New Britain herald., 1928-03-06
HOPES 0F BRAVES
 HIGH THIS YEAR
Boston Team Expects to Improve
 Seventh Place Position

St. Petersburg, Fla. March lP- With a new manager and new captain the Boston Braves are start ing out with high hopes of improv- ing their seventh place position of last year in the National League. The Redskins are cheered, too, by the presence Of a shortstop they did not have in the trianing camp last spring.
 The addition Of Rogers Hornsby at second base has encouraged Man ager Jack Slattery. promoted from scout to manager as he starts his first season as head of a ma jor league club. With Eddie Farrell to work with the former st. Louis man. ager and Giant captain, SLattery thinks he will be able to show q tight defense at second and short.
 With these exceptions and num- Der of pitching recruits the crop of athletes Is the same this year as last.
 Zach Taylor returns from the Giants to attempt to catch q major ity of the games, about l25 if he es- young in years but q veteran player. seems definitely assigned to an out field post after playing in and out Of the infield. Burrus will again play first and Andy seems to have the call at third, Hornsby at sec ond and Farrell al short are set. Jimmy Cooney and Walter Gautreau, bascball's smallest exhibit, will take care Of the emergency assignments.
 Moore, the handy man, Ed Brown, who plays day in and day out, and Lance Richbourg. the Florida flash, may make up the outfield combina- ton with Jack smith subject 10 call. Another place will be reserved on the bench for either John McNa- mara or Earl Clark, the latter only 20 years of age and regarded as d definite comer, now or later.
 The pitching candidates have shown enough to draw smiles from the signified Slattery and reserved Hornsby. President Emil l.. Fuchs, who smiles with less effort than his active aides on the field. fairly beams as he sees the pitchers dis play their wares.
 The ontimists will grow to decid- cd mdjority ii John Cooney's contin- ucd tests of his arm shows that it is well again Greenfield, GeneWirh, Smith Wertz and Robertson are assured of first line places. Hearn, Mills and Edwards have been Braves before and may be again. and Buy Morrison, student of books as well as baseball, who finished with the Braves after q season at Waterbury, has chance to stick. Morrison left his studies at Columbia University to report.
 One Of the best prospects from the minors is Eddie Brandt. q big southpaw from Seattle. Only 2& years old but looming up an inch and a halt over six feet and sealing 1S5 pounds. Brandt on his carly sea son showing will h" taking his turn on the mound from the outset. Ar thur Delaney. another Pacific coast recruit, has also made an impression as has Bill Dunlap. who threw them for Lynn last season. Dunlap only is years of age, may be required to live and learn a while yet but if he is sent 10 the minors, rope rather than string will be attached to draw him back.
 The rugged Taylor will have two undorstudies but tho nominations will not be made for while. Luke Urban. former Boston College foot ball star. advanced from Toledo to the Braves last season and will prob ably be one of the catchcrs. Either Baxter Williams, q big fellow from Asheville Of the South Atlantic As sociation. or Bill Cronin, who caught for Providence last season, will see lots of the Boston bull pen this summer.
 The players feel that Hornsby's presence in their midst will give them punch" and they are talking Of the first 1ivision. q far jump from the seventh place of last year. Manager Slattery is more cautious. He will be willing to compromise with the other clubs on a place at the head of the second division.