Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01


Authority for this is none othel
than Clark Griffith, president o.
the ball club.
Unless Judge figures in Win.
ter tr2de-and Griffith says the
player is not being marketed nov
he will battle with Joe Kuhel fol
! the initial base job the youngStel
/ assumed after the veteran wa:
! stricken by appendicitis last May
when the Nationals assemble fol
! training in Biloxi next Spring.
| 1t had been thought that Judge. hav-
| ing warmed the bench for months after
recovering from the appendicitis attack
would surely be let out by the Wash
| ington clab. which could not reasonably
carry an idling player at the veterans
high salary.
Judge IS far from being done as q
! ball player" declared Griffith when
| asked what disposition might be made
| Of the first baseman who so long starred
| for the Nationals 81 firmly believe he
! has several years of big league playing
/ in his system and If he Is among those
| present at the Biloxi camp expect him
/ to fight, 1t out with Kuhel for the first
base job.
Don't think for an instant that he
| is slated to go merely because Kuhel
was continued at first base last season
after Judge declared himself in condi-
/ ton to return to the game. That was
not particularly significant. Judge
| though he was ready to go back to the
game around the first of July, two
months after appendicitis had laid him
| low, but it was more Joe's great spirit
| than anything else that had him eager
| to return to action" the president in
sisted.
las a matter Of fact, Judge never was
in proper condition to return to regu-
lar duty last season after that operation
on May /. Manager johnson did not
believe Joe in good trim nor did t.
Griffith continued. such an operation
takes a lot out Of ball player, espe-
cially one as old as Judge. so much that
he cannot come back fast. It really
was for Judges good that he was prac-
tically retired for the remainder of the
season. Next Spring ought to find him
in great trim again and fighting gamely
to get his old job back"
MOT only did those in charge of the
~ Nationals feel that Judge was not
in good enough condition to play regu-
larry after July l. They also felt fine
opportunity was at hand to give Kuhel,
the youngster, the polish needed to make
him high-class first baSeman. The
recruit had improved considerably dur
ing his two months Of emergency work
and 1t was deemed best to continue him
at the post that he might profit more
through experience.
you must remember we paid q lot
Of money for Kuhel and he was getting
nowhere for long time" said the
Washington president. The youngster
represents an outlay of $50 900 and two
ball players. We were eager to learn
how much he had in him and the op-
portuntty to do so last season was too
good to pass UP. am satisfied KuheI
has the markings of fine first baseman
He fieIded wonderfully and 1 expect
him to become a much better hitter.
But he'll have to fight it out with
Judge-if the latter is around-for the
job next year."
A THOUGH there Is much talk of
"A the American League adopting the
National League ball at the joint
session of the majors next month
President Griffith has an idea the
junior big circuit will continue 10 use
the sphere it had the past season. Both
base balls had raised seams, but the
cover of the National League ball was
thicker than that of the American
Leagues
Some are claiming the National
League pitchers were helped by the
thicker-covered ball and pointing to
the lower batting averages in the old
circuit to bear up their claims" said
Griffith. Well, you can discount a lot
of that CUFF. The National League
hitters did Just about as well as those
in the American League, who we're
batting lighter-covered ball
And believe we have a better ball
tran the other league, too, so why
adopt the National League ball?"
Griffith pointed out that while the
American League had three excep-
tional hitters in Simmons, Ruth and
Morgan with averages from 800 to 361
the leagues were abut even in good bat
tiers below this trio The National
League had three batters in the $40
class. five in the $3.50 class and eight
some pitchers and utility players who
hit for high figures. The American
League had two batters in the .340s.
four in the 1905 and six in the .320S.
This makes Grif1th seem right.
'DAVE HARRIS of the Nationals did
II we'll again as a pinch-hitter the
past season. The man who led
the American League emergency bat
tiers IN 1880 finished fourth in their
ranks this year with an average Of
1856 He got five hits in Is times up.
Cliff Bolton, another National, also was
good in pinches. He socked for pinch
average of .444. but Is not included In
the ranking announced by the Ameri-
can League offices because he was up
but nine times, one less than the total
required for ranking.
Smead Jolley of the White Sox
topped the pinch hitters with the fine
average of .48l. In 81 times at bat he
made Is pinch-hits, four of them
doubles, one a triple and one homer.
NIASHINGTON'S reserve list OF play
Wv ers forwarded to American League
headquarters in compliance with
the base ball rule requiring its filing
on or before November includes 80
names. 1t follows:
OsSie Bluege. Cliff Bolton, Lloyd
Brown, Bob Burke, Joe CrOnin. Al
Crowder. Carl Fischer, Pat Charity,
Bump Hadley, Dave Harris, Jack Hayes,
Sam Jones, Joe Judge. Joe Kuhel,
Heinie Manush. Fred Marberry. Buddy
Myer, Sam Rice. Roy Spencer and Sam
West all with the club the past season.
Monte Weaver. Harley Boss, Bill An
druS Frank Ragland. Gordon Phelps,
Cecil Travis. William Friedrich, Jack
GIL and Ralph Boyle, purchased dur
ing the past season.
Lynn Grifith. Walter Masters Tom
CLARK. Tom Banks. Ad Liska, Baxter
Jordan. ,Jimn Mcleod and Al Powell.
optional players recalled.
Luther Thomas, signed when free
agent