Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-20
MUDDY TO SHARE
WORK WITH TATE
Johnson Values Veterans
Steadying Influence on
Younger MoundSmen.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

- old timer is COMING DdCh
this year as catcher for the
- Nationals. Walter Johnson,
manager of the Washington Ball
Club. saws Muddy Ruel, up until
last season generally recognized
as first-string receiver of the out
fit. will in the impending Amerl-
can League campaign get as much
work behind the bat as Benny
Tate, who did the bulk of the
backStopping in the 1929 nag race;
Ruel looks better in every way, and
according to johnson Is better in every
way than last year, and when the Dell
rings for the opening of the cham
pionship season ought to be quite NJ
to take care of the post he assumed
when he came to the Nationals from
the Red Sox at the commencement Oh
the 1928 battling in the circuit.
That Ruel is to get a better shot at
working behind the bat than he die
last wear DOES not mean that Johnson
figures that chubby Tate not equal TO
the task of handling the Washington
pitching corps. Far from this, indeed
For Tate is a clever catcher and nifty
hitter, too But johnson always has
liked Muddy's catching, always has
thought him one of the best In the
business when in the right frame OF mind
and proper physical trim, and is abSo-
lutely confident now that the st. Louis
chap is ready to give everything ne
has to his club.
On Job Early This Year.
This is the first in many years that
Muddy has been wearing a Washington
uniform that he has not been among
the last to accept terms offered by the
club. Instead of baking this year, as
usual, Muddy readily agreed to sign the
contract sent to him by President Clark
Grifith and was among the early re-
porters at the training camp here. No
one has toiled more faithfully in Biloxi
Stadium than RCel, and no one has re-
vealed more improvement as result .!
his toll than the little catcher.
Muddy came to camp this year in
probably the bsst frame of mind In his
term of service with the Nationals. He
came as a player well satisfied with the
pay he is to receive during the cham
pionship season, and assured that If he
carried on as asked he would be given
every opportunity to show why he has
long been regarded one Of the best
catchers in the majors, despite short
comings of other seasons
There is no doubt that Muddy was
somewhat piQued last year when he
was used so Sparingly behind the bat.
But there were good reasons for the
keeping of Ruel on the bench at that
time. He was not hitting well and he
was not throwing well. He was an
excellent receiver-Muddy has been
that from the time he stepped into the
American -League-but being an excel
lent receiver was not enough to make
him q really valuable asset of the
washington club.
Different This Season.
It's apt TO be very different this year.
In drills here Muddy has shown fine
arm In throwing, much better arm
than shown by him during the past
two years. And he's showing much
more power at bat in the daily drills.
In 1929 Muddy was 1amentably poor as
o batter. He's seeking the ball much
harder than he did all last season. OF
course, there's a great difference be-
tween hitting in batting practice and
hitting in a game. but the fact that
Muddy is putting much more strength
into his swings now than he did In 1923
leads one to believe he may be more
important factor in attack in the 1880
nag race than in recent years.
There's another thing, too, that has
caused johnson to. slate Ruel for more
work this year than he had last. It
seems that Ruel is especially capable
: &C handling the young pitchers OF the
stan. Such hurlers as Irving Hadley,
Ad Liska and Bob Burke like 70 pair
with Muddy. These pitchers admire
Tates receiving qualities, It's true, but
perhaps because Of RuePs greater ex-
perience they apparently feel more AZ
ease on the slab when ding1ng the pan
10 the little fellow from st. Louis.
johnson looks upon Ruel as tutor-
1 ing catcher as well as an all-arouno
performer behind the bat when game
Il on. He Is confident Muddy VIII as
Sist greatly in bringing around these
Young fellows who are counted on 10
mill the Nationals out of the ruck. Ana
largely because of this johnson ntenuS
to make Ruel at least an even cnoice
with Tate In the Washington caOclliis
corps.
Griff on Scouting Trip.
President Clark Grifhth last night
entrained for Birmingham tnaI &c
might look over two Alabama PoIy proo-
ucts who were to play with the 5 ei.aT
this afternoon: zeD .I MnA Coach, Ian; and,
now pilot of the Birmingham CLUB, up
red the Washington prexy 70 tneSe
k,,h,Irn athletes, so Griffith DECIDED 70
invade the steel, coal and iron Town
a day ahead of his club.
CAnD mere Will NC bACAe~AA
Aev'S T1ractice and the. Athletes will en-
train tonight for Birmingham, where
they are to engage with the Baron 1;r To-
morrow afternoon. Following the Blrm-
inrharn engagement the club Will pro-
ceed TO Chattanooga, which will be Its
base until after the exhibition game OF
April g., Carlos Moore. purchased IRON
the Barons last Fall. will be one OF tne
pitchers used by johnson at Brmng-
ham tomorrow. Fred Marberry ano
Irving Hadley also may get tests.
A heavy rain here Tuesday put the
field m Biloxi Stadium in such shape
that early yesterday the scheduled game
with the Spring Hill College nine Of
Mobile was cancelled. AS 1t turned out
the game could easily have been played
on the field for warm sun and drying
breeze popped out before 10 o'clock and
by noon the grounds were in fine con-
dition. The Nationals went through
their daily drill and later an effort was
made to arrange a game with Sprine
Kill for TODAY h,1f the ROii6pianS cOUlC