The Washington times., 1931-02-23
YOUNG GIANT
IS AMONG
ARRIVALS
BY JOE HOLMAN

Three Washington club pitch
erS, Alvin Crowder, Art Fidler
and Ray Mcmahon, arrived here
early today. Tomorrow they are
to accompany Bill Smiths base
ball party which heads South
ward from Union Station at IL
o'clock.
Manager Walter johnson, Pitch
ers Joe Smith, George Grayson,
Uncle Nick Altrock, a flock of
newspaper men and that ace of
photographers and card sharks
demon Joe" Roberts-will l
round out the expedition.
Crowder, whose work after
joining the Griffmen last season
was an American League Sensa-
ton, showed up hale and hearty
and registered at the Hamilton
Hotel. Fidler likewise quartered
himself at the Hamilton, while
Mcmahon stopped with friends.
Fidler ImpreSSes
"FeeIing fine" the General
said when questioned. Been
spending some time with my
wife's folks at Rochester. I've
put in plenty of time exercising
this winter and am ready to
get down to training"
If a pitching build means any
thing. this chap Fidler will bear
watching. Stretching a full five
inches over six feet, he weighs
a good 100, has long arms I'd
otherwise impressed as a ball
player.
Fidler performed with Hagers-
town last season and, despite a
none too impressive record on
paper, showed enough to warrant
his trial. Performing in 10 games
he was credited with three wins
while losing four games. He is
said to specialize in speed and is
considered a good prospect.
Mcmahon, cOllegian, is
more or less a mystery man.
He formerly was affiliated with
Pittsburgh University and is
said to have good stock of
stuff.
Since 1925 the Washington
Club, for some mysterious reason,
has been woefully weak in one
most important department. Bat
ting practice pitchers have been
at a premium,
During the past two years Man
ager Walter Johnson has been
forced to work overtime in these
sessions. Particularly in the
spring the big Train" has been
called upon to exert himself.
If the 1881 roster means any
thing, however, Sir Walter will
not find it necessary to do double
duty. Exactly Is singers are
listed on the teams present roster.
Seven Rockies
Seven rockies, for instance, can
be summoned to the hill in spring
training. In addition to Joe
Smith and George Grayson, re-
Gently signed, there are Art Fid-
Ter, Lynn Griffith, John Peregory,
Ray Mcmahon and Walter
Tauscher. Lloyd Brown, Bobby
Burke, Alvin Crowder, Carl
Fischer, Irving Hadley, Sam Jones,
Ad Liska and Fred Marberry are
the other slabsters.
Already boaSting one of the
most formidable pitching depart
ments in baseball the Griffmen
nevertheless are eager to develop
new talent. Consequently Prexy
Griffith and Manager Johnson
have decided to develop quality
from quantity, if such thing is
possible.
Probably the most promising
boxman of the younger crop is
Lefty Griffith, a 1880 minor
league StrikeOut sensation. The
youthful left-hander boasts a
highly tOuted speed-ball and,
according to Scout Joe Engel,
needs only the opportunity to
make good.
It is possible that Joe Smith,
former standout moundsman
with Uniontown, Pa, in the
American Legion national tourna-
ment, may be carried as a bat
ting practice pitcher throughout
the impending year. Smith &C
companied the Griffs on several
of last years out of town jaunts
and impressed with his general
stock of stuff in batting prac-
ticeS.
Should he get the job he will
supplant Harry Child, who
handled this assignment a year
ago.