Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-27
TARGETS ARE POOR
FOR MEN At PLATE
Griff Veteran Sees HindranCe
in Low, Distant Fences
and Waving Trees.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
SPORTS Editcr, The Star.

Vic ANcAbAOAAcNAS AAS~f
won seven sof the nine
games played thus far this
Spring, losing the opening to Bal
timore and subsequently staging
q drawn battle with the same
team, their inability to hit con-
sistently has persisted so uniform
" over the two weeks period they
have been playing that camp OBJ
servers are at q loss to explain It..
If some Of the athletes were hurt or
ailing the sorry showing OF the Grill
men at bat would b easy to under
stand, but aside from a few minor ex-
ceptions there has been no sickness or
injuries, and with all hands feeling well
and clipper their inability to get I'M
tracked at the plate Is somewhat puz-
Fling.
Many theories have been advanced to
account for this strange state of affairs,
with the supposedly deader bal ana
the greater efficiency OF the pitchers
due to better manipulation Of the sphere
with the raised seams getting little
consideration, but the most logical are
those propounded by Joe Judge. The
first baSing captain of the GriffS, q
smart ball player and keen observer,
believes the situation has mental IS
well Is physical angle. ~
ttTN the first place." asserts Judge.
i who has been one of the worst suf-
ferers from the batting anemias
''these ball parks at Biloxi and Gulf
port are poor grounds to hit on. Here
the fence In center field is so far re-
moved from the plate and so low there
Is nothing against which to see q ball
except trees, and their branches usually
are waving in breeze. At Gulfport
conditions are even worse, for, although
portion Of the fence In center is only
a patch and most Of the time the hurlers
are operating from the end Of the rub
Der ana pitching out Of some adyertis-
ing sign
"That in itself is enough to hold down
hitting, but there Is another reason.
Most ball players are good deal like
actors in that thsy do their best work
before large audiences, and there ap-
parently are no such things in this sec
ton. It isn't because they have artistic
temperaments or anything like that,
merely that it's human nature to try
harder when a lot Of people are looking
on. There's no inspiration TO step out
and strain yourself before just handful
Of fans.
I've always been a slow starter in
the Spring, anyhow, so there's nothing
unusual about the fact I'm not hitting,
but I'll bet mSSt of the other fellows
would have dole better before stands
packed with roaring fans. They get
YOU stirred UP regardless OF whether
they are roofing for or against you, and
the incentive Is furnished for doing
something wheee It's lacking when the
stand is bare and the bieachers almost
empty.
4 look for a big change when we get
to Birmingham next week. They have
q real big league base ball plant there,
including an adequate sized background,
against which pitched balls can be
gagged, and the fans turn out in num-
beers more like we are accustomed to in
our regular league games. know in
variably get started when the team
reaches Birmingham on It's way NorGn,
and I think you'll find that VIII be the
case with the other fellows, too"
TTHE first Of the two games at Biz
mingham is scheduled for one week
from today, following which the
Nationals will stop of for three Tits at
CHATTANOOGA before moving on to the
CAPITAL. where contests with the Boston
Braves, Philadelphia Nationals and the
Baltimore and Rochester clubs Of the
international League VIII serve as mai
tuning UP for the championship cam
paign.
remain for the Gridmen In this section
The first of these is tomorrow, when the
Orioles will be encountered here, while
the seventh Of the series with the Birds
will be played at Gulfport on the Sab
bath. After that there viii be only the
tussle against the House Of David nine
here on Tuesday before the Nationals
break camp next Thursday night.
CONDITIONS for training yesterday
~ were about the worst the Nationals
have encountered To date, the
threatening weather having chill that
was accumulated by high wind which
made It difficult TO get up sweat. 1t
did not deter many Of the boys from
getting out on the golf links In the
afternoon, however. and all Of them
finished their rounds despite rain which
drove them 70 cover for time.
YESTERDAY evening all Of the play
i ers and scribes were the guests Of
the Biloxi Chamber Of Commerce
at chicken and spaghetti dinner. with
trimmings. Compliments were tossed
back and forth across the banquet
board, set in the fire house, and the
evening proved enjoyable. despite the
fact numerous speeches" were at
tempted.
I go BURNS. protege Of Joe Cronin.
IL. no longer IS with the Nationals.
He has been sent to the Chatta-
nooga club and it develops he has been
the property Of that outfit from the
start. The new maior-minor agreement
prohibits major club signing player
from the sandlots, so the Lookouts were
Qi,+sn Burns nriofnallY