Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-27
ARM TO Be IN TRIM
SOON, SAYS MUDDY
Adopts New Training Style at
Tampa-Worked in Gym
During Winter.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
tSports Editor, The starr

larry, mlLIIlldn OI Ed heliild
capabilities available and two such
promising recruits as AL Bool and Cllff
Bolton at hand it might be supposed
the washington ball club would be
contemplating a new deal for its catch
ing department. which for several sea-
sons past has consisted principally OF
Herold Ruel, now verging on toward the
middle sos. That such is not the case,
however was made apparent to this re-
porter before he hiked over here for the
fistic festivities tonight when he
CHANGED upon President Clark Griffith.
Manager Walter Johnson and Ruel
himself in a huddle debating ways and
means of enabling the veteran wirdpad
artist to continue business at the old
stand with the highest possible degree
Of efficiency.
Ruel's chief value to the team lies in
the fact that he has a good noodle on
his shoulders, knows all the weaknesses
of the alien stickSmithS and possesses
the knack OF getting a maximum OF ef-
fort from the chucker he is receiving.
whether he be an old campaigner or a
green rookie.
A strong arm and prowess with the
bat are welcome qualities in catcher,
but it is more essential that he should
be able to cross up an enemy batSman
by outguessing him, have an intimate
knowledge of the capabilities and lin
itations of the particular pitcher he Is
handling and be able to size up situa-
tions instantly and direct strategy much
after the manner Of general deploy-
ing his troops.
Ruel Knows Game.
These requirements Ruel possesses in
as ample measure as any receiver in the
game today, and certainly to greater
degree than any of his fellow workmen
with the Washington Club, hence the
time, thought and effort that is to be
expended to assure his carrying on
AS is well known the only debatable
point about Ruel Is his throwing arm.
The st. Louis barrister, who has been
in the big show with the Yankees. Red
for the past eight years in row has
participated in more than 100 ball
games a season, has in recent cam
paigns found it increasingly hard to get
his throwing arm into properly function
ing condition.
Since Washington's first pennant-
winning year, 1924, when Ruel got into
all except about half dozen OF the 154
games on the schedule. his arm proved
balkier each Spring, and for a while
down here last year It was feared he
never would be able to heave base ball
from the plate to second base at any
trajectory other than that approximate
ing rainbow.
AS the campaign wore on Rueis wing
gained gradually in strength, and over
the greater stretch of the schedule few
alien base-runners essayed to put it to a
test. But the problem of what to do
about it in the early weeks of the season
gave him much food for reflection. and
resulted this year In a program of con-
ditioning. which both he and the club
officials are hopeful will find him at the
opening bell with his ripper in a we'll
oiled state.
Has Worked in Gym.
AS part of his system. Ruel this
Winter has spent on an average OF three
DAYS a week in gymnasium putting his
wing through special course OF sprouts
designed to preserve something OF the
condition 1t had attained at the close of
the 1928 season, and with this running
start he is confident it will be in first
class shape by the time the barrier is
sprung. -.
AS a means to that end, however. 1t
was decided in the confab with Grifhth
and johnson that he would sidestep the
drudgery of warming up hurlers, which
is the customary lot Of catcher In a
training camp. and conf1ne his arm ex-
ercises here to throwing just as If he
were pitcher.
The lobbing toss used by catcher in
returning the ball to the pitcher he is
warming up is adjudged harmful rather
than helpful to an aging arm such as
Ruel's, especially as he probably would
work with half a dozen different
moundSmen in the course OF a single
training session and impose too much
of a strain on muscles that need cod
ding rather than long-sustained use.
even though the exercise in itself is of
mild nature.
Will Stress Throwing.
Consequently the chances are that
Ruel while here will lay aside the big
mitt with which he usually receives the
hooks and shoots of the boXmen and
adopt a lighter glove for daily short
session of gradually heightened throws
more on the order of those he has to
make to the bases in the course of
regular ball game.
IT have exercised regularly all Win
tested my arm in various ways on ap-
paratuS such as the horizontal bars in
the gym, and have felt no twingeS nor
pains in either the shoulder or elbow.
I have no weight to take off, my legs
are sound and my wind good, so can
concentrate here on getting my arm in
shape, and believe this Spring. for the
first time in several years, will be able
to start the season with 1t in good con-
dition instead of having to wait until
the race is many weeks old, as has been
the case recently"
AS the time approaches for the Griff-
mems first practice game of the year,
scheduled for a week from next Sun
day. preliminary details for the grape
fruit league season are receiving more
attention
Col Billy Smith Is busy sticking up
posters about town announcing the
dates of the IS contests carded for
Tampa Work has started on the press
box in the enlarged grandstand and
groundkeeper Haisman Is pushing the
rebuilding of the playing field.
1t was observed with considerable sat-
isfaction by the club officials that the
diamond as 1t is laid out now will be
situated according to the compass SIM
ilarly to that at the stadium in Wash
ington which will benefit the players at
short, third and left field who have the
sun to contend with in Washington and
need practice in combating its rays.
FOLLOWER OF STRIBLING