Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-06
BUCKy GOOD PILOT,
SAYS TIGER OWNER
Naturally Hopes Club viii
"Do WeII"-No Sympathy
for Yankees.
BY WALTER TRUMBULL.

II IAMI BEACH, Fla, March g.
NH Yes" said Frank j. Navin,
Vk owner of the Detroit Base Ball
/ 4 Club, Il know that a number
Of person are predicting that
the Yankees will have bad season, and
perhaps they will. If Pennocks arm Is
bad, and LazZeri's arm is bad, and Pip
gras doesn't come through as he did last
year, the New York team may not do
very we'll"
But" continued Navin. with q smile,
eff Ruth and Gehrig and a few of the
others continue to hit, I am not going
to send any messages of sympathy to
Col. Rupert"
Nayin reflected moment, and then
went ON.
lone of the chief destinations about
base ball is its uncertainty. You never
can be sure of just what Is going to
happen during season. There are too
many shifting conditions One mans
idea OF how the race will finish Is about
as good as another's.
1T looks now. of course, as X the
Yankees and Athletics are sure first di-
vision clubs. st. Louis went splendidly
last year, but how do We know that Sam
Gray will do as well this season? He
might go as he did for Connie Mack
His record would seem to indicate that
he Is an in-and-outer. You have to fig
ure team such as Chicago on account
Of its pitching strength. Comiskey al
ways has managed to get good pitchers
From the days Of Walsh, White and
Altrock Chicago's pitching practically
always has been first class. Washington
has some good ball players
Hopes Tigers do Well"
what about your own club?" I in
quired. The Detroit squad has just gone
into camp at Phoenix, Ariz.
Naturally, hope well do WELL" said
the Detroit owner. II have lot Of
confidence in Stanley Harris, or
wouldn't have chosen him as manager
over several others might have Sc
cured. Base ball men whose Judgment
I trust think highly Of him. But I al
ways have noticed" observed Navin,
that good racing stable makes
good trainer.
We have some promising youngsters.
Roy Johnson, to be sure. has been hold
ing out, not from us, but he wants the
San Francisco club to give him part of
his purchase price. His chances of get
ting 1t scarcely seem rosy. I think he
will come in pretty soon. Then Harris
can Shift Heilmann to first, If he thinks
it good idea. We have some good
looking young pitchers, notably Prud-
homme, who led the International
League, and Barnes. But 1t Is too early
to do any predicting.
Sometimes think base ball isn't as
interesting as it was Is or 20 years ago.
There was certainly more to the game
then. A team tried so many more things.
The sacrifice and the squeeze are not
so important now, and base stealing Is
becoming a lost art.
Prefers Smarter" Base Ball.
81 have seen certain catchers and
pitchers In the last few seasons who
couldn't have stayed in the league in
the old days. The base runners would
have stolen them blind. Most of the
catcherS Of today are less accurate
thr0wers than the old-timers They
don't get the practice. and base hit
Is so much more valuable today that
runners seldom try to steal. They are
not playing for one run.
"The pitchers. of course, are handi-
capped by the number of new base balls
used in game" Navin concluded.
1.-The stands are all concrete and any
ball that Is roughened by striking the
stand Is thrown out. In the old days
they would use ball until it became
too badly discolored or ripped The
pitchers could grip 1t better and the
batsmen couldn't see it as well. The
game may have speeded UP. but to me
1t hasn't. like to see smart base ball
better than do smuggling match"
tCopyright, 1929. by North American News
paper Alliance.)