Evening star., 1928-03-06
BY prN,lAN THOMPSON.
snar,. ri,;or Of The Star.

RI nENMAN 1hOMk SoNs
Sports E,i,,or Of The Star.
~ANgPA. Fla, March 6,-Not the
smallest part of the problems
~e of a manager seeking to thrash
= ,hs Grain from the chaf among
-. The rockies in Spring train
5t-r car,p is 70 decide III what measure
thc superiority Of certain player -.
1re dcpa.;emcnt Of the game Is ollse'
~cv a rivals better ability III anotner.
- Consider the candidates for snort
-, fnr ;,,sfsnce-Bob Reeves, Grant
C.I;s and Jack Hayes. All OF them
s-- almost certain 70 be kept with the
,-N3h su season. which means that
rr1n,, Cooper. Ernie Smith and Tommy
raylo- will be placed elsewhere, out
i,,St what use should be made OF the
tyso IS the puzzle -
= HAYES, the Youngest Of the lot. also
Is the best handler Of hounoing pan
ard heaves nothing but strikes 10 Nrst
base. But he has yet TO demonstrate
that he can hit. The other TWO are
alike III the respect that each poSsessss
rhe nerve az burglar, but differ IN
other essentials.
F~eycs can cover more territory than
ellis and can streak around the bases
a. as fast a clip as any athlete on the
roster, hut his hitting also has oeen
nothing 10 hrsg about. and he makes
his share ot fumbleS. while his arm
.srnauch strong. is not always accurate.
ClIlis is not quite so speedy as Reeves
But fields his position III admirable
STYLE. and. in addition 10 being tne
most sslllful In Tipping throws as weli
as taking them at second base, Is the
best batsman Of the trio.
Gillis More Experienced.
There is little question that Reeves
IA q potentially better bail player
than ellis, but it also may be ven-
tsred that he is not quite so good
one now. Where the chunky Alabaman
has II on the rangy Tennessean is that
he is more experienced. Prior TO the
time tha, Reeves left Georgia Tech,
vear ago last May. he never had played
professional ball. although he enacted
prominent role in the triumphs Of MS
varsity nine.
GiIlis On the other hand, not only
sew IS much college service at the Uni
versltv Of Alabama. but has had the
benefit CT tao full campaigns with the
BIRMINGHAM club. In the Southern
Association q ball player has 10 wofk
Ike a Trojan ellis was no exception
pennart I'D to the last week Of the
race in 1927 he had TO stand plenty
OF the well known gaf and may be said
to be fairly we'll seasoned
Corce6!ng that Sammy West Is due
70 open the season in center field and
that Edgar c. Rice will retain the post
In right. there still are two reserve JOBS
TO be flied and the candidates for these
offer food for considerable thought.
Meibern Simons. for instance, appears
10 have the n1akings Of a good hitter.
but may be adjuoged too inexperienced
10 stick around this year.
Barnes Has Speed.
Emile Barnes. another Alabamaa. off,
sets in some measure what he lacks OF
proves for straightaway hitting ty
1ae turn OF speed on the hoof. both In
the field and on the bases while Foster
Camel, O. whose ability TO bat, and
that for distance, too. there can be no
doubt. is rather slow. judged by his
size, this is a natural deficiency. but 1t
uncuestionably has been aggravated by
the fact that he broke bis left leg
couple Of years ago while playing
hockey, game in which he has earned
quite a reputation.
II practically was settled In the minds
Of camp observers that the two assign
Ynents open 20 gardeners would go 10
Barnes and Camel. until yesterday,
when JACK KIoza appeared for the first
tine. but after the exhibition Of tf1ump-
ing that he gave the debate viii have 70
be extended Kloza was detained at his
home II Milwaukee by the Illness Of his
mother but he made up for his tard!-
ness II reporting b. riding the horse
hide IL a manner that made Bucky
Esrrss' eyes sparkle.
- Il was known tkat Kloza hung up an
Impressive .32i average with Albany Of
{ the Southeastern League last season.
. ard he is credited with having also led
the minor circuits he appeared in dur
-.ng the two previous seasons, in all
TREE rea*s achieving averages OF close
7se Or above the 400 mark. Big leaguers
are inclined 10 be Ekeptical about these
: ~bearcats from the bushes, however, and
that WAS the attitude OF those here IN
regard 70 Kloza, until he started swing
tcg biudgeon.
.:F
Ksoza Can Sock En-.
. s'K!oza is q powerfully built chap.
. 4o1t tEs size Of GoEl.n and CAMEL and
= pcSSesseE hands Of really enormous
: Dimensions. Ee swings a bat as Il Il
Ttfe no heavier than q yar6gtick and
, GeIs phenomenal distance 20 his drives
One ~a!lop he uncoYked IN his initial
{ workout yesterday carried almost TO the
teEce IL center field and bounded across
kte srark 9ot distance that was est.-
r22rc a. more than $50 Yards.
Tie ezter. u the impression the
Tcokle mace on Harris may be under
f<>oc 'rofsl '.1e fat, that his greeting TO
FFesace!7t Gi3el,h IN the iatter's return
IFcf9 rs morning gguac Cf ynlf was.
u you iht:3k We have some hittsys on
this bell c,Qp WaN Until! you have boxed
ngef this fe..gw Kioza IS
How THESE 4elsDg.2 vii! COMPARE In the
essentials " fielding ground balls and
IN strength u arm remains 70 be seen
b%t enough hax been obserFec 10 maze
Il Ekely tt1at deciding between them will
se m easy sz3sttsy, and this also applies
;r regard ~ Hugh McAulien and PETE
CcogeF, who are contHsting for the foh
O. assistant 70 Muddy EQel and Benny
Tate back II the bat.
Pete Cooper Good Hitter.
Cooper ioonas &c a good hitter, his
rglYeS III batting practice bouncing Of!
his Dat On Il line oyer the heads o! thf
.utelders. and re also seems u have q
styoEg throwing arm. He is lacking !r
'coloTs" AGHeFeF. and has shown NJ
eY.ceGce u! TIE in6piraiional qualities
80 ctsJab.e IN backstop McMulien
on the other hand, while not IN Cooper
class sS bstslnan looks ss II he nigh
prove ne better catcher of the TWO. foi
he IL alert and tlij u pepper and seem.
eYeFy whit rs proficient III pegging tn.
bal. around tfas basTs.
II Harris could take the best point:
~ gf n ~ fnF t4A