Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-03
BATTING PRACTICE
STARTS AT BILOXI.
Drills to Perfect Pitchers in
Bunting Inaugurated by
Manager Johnson.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

nnOXT, Miss, March 3.-Base
K balls grandest sound, that
of wood seeking against
leather, was heard today in
Biloxi Park. For the first time
this year the squad of Nationals
in training here walloped or tried
to wallop, according to the indi-
vidual at the plate, the horSehide-
covered pellet for more than hour.
Before the batting drill ended
both ball and pitchers suffered
plenty of punishment.
There's nothing the ball player likes
more than swinging good piece OF
wood at q nice round base ball. It's
the one part of the game that every
one connected with base ball enjoys.
1t makes no difference whether the
player can or cannot hit, he wants
to get up there and take his cut at
the pitched sphere. In fact, down IN
his heart every ball player believes he
is a hitter. To him the batting aver
ages don't tell the story. II he isn't
singing the ball it's simply because they
aren't pitching to him.
The washington crowd got great
kick out of the drill this morning ana
probably much benefit, too. AT any
rate there were some good sound drives
made and not all by the veterans, Sam
Rice, Joe Judge and Ossie Bluege, who
naturally are expected to give the ball
a better ride than do most of the
pitchers at hand here. Fred Marberry
and Sam Jones socked the sphere right
hard and so did Bob Burke on occasions.
Burke, it will be recalled, did some nifty
hitting at times in the last champion
ship campaign Of the American League.
Bunting for Pitchers.
Most of the batting practice for the
pitchers, though, consisted OF bunting.
Manager Walter johnson wants the
lower end of his batting order to be
able to lay 'em down when necessary
this year and is starting early to teach
the boys how to tap the ball. Most OF
the pitchers were just as weak at this
kind of hitting as they were last season,
Iloyd Brown and Carlos Moore were no
slouches in the bunting drill and some
of the others did more than make futile
pushes at the sphere.
According to johnson, from now on
in the training season every available
minute viii be given over to batting
practice. He feels the Nationals sim
ply can't get too much Of 1t. johnson
is one of those who do not believe
O stale batter into the beginning OF the
flag race as do some managers. In
stead, Walter recalls that not so good
.2T6 club batting average made by the
Nationals last year and aims to have
his henchmen make q much better
showing in the impending campaign.
Jones Offers Evidence.
BY many Samuel Pond Jones is re-
garded q pitcher rather than batter,
but Sam insists he Is a batter and that
he can prove It. He offers the follow
ing letter from q well known bats
making firm as support Of his claim:
Dear Mr.. Jones:
SIT won't be long now.
"If you have not already written for
your sluggers for training season our
special designer wants to tell you that
he Is all set and has plenty Of your
models on hand for immediate ship
ment
IF there are any changes in your
model be sure to advise and specify
such in weights and lengths.
Assuring you of our appreciation Of
your past favors and wishing you sea-
son as successful as last, we beg to re-
main, ETC."
OF course, learning that the company
has special models for him rather
pleased Sam. The knowledge pleased
him so much. in fact, that he passed
the letter among his teammates. But
that season as successful as last stuff
didn't 60 so well with Sam after being
reminded by Mariberry that his record
for batting in 1929 read only .157.
This Biloxi Is quite a place, the Ma
tionals are saying today. With no
practice scheduled yesterday the ath-
1eteS had an opportunity to look over
the historic town on Mississippi Sound
and they made the most of it. They
took drives along the picturesque shore,
voyaged across the sound to the Gulf
Of Mexico, visited Beauvoir, the last
home of Jefferson Davis, saw the old
house with its walls Of moss and clay
said to be the Oldest house In the
Mississippi Valley and looked over the
Coast Guard Station, the personnel of
which has made quite record for rum
day for all hands, there being much Of
interest TO see in this third oldest town
in the United States.
Only Six Unsigned Now.
Now that Ad Liska has penned his
name on a contract, but 6 of the 80
players of the Washington roster re-
NAMED unsigned. They are Garland
Braxton, pitcher; Roy Spencer ard
Benny Tate, catchers; Jack Hayes, in
fielder, and Goose Goslin and George
Loepp, outf1elders. Liska had virtually
accepted terms offered by the club be-
fore coming here, but postponed sign
ing until clearing up few details Of
the document.
A.