Evening star., 1927-03-05

against washington CLUB
composed largely of rockies
the Boston Braves would be called on
TO face a liberal sprinkling Of Grifi-
THAN regulars in the game marking
the 1927 inaugural for both teams here
this afternoon.
A vast improvement in the weather
Yesterday, which enabled the athletes
to indulge in long and beneficial
practice session after two DAYS of
semi-Arctic conditions. and the even
more salubrious brand on tap today
accounts for the change in the tao
tical schedule.
AS a result Manager Harris altered
his daily drill program. assigning the
youngsters to the opening period of
toll. They went through their PAGES
In the forenoon Just as If there was
no diamond battle to follow and then
washed up for luncheon. They are
due to climb back into their uniforms
after the midday meal, however. and
hold themselves in readiness for the
call to battle should there presence
be required.
The regulars, except for favored
few, such as Walter Johnson, Stan
Coveleskie, Hollis Thurston Fred
Marberry and Muddy Ruel were ex-
cused from toll in the forenoon, but
were ordered to be on deck promptly
at | o'clock. An hour and half Of
batting practice was scheduled for
them. with some fielding calesthen.
tics in its wake. Then they were to
call it a day or hang around and
Jump into the battle. listed tn start at
$50 o'clock, just a S they choose.
Many Vets May Play.
1t was uncertain how many would
feel they were sufficiently advanced
in physical condition to warrant the
strain of real combat. involving as
1t does the risk of injury through
taking chances that can be avoided in
mere practice, but the indicat tions were
that about so per cent of them would
elect to ornament the field for at
least part of the fracas. giving way
after few rounds to the ambitious
rockies.
There was no change contemplated
In the pitching program, Horace
Llsennee. Alvin Crowder and De-
catur, Jones being billed each to |
travel three-inning route, although |
not necessarily in that order. These |
three have shown an encouraging |
amount Of both stuff and control in |
the daily drills and their work was
not expected to suffer in compa rison
with that of Foster Edwards, Elmer |
Hearn and Arthur Mills, the trio
carded to represent the Beaneaters on |
the hill
Z, 1t was assured, also, that backstop- |
ping for the Nationals would be at |
tended to by Benny Tate and John |
Berger. incidentally, considerable in |
terest will attach TO the showing of |
the latter, for, with but two other |
receivers on the roster. he may see |
more than a little active service |
when the championship campaign gets
under way.
To say that the youngster drafted
from New Haven of the Eastern
League has more than fulfilled ex.
pectations to date would be putting
1t mildly, for he has made distinctly
favorable impression on the efficiency
experts comprising the Washington
board of strategy.
Berger Thows Well.
Berger, "a years old. is a, sizeabIe |
chap of feet inches, weighing |
'165 pounds, and already has demon
strated that he has regular sling |
shot arm. His pegging to the bases
has been one of the outstanding fea-
lures Of the rockies infield work
thus far. He needs neither a run |
ming start nor a wind-up, but gets
the ball away from him with a snappy
wrist motion that sends il sailing on
low line to the waiting base guardi-
ans in manner that cannot be ap.
preached by either of his fellow
catchers.
Mechanically, Berger has given in |
dications of being a more promising |
receiver than Tate. although he has |
not vet demonstrated that he ranks |
with Benny in punching prowess, and |
his penchant for bulIs-eye pegging |
may result in him getting far more |
work than ordinarily falls to the lot |
OF third string receiver, If an idea |
TnnrAfNnd hx~ Mo- IIas
to be well founded.
The pilot has hunch that base
running, which fell into such a decline
with the introduction of the so.called
rabbit ball that IL became almost |
negligible. is due for a gradual revival
and that the coming campaign will |
produce considerably more activity on
the paths than has been witnessed for
several seasons
Berger should he of considerab ble
help to us this season." Harris oh.
served as he prepared to supervise the /
drill of the rockies today IF the art |
of cushion hooking is given more |
attention this year, as have a notion
Will this youngstef may prove a
decided asset
Could BE Used i'm Pinch.
Suppose for instance. we are along |
about the seventh inning of close |
contest with a rival runner on first |
ana In the position where a stolen |
base might lead to the tally that |
Wouid cost us game. We could slip |
this Kid in to nip that and near the |
end, If he was due up in tight place |
we could sidetrack him and use |
pinch hitter
1T remains to he seen whether he |
possesses the faculty of keeping a |
clear picture Of the situation before |
him, or the intuitive smartness of |
head receivers need in sizing IN op. |
posing batsmen and calling for the |
type of pitch calculated to throw them /
OF their stride. hut he appears to he |
unusually well versed in the funda- |
mentals of catching
so far as hitting is concerned |
Bergers records with New Haven last
year was nothing 10 hrag about but
he doesn't look bad up there at the
plate and he can gradually improve
himself in that respect. He got three
hits In the game Griff attended last
Summer To look him over. He knew
Grif was there and what he was
there for and came through. That
means something you know. | con.
slider him a very promising prospect"
Bob Burke. the lean left-ha nder oh.
tatDed from Little Rock. continues TO
impress camp critics with his roper
toire of twiSterS. and has proved one
of the most apt Of the pitching pupils
in the squad. Instructed by Nick Alt.
rock in the art of hurting A slow ball.
an adjunct essential to mix with his
speed and bender, the youngster
grasped the idea in short order and
already has attained considerable pro
f1ciencv in it's use. Yesterday he was
shifted from the second Souad to