Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-16
BY FREDERICK G. LIEB.

oT. PETERSBURG, Fla. March
16.-Oyer at Tampa, Clark Grit
fifth and "Bucky" Harris have
~ had 81 pitchers under their sur
VIGILANCE. That's the record for
big leagues. Bill Donovan. former
Yankee chief, had Is at his Macon,
Ga. training camp in 1916, but WASH
ington has beaten this by three. Gfl'
with boasts that he has $4,000 tied
I'M in his new pitchers; not So much.
considering the present quotations on
base ball flesh.
Those 81 pitchers tell the real need
of the Washington club. 1t is a
rafting ball club. too. but its pitching
staff is its big question mark. Harris
has the two veterans Walter Johnson
and Stanley Coveleskie. Marberry his
crack relief man, "Curley" Ogden and
q drove of newcomers. These include
George Murray and Alvin Crowder'
who finished the 1926 season with
Washington and did exceedingly well,
Murray won six and lost three and
Crowder won seven and lost four. Both
of these chaps are regarded as regular
boxmen on the Nationals.
In the drove of new talent at the
Washington camp. Pitcher Horace
Lisenbee, a recruit from Memphis, APP
pears to be the Little Boy Blue. )"
They think a lot of him, while Gar
land Braxton. a left-hander procured
from the Yanks, also may make him.
self useful. Irving Hadley. recalled
from Birmingham, also may mt In.
Pennant Regarded Doubtful.
However, while Washington should
he a strong first division contender. it
is doubtful IL a club with such an UNI
certain staff of pitchers can regain the
top. Johnson and Coveleskie both are
a year older, and Big Barney is
starting his twenty-first season.
OF course. an outf1eld of Goslin,
Speaker and Rice is pretty sweet.
Speaker will help Goslin a lot in
teaching him how to play position:
That has been one OF the "Goose's"
failings, inability to play properly for
certain batsmen. In one of this
months practice games with Boston,
Goslin dragged down nine flies. so
Speakers coaching already is starting
to work.
Washington retains q nimble infield
in Bluege, Myer. "Bucky" Harris and
Judge, and Muddy" Ruel continues
as first string catcher. The Nationals
have picked up another husky young
catcher. John Berger, a recruit from
the Eastern League. He should stick.
There remains strong kick in that
Washington batting order. They led
the American League In hitting last
season, and they'll probably do it
again. But it takes time to build up
a new pitching staff. and it can't be
done in one year.
Yanlxs Are Standing Pat.
Higgins is practically standing pat
on the club which surprised the base
ball world by winning I'm 1926. I was
one OF the lucky ones who picked
them. and was as decidedly in the
minority. Right now i will be frank
and say it is doubtful II the club will
repeat.
That veteran Yankee pitching staff
of last year hung together just long
enough to win another flag That
early season winning streak of 16
games also piled up a reservoir of vic
tories which helped to resist the
ravages of the teams late season
slump.
Shocker, Shawkey. Ruether, Pen
mock and Hoyt of that veteran staff
are back. though Pennock was a hold
out when this was written 1t was
broken up sufficiently to send old Sam
Jones TO the Browns. Higgins is con-
centrating on young pitchers, but is
trying to do more with twirlers than