Evening star., 1928-03-11
By nENMAN THOMPSON.

~
club. Manager Stanley Harris
exrresse6 hir,se,. as very we'll satisfied
with the. results attained, And with
month vet remaining before the cur
tain rises on the championship season
os the American League he is confident
his men will be in prime shape 10 chal-
iense the Yankees for the title they nov
hold.
Excepting only the Appendicitis at
tack that sent Bump Had!ey TO ths
hospital for an operation week age
today and the dubious status OF sam
Vests ailing leg. the condition OF the
other performers who are being counted
on for service in the approaching cam
paign is all that could be desired and
this is held to be particularly true ol
the veteran pitchers such as Sam Jones
Milton CASTOR. Fred Marberry, Garland
Braxton. Horace Lisenbee and Tom
Zachary.
Jones, the dean OF them all in point
of service as well as age. was among
the last to report and has been toiling
for cniy a week, but is IN fine shape
and asserts he cannot remember a
Spring when he felt better. The former
Red Sox and Yankee, who was obtained
from the Browns by the waiver route
the past Winter. is an athlete VINO has
He was down 10 weight when he ar
rived here from his home at Woods
field, Ohio. following several weeks OF
6icEer.ng with President Clark Griffith
over salary terms. and has since been
working hard TO get the rust OF Winter
out OF his joints.
Jones Trains Slowly.
He has been nursing his ancient wing
alonr slowly. not having pitched so
much as single ball in batting prac-
tice to date. He may see no box duty
for couple of weeks yet. which Is
eu1inently satisfactory to Harris, who
has big squad OF ambitious youngsters
20 call on for that purpose.
CASTOR. also a former Yankee. and
who came to the Griffmen from the
Browns in exchange for Earl McNeely
and Dick Coffman, has displayed form
in the practice sessions that fully bears
out the reputation he earned last year
OF being the best hurler on the st.
Louis club.
Milt not only has the physique for
stardom on the mound. being feet j.
and weighing is5 pounds, but possesses
q fine assortment Of stuff and knows
what TO do with IT, He checked in a
, few pounds over his best weight, but
gradually As melting this OF.
The same situation as regards ayoirdu-
pois applied TO Zachary and Marberry
when they first showed UP, but the ex-
cess was regarded as just enough TO
work on and both are making satisfac-
tory progress toward disposing Of 1t.
Zach. back with the club he broke in
with after couple Of seasons OF exile
IN the Mound City. Is battling for his
life. SO 10 speak, and there Is no more
earnest athlete in the camp. The
North Caroiinsan realizes that IL he
falls 10 make good with a vengeance
this season he will be releaated TO the
minors and he is determined 70 staye
CT this fate.
Fred Would Be Starter.
Marberry Is in no danger of fading
from fast company. Not yet 80 years
old and with q fast ball that has few
superiOrs there Is not club in the cir
cult that would not regard him as a
welcome addition. but he Is working
extra hard. too, and for definite pur-
POSE. II is 10 establish himself as a
starting pitcher instead OF continuing
IN the rescue role through which he
has earned such great fame.
Flrpo. still mere y0ungster OF 2s,
had rather spotty season in 1927. but
II vas not due 10 a decline in skin or
power. merely faulty mental attitude
that has been corrected. The truth in
MaybeTryjx case probably Is that the
high degree Of success attained by
BssxtoE1 az q relief pitcher last season
served 10 somewhat dim Fred's i'm
poTtsnce and this put his nose cut OF
joint. A. The saying goes.
II wss annoying 10 have a newcomer
STEP iss ano shine brilliantly in the
capacity he formerly had ruled supreme
III. Fred was iTked. and although he
tired 10 fairy earn those fortnightiy
fj1ecks. his 1zncieo grievance against
Ssts xss reflected in a definite slump
~ efficiency that accompanied hts
failure 70 once get down 10 his besi
playing weight He Is believed To
s-s3ize flo% that his attitude was rather
3pses3iIe, and the popular Texan has
plunged into the training grind .1th
p. e1tfDtjssm ,ts. would do credit 10
tn Tcgaset rookie.
EYaEtcf3 is one of those wiry chaps
VINO never hes " concern himself
sboIt surplus tissue, ano blew into camp
Sc suci excellent SHAPE that he In
sisted aDon taking turn a. pitching
ho the ositers ME second day out, The
ieft~haElG Tagi3eel. Nso again will be
the chic. dependence Of the club for
relief assignments. nov that u has bcen
definitely dec.ced 10 let MzrbeTry seek
recognition as a starting pitcher. is one
0f the csgiest performers IN the busI-
nest. ard II he had been endowed by
IaatHte with oi, more stamina for tie
niFae -irn?n9 route wouIc be- a fofnai-
osn}e contender for the pitching cham
pSonsbip ~ the league
iibentff, who n@St 10 Hadiey was
the leading h4TieT of the Gfiff!thfsn
ensemble isEt season with tBo~th1F6s ~
f3if games on me night side u the
jsdgfF. also sf3ll is s0gngAtey bis sge
of ~ making him one year tie junior
~ EfsZtDn snc unless at signs are
K1tkiss1jng. hsyiEg fad The benefit ~
the experienos gained from q full
season IN fast Company. should *
tsegjense an ever more successful cam
f1sjgls than IN tnsf where he alone of oil
ne fingers ia the eircuit obtained H.
many A. FIVE sictArlas over the sjHgang
Ysflks.
While on the subject pf seasoned slab
tyen u seems titiDg W incoTDoisle some
reference 10 the veteran eaHher Wh0
probably VIII be- calico on 10 receive
their sn0ois in . ma Joyity u the 2sules
they ofFciste III this gear Hefoid Rtei
asei Works Carefully.
Although ile had the benefit NJ .
eoupis of weeks 0f mountain hiking and
.afhing 81 Hot Springs bet0.e eaBins
~ Tampa, Ha2eI Is going about hts
training here ip safe snc sane fashion
snd viii be content ~ take bis fxercik-
5up in homeopathic c0aes even ~ ihf
attainment III Top form IL delayed uD 81
faigls for the Tsse 10 get undFr way
n really E0oo hitter fGf such "a run
nsrasjysis Iitfie feisoa. Muddy aiseady
bsk shoan sisne II getting hia batting
ofbs adjusted, hals is pg0cfs9tna R,ih
q good deel ~ csution ln ljn]bef;ng up
his paging enip Eusl'E ann fof &gilse
EEE1oGE psEt, nsS been rloae TOO stfonE
r-,