Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-03
GR|FFMEN TO GET
P|LFER|NC DRILLS
Pilot Wants Full Use Made of
Players Speed-MiIan
to Teach Art.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

this year by the Washington
IL ball club, says Walter Johnson.
The new pilot of the Nationals
recalls how much they got from fleet
ness of foot in the days when he was
doing his wonderful pitching and he
hopes to use to advantage the great
amount of speed on the hoof possessed
by his present lot of players.
So Walter plans to turn over to Clyde
Milan, who set base stealing records
when he was regular performer with
the Nationals, more than decade ago,
the task Of imparting to the Washing
ton talent the knack of pilfering the
sacks. He will have his coach tutor the
players during the drills at the Tampa
training base and If necessary will have
Milan continue the lessons at the morn
ing practice sessions the Nationals will
get after the championship campaign
starts.
The modern hit-and-run game is good
at times, johnson holds, and so is the
sacrifice. However, the new pilot be-
lieves a good base stealing club can get
more from its efforts than the aggre-
CATION content to try to pound its way
around the circuit. So look for the Ma
tionals TO burn up the runways this
year.
Fine Material to Work Upon.
Milan will have much fine material
to work upon when he begins his in
structions in the all-but- forgotten art
of swiping the sacks The Washington
club last year was no SLOUGH In this re-
spect in so far as clubs are rated IN
base stealing these days. It pilfered a
total of 10 bases to place third among
the eight American League outfits in
this line. And now there are among
the National rockies some clever base
runners, according to the statistics Of
the past campaign.
At present, it appears the Washington
team other than the battery will show
Joe Judge at first base, Jack Hayes or
Stuffy Stewart at second base. OsSie
Bluege at shortstop, Buddy Myer at
third base Goose Goslin in left field,
Sam West in center field and Sam Rice
or Red Barnes in right field. Look this
bunch over and about the only slow
footed man In it is Hayes. The others
shake q mean foot on the runway and
two or three of them are exceptionally
fast runners.
Myer, who comes back to the
Nationals from the Red Sox, stole 80
bases for the Boston club last season
and was the American League leader in
dance and in addition possesses a fair
knowledge of the knack Of swiping
sacks. For base stealing Is somewhat
of q knack. Many Seen1inEiy SLOW
runner has been more successful at adj
vancing on the runway by this method
than other. known much speedier play
erS.
West and Barnes Good Prospects.
For instance. West and Barnes are
both very fast runners, yet neither was
able to do much base stealing last year
They tried to swipe their way around
the circuit, but just did not know now
to start properly. They were fooleo ny
the pitcher of the opposition more often
than they did the fooling. It is from
these two feet youngsters especially
that johnson believes Milan VIII get
Judge. though, knows how to get
around the bases and so do Bluege and
GosIin. Judge swiped is bases last
year. Bluege got away with 10 tnells
and Goslin with .16, These IeHoMS
along with Myer ought 10 make aA. IL
Moons rough for the catchers OF the
Nationals rivals.
Then there is Rice, who knows a
thing or two about the pilfering ART.
sam may get the right-held caH over
Rarnes and If so the Nationals VIII De
ali the more stronger on the paths. Rice
is growing no younger, but age hadnt
slowed his legs much last season ana
probably he still can sno" speed
aplentys .,..,.a,
speedsters is Stewart. who may mansge
to nose out Hayes for the second DaSe
inb If Stewart does, the Nationals WIZ
have In their lineup just about the
fastest man in the major leagues ana
one of the best base stealers In the
business. He pilfered Sc bases with the
Birmingham club in the Southern
Association last season, which is great
record in these days of the smuggling
game.
Can Get on Runway.
Some might argue that to steal bases
PLAYERS must first get on the runway.
Quite true. But here also, the Nationals
seem we'll fortified Only one OF the
nine players that have been mentioned
batted below the 800 class: he Is
Bluege and he socked the ball for an
average of .297. Not poor, by any
means.
GosIin slammed at the startling rate
of .379 to win the American League
batting championship. Rice hit for 1928,
Judge for .306, Barnes for .305 and
west for .30l. with the Red Sox, Myer
clouted the ball for an average OF .3l3.
These fellows are really big League
batterS. -
Hayes did most OF his playing with
MINNEAPOLIS of the American AsSocia-
ton and Stewart did all his with Biz
mingham. For the Millers, Jack banged
the ball at a 1892 clip, while Stuffy
helped the Barons with his neat .3l6
average. Good hitting, any way you
consider 1t.
Yes. it seems the Nationals will have
the batting power to put themselves on
the bases and the speed with which to
progress after they once dent the rum
way. And many of them already
possess the knack of timing the oppos-
Ing pitchers motion which is so neces-
ssTy if one would become a clever base
stealer. Those who are not proficient
In this respect probably will CLEAN much
from Coach Milan's instruction. They'll
get plenty of It,
1t looks as though the Nationals may
bring base stealing back to the game