Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-25
LEG STRONG AGAIN,
SAM CAN STEP OUT
Kept on Bench by Hurt Last
Year. Youngster Now to
I Get Real Trial.
~ DENMAN THOMPSON,

do With Sammy West. agile young out
fielder obtained from Birmingham OF
the Southern Association before the
close Of the 1926 season and leading
candidate Of a group of five Juveniles
for the center fleld post made vacant
by the release Of the veteran Iris
Speaker.
West is sound of limb again, entirely
free of the disability that put him on
the shelf last Summer. and now is able
to cavort around with no danger OF a
recurrence Of the injury. That is the
pleasing intelligence we are able 10
present today for the ediication OF Cap
itai fandon and Ii is set forth on the
say so Of no less an authority than
Mioue Martin. veteran trainer of the
team, whose especial charge Sam has
been since reporting here last Monday
for Spring drilling.
Devotees Of the national pastime who
follow the fortunes Of the Harrismen
will remember that just year ago at
this time these columns contained fire.
Quent reference 10 the lad from RocheS-
ter, Tex, and limned his outlook for
success in fast company as exceedingly
bright He had been severely beaned
in game at Birmingham shortly be-
fore his acquisition by the Grifmen
Was announced. hut evidenced no Ill
effects Of that accident in the pre-
liminary work here last year.
Baked by Injury.
With such master performers as
Gosiin. Speaker ard Rice available for
fy chasing chores, West naturally failed
70 crash into the regular array at the
outset of the campaign. and then
Around Midsummer when he did get
chance TO strut his stuff he had the
misfortune TO pull a severe Charley
horse in back OF and just above the
left knee.
This injury proved stubborn 10 an
extreme He was laid of and had the
benefit of the very best medical minds
and muscle nanipulators, but all TO no
purpose He remained. to all intents
and purposes, a cripple for the balance
of the season. and on the few occa-
sions thereafter that he was pressed
into service was totally unable TO do
himself justice. with the result that at
the close of the campaign he had the
anaemic batting average OF .239 to show
for the 81 games he had participated in.
So highly did the club officials rate
his potential worth and so anxious were
they TO effect his recovery that after
he had paid visit 10 his home at the
end of the season he was hailed back
to Washington. where his leg was ex-
amined by anatomical experts. He was
given special treatments at that time
around Thanksgiving-and finally was
bundled OF home again with instruc-
tons to take IL easy all Winter, to give
the damaged prop q complete rest.
West Followed Orders.
Being an intelligent and ambitious
n
TO the letter during the of season. and
when he checked in here seven days ago
announced with great satisfaction that
his leg was AL right" The club at
taches were skeptical. however. 1t was
one thing 10 have the leg give West no
trouble when he had done nothing all
Winter more strenuous than walk, and
another thing to see how it would react
20 the strain involved In playing ball. So
they set about to give 1t the acid test.
At first West was forbidden TO Join his
playmates In the innocent-looking med
icine ball scrambling sessions and the
yolley ball battles. His exercising was
restricted to warming up his wing by
tossing and TO swinging bat TO pro-
vide bunt-helding practice for the
others. Gradually he was assigned TO
other more strenuous stunts, however,
and As none Of them seemed TO have
any deieter5ous effect on the once ailing
lew he today was informed that all re-
strictions on calisthenics had been re-
moved and that he was free 70 romp
around 10 his hearts content.
Vests leg is absolutely sound again"
Martin asserted today. Il have put it
through every kind Of test can think
OF and there has been no sign Of the
Old trouble coming back You know he
n "a ka1 nm a al
in the outdeld this year and we could
not afford 10 take any chances with
him. but am satisfied now that there
10 nothing more TO worry about.
had him over at Plant Field this morn
ting for fnal inspection that involved
csilck starts and stops in all positions
and he didn't even feel 80 much as a
twinss. know Bucky viii be glad
70 hear that
Blow 10 Other Rockies.
The trainer might have added. land
% Will all Washington fans" but West 6
recovery. assuming. Of course. that II
II complete and assured, viii constitute
nothing less than bad news 10 four
other players on the roster VINO are
scheduled 70 report here with their
manager and the other regulars" next
THURSDAY. They are Emile Barnes and
Foster Camel. likewise graduates Of
the Birmingham club, and John KIoza
and MeIbern Sinaons. from Albany and
Montgomery Of the Southeastern League,
respectively These lads, outtIeIders all,
siso are seeking 10 eaten on as fly
tnasers with the Gritmen, and the
greater the number of players assured
Of picke,ing po&ts the smaller VIII be
their chances o. sticking around
The Legal limit u 70 players allowed
q ciuo usually embraces. in ins case
q. the GFifmeu, 10 pitchers. 3 caicheis
and Z infieiders, With sometimes AZ ad-
ol'ionai !nfleider or batteryman. This
souid mean with Goslin. West and Rice
having their jobs practically clincnsd
that only Two possibly but one =Derihs
will D. open 10 the Esrnet-Csnzel-
Klpza -S;nj0ns lot. d Circumstance which
Il calcIisud " make the battling among
members O. his quartet highly inter"
tSt}n9.
win Garland ETsxbDn coming lnt1
tie told the day after Fred MaTbefry
announced ms capi'ulaslon ~ Clark
Gr!fn,h Ia She debate over salary terms,
ssn jones h. left a. the only f!ntsf
still unalifne0 Isrs2btf3, VINO got inuj
more games tflaU any Other Finger III
tne EnIff3tan League last STahJfl -~ Ills
BtsI being ~ is one III TIE cagists
lefthaHdtfS IN the LEAGUE, and )e bring
counted upHJ tor his customary H.
valuable laty}T rs u relic! pitcher during
TIE coming seaSpn THE SJItnpaW wired
GfifT yesterday tfom his ilone al Eaxa-
pahsx, n, T.. aflat the figures written
,nLo his contract were satisfactory and
ins. he WDjic eneek III here " start
spring training nexi Thursday, the d. y
originally ~ heculed for him u, report
WINS BASKET TITLE.
EIIlf)IsIkC1Ck, Ill, February rs
Nss Illinois WeFisysn cijnched the lit
lie Nineteen CGnfefeDGe basket hail
championship nv defeating iht STATE
fsrsmsi University, Al 10 10. for it's