The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-03-12

the pennaIit.
Ruth, in Ringing opinion, win
have great year. The crafty
little manager sat on, the bench
at the local ball park and smiled
sfgnificantly as Ruth poled several
over the fence. Asked how much
longer he thought the Babe would
last. Higgins said:
-Four or five years more any.
way. Even If his legs slow him
np bit he still will be a great
hitter and valuable man 70 the
club
Higgins. said he regards the
PhiIadelpIlia Athletics as the
Yankees most dangerous rivals.
He thinks very highly Of the
Detroit Tigers and Washington
Senator's. Applying his re-
mark that the race will be
closer this season, he predicted
that the club that wins will
capture less than 100 ball
games. Last year the Yanks
won 107 games.
ST have not made up my mind
regarding the makeup Of our team
as yet, especially the infield," said
Higgins. ST have got to expert
nnent a little more with shortstop
and third base Gehrig, of course
will play first base, and .Lazzeri,
whose arm is all right, will take
care of second.
II am undecided about short and
third. The release of Joe Dugan,
our Cfd third baseman, may mean
that I will move Mark Koenig
ever to third and play Lyn Larry,
who hit .314 for Oakland, at short.
Larry has looked awfully good in
4 .'Th6 outfield will be made up of
Meusel in left. Ben Pascal and
Cedric burst are fine reserve out.
3ielders, and both can hit"
q $50
= Two young outfielders who
were peered at a year ago, Sam
q. Byrd, mp from Albany where he
y hit .371, and Elias Funk, up
from st. Paul where he batted
.298, are being looked at again
but they will have a hard time
breaking into Higgins very
A strong outer garden.
\. 4 The pitching staff is not worry
ing Higgins, he said, declaring
y that he had four good starting
pitchers in Hoyt, Johnson, Pennock
; and Pipgras. Ed Wells, formerly
+, with Detroit, who pitched phenom
nenally last year, winning rs and
losing but Z, is being banked on as
a. regular by Higgins. Other good
Z prospects include Gordon Rhodes
saa Salt Lake City youth who won
sI7 and lost 10 for Hollywood last
! year.
i A tall Highlander formerly with
tho New York Giants; Al Shealy.
recalled from st. Paul, and Floyd
Van Pelt. who won g and lost II
!, for Montgomery in the Southeastern
/. League last season.
Higgins said Benny Ben
cough, John GrabOwsi and Bin
Dickey will do the bulk of
catching for the team. He will
give BengOugh plenty Of time to
So round into shape.
When Higgins was asked about
the Yanks' chances of winning the
pennant again, his reply was this
"Do you believe in the law OF
averages? Well they will work
against any club in time. We can
rot keep on winning forever. The
best Of combinations eventually
/ have to be broken up. Our old
; fellows have not gone back. Not
yet. But our youngsters still have
Z to come through
what is your chief problem?'
he was asked.
Disposition" he replied. 81
mean how your ball players
take things ON the field. II
you have been eating the same
kind of pie for a long time
you lose your appetite for it. .
Now take nine fellows who
have wen three pennants in a
row and there, is danger, that
they might lose some Of /, the
old determination and stamina.
They might relax too much.
That's my problem with the
Yanks."
Higgins signaled for practice ia
end for the day. AS he disappeared
down the dugout he remarked that
his was not a hard club to handle
No club is when things are break
ing right for them. He added that
all players as q class are becoming
much easier to handle-much more
4 30 than in the old days.
=