Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-21
By DENM.AN THOMPSON.
Snort. Ea.tor. Ma Slar.

NtpsR% F4O4tN' rug Efa'
" AMPA. Fla. February 2i.-Ad-
ditional strength Tor the catch.
Ing staff Of the Washington
hall club was obtained today
with the signing OF Jack Eiair,
q voungSter with a Statewide reputa-
ton for diamond prowess.
Blair. who Is 10 wears old. and lives
1T West Palm Beach. was recon-,
,aended 10 President Griffith by Dave
Davis. formerly connected with the
coaching staff Of Vale University. On
trln's invitation. Blair paid him a
visit last week and was made an offer
which he accepted by wire yester-
lay after going home 10 confer with
bis folks.
Blair first attracted attention
Through his work for the West Palm
Reach team in the Florida Winter
League. and carries the Endorsement
81 Manager Martin az that outfit. Ac-
rording 10 Griff the newest recruit is
husky, fine-looking lad with big
frame and strong hands. He is
iight-hand hitter.
Blair will prove handy in receiving
ne offerings Of the fingers in train
ing here and then probably will be
farmed out somewhere for develop
ment. He is due to join the squad
for his initial workout today.
Catching Stan Problem
With the pitching situation Of the
Nationals settled as we'll as it can be
at this early preseason date, a bit of
speculation regarding the remainder of
the personnel of the club should not
go amiss.
Harold Ruel. Bennett Tate and John
Berger will, of course, constitute the
lackstopping brigade unless Blair
should unexpectedly prove worthy of
a regular job. Whether this trio will
prove entirely adequate constitutes
large-sized question. It's a well
established fact that Muddy's arm is
not SO good as it used to be, and
hasn't been for a couple of sea sons.
and at his age-30-little Improvement
reasonably can be expected.
Benny has a better whip, and is a
dangerous customer at the plate in a
pinch, but he is not rated as the
smartest receiver in the circuit by
couple Of city blocks, although at his
age he rightfully may be regarded as
coming rather than going. the lead
ing citizen of West Frankfort, H.
having spent but % Summers OF this
mortal coil.
OF Berger not so much is known.
Those who saw him in action with
New Haven of the Eastern League
last season assert he has a stronger
Throwing arm than either of hiss
mates. But his rather anemic stick
ing mark of .259 indicates he will not
prove much of an asset on attack,
and his lack of experience also is
bound to handicap him.
InfieId Reserve Seems Good.
Conjecture regarding the infield
and garden squads must of necessity
be confined to the reserves, for 1t
is assured in advance that the near
Gordon will be composed of Joe Judge
at first, Manager Harris at second
Buddy Myer at short and Ossie Bluege
at third, while the garden berths
already have been assigned to Leon
Allen Goslin. Tristan Speaker and
Edgar G. Rice-to use their real
names by way of novelty. !
With three catchers and the limit
for pitchers arbitrarily set at 10 and
the other regular positions allotted,
but five vacancies eXist-three in the
infield and two in the most distant
sector--and for which there are nine
candidates.
Earl McNeely, who. until Speaker
was landed doomed as the logical
choice to continue in the outfield, is
certain to be retained. The Coast
boy, who was obtained four years ago
at an expenditure of $4,000, has a
habit of lettering the 800 mark as a
hitter, and has speed to burn. while
the fact that he is but 81 now makes
further improvement seem not I'M
reasonable.
Neis i'm Salary Squabble.
III.
West are the other fy-chasing as
pirants, and a titantic tapping trio
they are. according to their minor
league records. So far as experience
is concerned, the first named has
distinct edge, as at the age of 20 he
already has spent several seasons in
the big show as a member of the
Brooklyn Dodgers. But NeiS may be- |
come involved in a salary controversy
that will have a distinct bearing on
his status.
1t seems that when he was rele-
gated to the Buffalo Club Of the In |
ternational League last season the
Dodgers agreed to pay the difference |
between the quite generous stipend |
he had received as a major Lacquer
and what the BiSons could afford. He |
was landed at the draft price of 81 900, |
but with the prospect of being moth |
ing more than bench warmer in
Washington it is assured that his |
former salary will be cut almost to |
half, and this fact may cause him to
baik SO Strenuousiy that he will have |
TO be disposed of.
Tucker, who received his first big
league inspection right here several
years ago and since has had a couple
If trials with the Yankees, only to
always slide back to New Orleans, has
established beyond question that he
is a natural hitter of the smuggling
type. but his capabilities III other re-
spects remain TO be seen. When he |
first started out Ollie WAS overly |