although American associa ton
statistics show Mccain sixth am ong
the second basemen who took part in
more than 100 games, Boss Bucky
says Mac impresses him as good
fellow to have around that ba Sc.
Maybe Harris is thinking more of ! he
NJ 4.
than of Macs .957 record afield.
AS for Cullop, he is getting alorig
fairly well as a first sacker substitute,
even though he has no liking for the
Job. While not Hal Chase about tn e
bag, Nick can dig 'em out of the diEt
and pull EN- down in addition to COW
ering a deal of ground to grab drives,
and bounders from the opposition
bats. He was just about the best per"
forming man outside of the pitching
department of the lot of Nationals
that took a 12-to-5 drubbing from the
Phillies yesterday on Plant field.
Cullop contributed a single and a
two-bagger to the rather weak Ma
tfonal attack and was credited with
ia putouts at first base. He got every
thing that came anywhere near him,
twice making sensational stops and
outsprinting the batter to the sack
and once coming to the rescue of
Benny Tate when a high wind so
twisted a pop fly that the catcher
could not get under it. Nick had to
race almost to the plate to get under
the ball, but he grabbed it deftly.
McCann is apt to remain on the job
at second base for some time, but
Cullop probably will have to take
care of the Nationals first basing for
only game or two more, for Judge
IS to be among the flock of athletes
due to leave tonight for st. Augustine,
where the giants will be played to-
morrow and Sunday and may get into
both of these engagemeflts. Joe s
muscle strain has been relieved to a
great extent and he is. eager to get
back into the lineup.
Bucky May Miss Opener.
It's different with Harris, though.
His throbbing finger still is consider
ably swollen, and the pilot and Trainer
Mike Martin fear it will be some days
before it heals. There is great
chance that Bucky will not be ready
TO assume his ,gular job at second
when the Amel IAN League campaign
starts on April IL, and in that event
It will be McCann and not Stewart
who VIII fill in there, according to
present plans.
Although neither iris Speaker, who
Is nursing an injured left knee. nor
Sam Rice, affected by a slight charley
horse in his right leg, will go TO st.
Augustine for the clashes with John
McGraw's outfit, both of these vet
Grams seem TO be recovering rapidly
from their ailments and probably will
return to action next Monday. Speaker
was UP and about yesterday, although
he did not don a uniform. while Rice
turned out for the morning drill and
went through light workout
Another to break into the National
lineup next week will be Muddy Ruel,
1irst-string catcher of the club the
past four seasons. Muddy, who, has
been conditioning himself here since
the first Of the month, has been pro-
nounced fit for duty by Trainer Mar.
tin and is likely, according to Man.
ager Harris, TO go behind the bat for
fhe first time this year when the
Dodgers are played here next Monday.
Muddy is more than eager to show
that he still should be rated among the
best receivers in the business, too, and
will Welcome the chance to crash into
O. regular game.
Ralph Stewart, young right-hand
pitcher purchased last year, has been
sent back TO the Birmingham club.
While with the Barons, Stewart gave
promise Of developing into a f1fsf rate
moundsman, but sinus trouble that ne
suffered here impaired his work.
Those directing the Nationals still be-
lieve Ralph has the makings of a fine
slabman, but they could not afford TO
wait until he was relieved OF his all
ment before giving him more thor
ough trial. Stewart was to leave
camp today.
Manager Harris viii accompany the
squad of 21 players that will depart
tonight for st. Augustine. He will
take along eight pitchers for the ef-
fort to even the annual series with