Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01
WASHINGTON SUBS
ARE TALENTED LOT
Nationals Second Line Is
Stronger Than That of
Last Season.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

main in the flock. However, 1t
does seem those in charge of the
Nationals may be somewhat OPP
timistic regarding the reserve tai
ent they have gathered for the
impending season. 1t looks as
though the Washington club so
far as substitutes are concerned
will be far better off than it was
last year.
To back up the infield Manager
Walter johnson will have at his COM
mand Joe Kuhel, Jack Hayes and Wally
Dashiell. Kuhel, first sacker. and
Hayes, who appears able to give good
account of himself at any post in the
inner Gordon, perhaps would be first
stringers with any one of several clubs
in the American League. They are that
good. Dashiell who specializes at see
ond base, played a bang-up game at
that position for the Chattanooga club
in the Southern Association last year.
When the Nationals swung into their
championship campaign last season they
to use in an infleld emergency. Ana
he was used plenty. Jack even went
to first base when the veteran regular,
Joe Judge, was incapacitated That
was before Art Shires was procured
from the White Sox and Kuhel bought
from Kansas City. True, Jimmy Nc
Leod was with the club, but the young
ster bought from Little Rock was con-
sidered too inexperienced for protracted
service with big league club, especially
one around the top Of the race as were
the Nationals.
HAYES, who has been around some
i i time now, is just about the best
reserve infielder to be found in the
American League. While not so fiashy
around the first sack, Jack can perform
brilliantly at second, short or third. He
is smooth-working mechanically and
backs his play with a keen inside
knowledge of the several positions. He
is able to contribute fairly well to his
clubs attack, too. Hayes is no strong
hitter, but timely one.
Kuhel in his brief trial last season
looked the likeliest young first-sacker
to come up to the Nationals in years.
He moves around the initial base in
fine style, throws well and seems dan
gerous at bat With Joe at hand Man
ager Johnson probably would have little
to worry about should Judge be put out
Of commission temporarily. And if
DashieH proves as good as those who
saw him play for the LookoutS claim
he is, he ought to be good man to
have around.
A s to the outfeld, Manager john
"A son should have clever reserve
material regardless of how he aligns
his regular pasture combination. With
Sam Rice, West and Manush in there as
frst-stringers, johnson would have back
Harry Rice and Harris. Harry Rice
when in trim is as neat an outfielder
as can be found in the big show And
he is no SLOUGH at bat Harris, prop
erly worked, is better at bat and afield
than he has been given credit for being.
Manager Johnson sees much worth in
Dave, and johnson is a pretty canny
judge of his ball players.
1t now seems johnson will employ
as his regular catching staff Spencer
and Hargrave. If a third catcher is to
be carried he will be picked from Kenna
and Bolton with Kenna the likely pick
Ed, brought back from CHATTANOOGA, is
reported much better receiver than
when first up with the Nationals sew
eral seasons ago. Then he was slow
getting his throws away and his bat
ting was not particularly strong. Since,
1t is said, Kenna has improved both in
arm and at bat although he still is
lead-footed runner on the base paths.
But that does not make him a poor
catcher.
All in all the Nationals apparently
are going to be much better off with
respect TO reserve strength this year
than they were last.
NLD-TIMERS for advice, but young
~ sters for action sounds well, yet
it doesn't click in big league base
ball. Fine for club to have around
Lat IT 1,,F@f Ill 81
lows, but it also needs some veteran
material, veteran material that can do
more than talk. The Nationals have
their batch of veterans, and as these
veterans perform this year so quite
likely will the club.
It is not surprising, therefore, that
i've Of the six Nationals slated for a
preliminary training course at Hot
Springs are old-timers. They are the
Heinie Manush and Red" Hargrave.
Excepting Harry Rice, each of these
is slated to be a regular in his line
this season and all must function well
on the field If the club is to get any
where.
For Sam Rice and Marberry, the
work at the Arkansas spa will be Moth
ing new. Sam will train there in the
mild manner he has before. little
kDil W EcL Vic hlllhAo OhS Va
pinning and a course OF mineral Datns
to tone him up. For Marberry, though.
there will be much more work FREQ
will be asked to do a deal Of tramplng
over the hills that he might tear on
some of the extra weight he gathers
every Winter and so condition him.
self that the general run Of toll he
will undergo at Biloxi later will leave
him in good trim to start the cham
pionship campaign.
Last year-for the past several years,
in fact-FTed has been slow starter,
and those in charge of the Nationals
blame the slow starting on Fred's fall
ure to condition himself fully before the
championship season gets underway
Training never has been pleasant to
Marberry and he always has been in
clined TO sidestep much Of the spring
grind unless especially watched
It may different this time, though
President Clark Griffith says the con-
tract offered Marberry includes a
bonus clause calling for a fixed num-
Der of pitching victories to get the
player a maximum salary. ms may
spur Fred to extra e1deavor In Spring
training.
only seven Nationals now are un'
" signed for 1881 They are Mar.
berry, Carl Fischer. AID Eiska anc
John Peregory. pitchers; Hayes and NC
Iseod. infielders. and Harry Rice, out
fielder Most Of these are likely to gel
in line this week.