Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-07
ROY NOW PROVING
WORTH $4,000 TAG
ErstWhiIe HoIdout Beats Out
RueI and Tate as First
String Catcher.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

NLEVELAND, June Wash
ington'S base ball club is
Il realing on the $4,000 1t
gave Roy Spencer to sign
with it last year. In the 1929 cam
paign Spencer did little more
than warm the bench while
Muddy Ruel and Benny Tate did
the bulk of the receiving for the
Mats. Now Spencer is rated the
first string member of the catch
ing staff and, despite a late start,
has caught more games than
Ruel and Tate together. He has
performed brilliantly behind the
bat, too, and though he boasts no
high hitting average, the hitting
he has done has been timely He
has produced frequently at bat
with teammates on the runway
awaiting aid.
President Clark Griffith regarded as
O great gamble the payment of $4,000
to Spencer for signing after the catcher
he'd been made a free agent when Com
missioner KenesaW Lands lest year de-
cided 10 punish some base ball moguls
for juggling of players.
True, Spencer had done some good
minor league catching, but he had
failed to make the grade as big
Lacquer when tried by the Tigers some
years before and several trials had not
convinced the management of the Pr
rates in the senior major circuit that
Roy had the goods.
AS Spencer was employed last season
Il looked as though Griffith was to be
the loser in the gamble. The catcher
was given little opportunity to prove
his worth and was not so impressirn at
bat in his few games. He could t. ow
and at times he impressed as a re-
ceiver But, all in all, he certainly did
not seem to be flrst-clasS backstop.
WHEN Spencer held out for higher
w salary the past Winter it generally
was believed the Washington club
was justified in not granting a raise
His 1929 record surely did not entitle
him to a heavier salary, it was argued
President Griffith stuck to his original
terms to the finish and Spencer, who
did not report to the club until the
opening day of the season, had a sus-
pension imposed upon him while the
Nationals were training in the South
extended until he could convince the
management he was in good enough
condition TO play.
1t did not take Spencer long to show
he was ready for action. Roy had
trained with the South Atlantic League
club at his Augusta, Ga, home several
weeks before arriving in Washington
the middle of April. In fact, the
catcher probably was in trim to take
his place behind the bat when he
finally joined the club. That extra
time on his suspension was a disciple
nary move by President Griffith. The
Washington prexy has a habit of not
showing hold-outs any nercy-and he
cannot be blamed for that
Extension of the suspension, though;
put Spencer on his mettle. He went to
work in a determined way and soon
demonstrated he could be of great help
to the Nationals. Once given a chance
this year, Roy made good quickly. Now
he is of so much value to the club that
it may figure 5000 was pretty reason
able pay for the signing of contract
by the catcher Judge Lands lifted from
the indianapolis outfit.
TARLOS MOORE, pitcher sent to the
~ Washington farm at Chattanooga
for seasoning. before leaving Detroit
yesterday for his new cluh declared he
was plum tickled" to get a chance to
go to the hill regularly. Moore realized
he would get little opportunity to toll
for the Nationals this season and that
he would not develop without regular
service.
Those in charge of the club are con-
WINGED a season with the Lookouts will
fit Moore for big league berth. He has
speed, a good curve and his control is
fine. What's more, Carlos already has
a keen pitching sense and with more
steady employment than he could have
expected to get with the Washington
club he should blossom into a first-rate
finger.
How much the Washington owner
ship thinks of Moore is seen in the price
paid Birmingham for him, $4,000.
That's quite a sum of money to put out
for virtually untried hurler even in
these days of high price tags on
minor leaguers. When Moore was lifted
from the Barons last Fall the Nationals
handed over $4,000 simply for a chance
TO try him and now they have given the
Birmingham club a check for $17,500
additional to close the deal.
nOSTPONEMENTS again are piling
4 up for the Griffmen With the call
ing off Of the game in Detroit yesterday
because of a heavy rain that fell an
hour before the scheduled starting time
of the game at Navin field, they now
have five double headers ahead. Two
are with the Red Sox one in Boston and
one in Washington. The Indians are to
be met in twin bill at Griffith Sta
dunn this month and there are on the
list double-headers with the Yanks in
New York and with the Tigers in De-
<roit.
1t did not seem that the Tigers were
particularly eager to get in that game
yesterday. Although a storm Had been
threatening for a half hour the ground
keepers force made no effort to have
the infield cover at hand for protecting
the grounds until the shower began.
Then the canvas was dragged only to
the left field side Of the infield and the
work abandoned There was no attempt
to spread the smaller canvases over the
pitchers box and the batting boxes. A
little hustle and there might have been
contest. The shower lasted but 80
minutes.
The Tigers are not going so we'll now,
though, and they might be better when
the Nationals make their next visit to