The Washington times., 1929-07-22
TAKES turn
FR(INN[|N
[)NNAR)
By Bob Thaysr

By Bob Thayer
PITTSBURGH, Pa. lEn
route for Washington, D. c.,
DULY 22.-Clothes make the
man and opportunity the
pitcher. For proof consider
Robert Joseph Burke, youth
/ full southpaw member of the
Washington Griffmen.
For three seasons now Robert
Joseph has been patiently biding his
time while awaiting his chance to
make good as a nine-inning mounds'
man. And, after this period of
watchful waiting he has finally
registered
Robert Joseph or just plain Bob
IL you like, has had many theories
to explode before getting his shot
and to his credit 1t may be added
that he has shattered them all:
Like E. Garland Braxton, team
mate OF similar build, he had gener-
ally been considered too fran TO de.
liver over the route and though
showing occasionally and to advan-
I12G AS ~ SIdEICf. LtllS bCAtSA -
dominated until recently.
Finding himself in bad way
for fuII.tfnne workers In Chicago
last week, Manager Walter
johnson used Burke In Tues
(lay's final presentation, and the
Joiiet lIII1 product made good
with An eight.hit performance,
turning back the White SOx. 7
to ..
As a reward for this work, Robert
Joseph was granted a two-day FUR
Tough with the home folks I'm JoileI,
only 40 miles distant. He did not
rejoin- his mates until SATURDAY IN
ST. Louis. Steaming into the MOUND
rifv with only two DAYS rest. he
was instructed to warm up for the
second game OF the double header
between the Griffmen and Browns.
. real test as to whether or not ne
would be too frail to carry on.
Being a willing young man, not to.
say ambitious. Robert Joseph silently
accepted this assignment and per-
mitted actions to spea'- louder than
words when he outpitched JACK
ogden while giving up only Iouf
safeties, 2 to l.
This was all that was needed TO
convince Manager Johnson that the
152-pound stripping is there, From,
now on Robert Joseph Will be pro.
nnoted from a once in a while or now
and then t. a regular turn, quite an
achievement for a young man Just
turned %,
More than pleased with the sue.
ress of his pupii Manager Walter
Johnson has openly confessed that
he will be used in rotation mere
after and furthermore adds that ne
expects Burke to develop into one OF
his most dependable slab articles.
"I,ve watched Bob closely this
year." Walter cOnfided today,
Hand he's always seemed to have
plenty Of stuff. A young fellow
breaking In can't be particular.
though. 20 he had to wait his
chance.
s'When he beat the White Sox in,
Chicago last week / was convinced
that he had the stuff for a nine
inning pitcher and when ne followed
up with Saturdays showing against
the Browns he clinched himself
job.
aLong. short fat or frail, just so
long as they win ball games don
care. And when a pitcher can come
through as Bob has you can bet your
life he'll get his turn ma as many
of EN- as he wants
sastlv maintained that his shortage
of heft made no difference in his
hox and is grinning triumphantly.
though silently, new.
aYou saw what Braxton did last
YEAR. ne remarkei while training
Al Tampa thls spring. All he
needed was his ehance-he did the
aFolks used to say that Braxton
was too frail until he showed 'em.
/ guess I'll have to do the same.
I've been hanging around the
washington club since 1927 now
and they're still saying ! need more
weigh
..The fact Isl" Bob added.
'that Us thin birds are really
better off than the others. we
don't have to weaken ourselves
Nv training down and at the
same time were never tOO hog.
fat TO DO ourselves Justice.
sI've got a hunch that I'm going
to fool 'em all this year. ike; Brax-
ton did in 192s-maybe not as com:
,leteIy, but fool EN- anyhow. And
something,
'this prophesy borne out,
hh owes much to your
Altrock for his de-
has spared neither
bile grooming his
i and has cham
nt1y during the
Grlffmen dur.
Of 1927, being
Rock, of the
Though only
nto organized
sOck that sea-
had been. A
division club.
stuff for one
over last year
e1iver in the
though most
starting games
Inc the Red Sox.
rowns. and has
e in others
fast one though
hook and a change
tier acquired this