Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05
COUNTS FIVE CLUBS
IN RACE THIS YEAR
Piqued by Failure to Win
Flag in Six Years, lawn
on Job Early.
This is one of series OF first -hand
Associated Press stories on major league
base ball prospects.
BY GAYLE TALBOT, JR.,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

~AN ANTONIO, Tex, March 5.
Boosting one of the heav-
~ lest hitting line-upS in the
major leagues last season,
the New York Giants could finish
no better than third. The veteran
master mind, John J. McGraw,
blameS the loss of a pennant on
the weakness of his reserves and
the fact that several capable
pitchers, for some unaccountable
reason, failed to win.
Thus, instead of making some whole
sale changes, the little Napoleon has
decided to stand pat in preparation for
the 1881 National League race. He
visions hot five-club battle for the
title and Is girding for the fray. He
reached camp earlier and is working
harder than he has in years. He
and doesn't like it.
Unless some youngster strikes the
McGrawan mind nightly, there likely
VIII not be a change from the 1890
lineup. 1t Is flag contender as it
stands. providing the pitchers come
through.
Innerworks Okay.
With Bill Terry, the league batting
leader, at first; Hughie Critz at second.
Travis Jackson at short and Freddie
Lindstrom at third, the Giants have
one OF base balls great infields. They
hit, respectively, .401, $50, 1888 and
1873 last year. What Critz didn't hit,
ne made up in fielding brilliance.
McGraw was thinking of shifting
Lindstrom to the outfield and inserting
Urban Pickering. a lusty hitter from
birmingham, but some of the best
minds doubt he will do it. Eddie
Marshall, who hit 800 in 70 games
last year, again viii hold the utility
role. Sam Leslie, last years Texas
League batting leader, and John Vergez,
third sacker from Oakland, complete
the inf1eld array.
There isn't chance Of breaking into
two outfleld jobs. They will be patrolled
by Melvin OFT and Fred Leach, a pair
OF the best. The third post, centerfeld,
promises to fall to Charles Chick"
Fullis If he has recovered from an early
injury last year.
II Fullis Is not ready to step IN, there
are some capable reinforcements. Lead
ing the list Is Ethan Allen, the former
CINCINNATI Red, who finished in the
utility role last year. Harry Rosenberg,
$50 hitter from San Francisco; James
Bryan, from Springfield, and Joe Moore,
who came up from San Antonio, also
are on hand.
Have Pitching Strength.
Fred Fitzsimmons, Carl Bushell and
Bill Walker form the nucleus of Nc
Graw's pitching staff. They turned in
SO victories against "a setbacks last
season and were listed among the top
notchers of their league. Pete Donohue,
Joe Genewich, Joe Heving, Clarence
Mitchell and Herbert Pruitt round out a
veteran corps Of fingers. Donohue and
Genewich were disappointments to Nc
Graw last year, both finishing in the
red, but the Giants boss Is counting
on them strongly this year.
or IL other various and assorted
hurlers, the most promising are John
Berry, leading pitcher of the Rochester
club last year, and Leroy Parmelee,
fast-baller who was on the bench most
OF 1880. Jim Chaplin. who won two
out Of eight starts late in the year,
also is possibility.
Francis Hogan and Bob O'Farrell
again will be the bulwarkS Of the
catching staff. They divided duty last
year, Hogan slan1ming the ball at q
1888 clip and OFarrel for .301. Fran
els Healey, with Bridgeport last season,
and Francis Laveque, from San An
tonic, battle it out for the third-string
Job.