Evening star., 1928-02-05

Grifhth. the Washington bali clubs
energetic president. is locking forward
to the arrival here two weeks hence of
the FIRST squad Of his team with an en-
thusissm and general air Of hopefuness
as. 10 the approaching season which
trarscends even his normal optimistic
nature
You tust bet We are in for whale
Of season" he spiritedly exclaimed
today TO your correspondent. We are
IN for the best season We have had since
1s25-and by that ! mean just what It
indicates, that I expect my ball club
again 10 be a red-hot contender for the
championship. Furthermore. l am not
Just making a preseason. stersotyped
statement; mean it. believe it.
IF you will analyze the conditions
esnec.sily as they affect four of the
men who aided so greatly in the win
ninE by us Of our two successive pen
nants and a world championship. YOU
Will more readily grasp the reasons
actusting my seemingly overopfimistic
statement I refer 10 Manager Harris.
Sam Rice. Ossie Bluege and Joe Judge,
You have seen these four players in
the past Two years You know 10 what
extent injuries sickness and general
letdown following almost superplaying
during our championship squirt affected
this quartet of stars. Add to the health
ftlF reaction now due in their playing
the spur Of keen competition for their
places m the lineup that stares two of
these players right In the eye, and you
should whole-heartedly agree With my
helief that We are in for winning
year"
Logic i'm Griffith's View.
There is much sound logic in Grit
Hfh's reasoning as to the four players
he mentions. Sam Rice. before last
season, had no real rival for his right
field position since being stationed there
regularly. Always q good hitter, de-
pendable fielder and with fne arm.
he seemed a fixture. His value 70 his
club was freely conceded by his team
mates.
In the two years following the sue
cessive championships. however. Rices
work has plainly fallen OF. Ill health
had much 70 70 with this. II Was dis
covered in the early party Of last season
that there was considerable trouble
with Sans teeth. and he submitted 10
the ordeal Of having most OF them ex-
fracted. improvement In his health
Was noted but there was an absence
Of the sfesdiness that had characterized
the work Of Rice in the ontfielo In otner
yfsrs-
Trade Talk stps Rire.
Came then the i1sy1tabis talk of a
trade. But that Rice did not seriously
consider this talk waSf apparent from
ms SPOKEN reaction. He knew that ne
lfss .-f- A--f ~fsN standards
sxacted Of a major Lacquer. The tax
continued. however. and did 50 70 the
time that Grifith announced there
would be no more trades for while.
That Sam Rice, fully cognizant Of
the fact that his work had caused ms
name TO be linked With trade talk. VIII
nut forth his best efforts N the 1923
campaign is only 70 be expected Grii-
n<h believes. And there may be mucn
70 this.
In the case Of Joe Judge. the addi-
tim Of George Sisler TO the ranks of
the Nationals mas created q curious
situation Judge Is great FIRST base"
yYsan--one OF the best the game has ever
good hitter But for that fragile limb
which has caused him 10 pit In much
time on the bench, Joe's value 10 the
team has been unQuestIOnec
During the two seasons when pen
ranis we're gathered 20 acorn the flag
peie in center field az Washington.
jude vas one Of the n1ainspTings In
the teams play. But that trick leg
sIxsyF was a bother and last year IL
proved especially troublesome. There
was some sight talk near the end OF
last season of another first baseuan
fnr the club huie Shirley WAS par-
chased. and II was thought that per-
nSps this one-t1rne National might be
ready for permanent big leag12e duty
sa judges underst1dy.
Spur for Judge.
II wss not Until GisIer vas signed,
hsweveE, that the Pans awoke 20 the
soona probability that Judges days
xtth the Washington club were num-
n6fe6 and while SlsIer IS 100 per cent
acceptable 70 Washington fardorn. and
accorded the place In starcom he de-
s<ryes, What 70 DO with Judge" BE-
came q widely discussed snc perplezing
cGestioD.
And then Gnfstn announced that
Jsoae would not be traded. that he viii
be gisen sn opportunity ~ earn the
Ylxi1t u retain his place AZ first base
Es joe iE expected 70 put I'D the battle
% his career 10 stick with the club
.-rle cases % the other t1o rn<mbers
~ the quartet on which Iot Of
fSy1Hsths hopes for the season are cen-
taSeS ere SorneaS1ai different Csste
~ flexF u a warm faTof1te Ttgf Wash
3ftgs0C fanf. ba1t they canDot acco8nt
~ MS rather rneSgcF batting average
ss< there was nlucb 10 b. desired IN
nisslfidlng last year.
Ein<ge I'm Pine FetIs
FSas' Cssls nss natural ability thst IL
@9se,r LACKING IN many other third
oskfsoeh. Ard the quiet young inflslder
z"ss3s bent On bringing his ability 10
iss tore TINS snA@Jn AdYlaGG that MS
borss1f were nsn0erlng him I1 his s!i-
fFs yor ~ inpFOse MS work around
third Burg 1Sd itfsH apparently In
oEaatqufnlis. parts .! bis anstonIY re-
n2opec las fsU lie hes spent much
lime o4' ~ dn9rs. and ls reported In
great sGspe
Aglcii2ey ard valuable addition 10
tfSat "fsHklncAe6 Sspifst" brigade upon
anitf1 MS ernDloser DsDks 10 much IL
. E1cAg Harris Harrss has fad heavy
bSfotf " carry tflese past NO years.
cFoDElng down tfDm woTid champion
~ Tn~re DenFEnt winner end then ~
1Dsf xltp q pitching STAFF tnst WEs dis
igtfH Hstyng y IL only hatifal that the
SiFaif would exaei some oil
Harris Rsgsining Pslse.
Log 81 weigh IIcky fell 10 jz2
pV8Ildf lass year TefectNc THIS strain
BIZ the yOathfgl pilot Gontlnaed To
osTI4 10 ib a maBpfT highly ereditalJIe
He Ano. nov js fired aneS with tits
ss3rjt 81 e0naUesi Ia the months tbst
have followed lsst sAssoD's closing HsF-
rls lEsk snnsaporec sD every way 10 aet
h1m41f ~ TIE peak 0t physaesi f1ndlv
isons lie hss stopped smoking sfld
sFeni 81 mQch BHlf a. possible il he
ssJtGSoFt, alld sllst MS mode ~ living
lss br1seb highiy beneficial ls besi al
fef'a6 by tbe faci that he ia nov up ~
f5s hounds