Evening star., 1931-12-27
HOPES TO IMPROVE
IN HIDING DELIVERY
Griff Pitcher viii Have Spen.
GERS Aid in Effort to
Change Form.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.
.VE yHILE in>training with the
w Nationals at Biloxi next


wv Nationals at Biloxi next
" Spring, young Robert
Burke, the stringbean
southpaw, plans to do considerable
experimenting with his pitching
delivery, He will endeavor to per-
feet a delivery in which the bat
ter will see little or nothing of
the ball before it is we'll on its
way to the plate.
Should Burke master such
delivery he might go far as a big
league hurler for when he bears
down he throws a peculiarly baf-
fling ball.
Used more often as a starting pitcher
the past season than ever before since
coming up to the big show as a draftee
from Little Rock of the Southern As
sociation in the Fall of 1926, Burke
proved Of much value to the Nationals.
In 80 games. he started l3, and though
pitching but three complete ones, he
finished with a record of eight wins
against three defeats
Particularly notable were his games
against the Tigers on June and the
Red Sox on August g. both in Griffith
Stadium. He limited the Tigers to three
hits and yielded the Red Sox none
while holding them scoreless. The slen-
Ger southpaW was far more effective in
the 1881 campaign than ever before.
"ROt 7 ought n ha >
Burke before leaving for his Joliet. Ill.
home at the close of the season. Il get
plenty on the ball, I believe, but the
batter can see that ball right from the
start OF my wlnd-up. l must conceal
my delivery more If I am to do much
hlgh-class pitching. Well. thev NAV not
see so much of that pitch in 1892 Not
II change my style Of delivering the
pail as hope to do by earnest practice
at Biloxi"
Burke's adviser and most friendly
crltlc Is Roy Spencer, the Nationals
iron man catcher and Bob's roomie
when the club is on the road. 1t was
spencer who last season suggested that
burke might acquire new pitching de-
livery, and the catcher has promised to
take the southpaw in hand at training
camp IN an effort to correct the hurting
fault.
Spencer, in addition to being a clever
receiver. is regarded an excellent coach
OF young pitchers. 50 Burke should bene-
NJ a great deal from Roys instruction.
II ne ooes the Nationals will have a
lelt-hand pitcher quite likely to make
the going rather rough for the batters
OF the opposition.
NEXT Spring the Nationals are not
~ 10 get much of break between
quitting the mild climate of their
southern training camp and stepping
INTO the generally somewhat severe
weather prevailing in Washington in
cary april: Six days after playing their
iast exhibition at Biloxi Manager Wal
ter Johnson's charges will show their
wares on the Washington home lot
Several times before the club has
through its training schedule undergone
soch sudden changes in climate and
usually an epidemic of colds followed
Their bodies attuned to the mildor
weather Of Dixie. the athletes were
quickly affected unfavorably by the
change.
However, those in charge Of the club
contend that a long series Of one-day
stands for exhibitions between the
southern training camp and the home
lot Is as likely to upset the physical
condition of the players as much as
the sudden climatic change. A long
stretch Of nights spent in sleeping cars
is not calculated to keep the men at
top form, So the quick jump will be
-tsked that the Nationals will be more
comfortably housed here than they
coulo be under the long-travel system.
HAVING picked up the long-sought
right-hand swinging outfielder in
Carl Reynolds those responsible for
building up the Nationals now will con-
fine their efforts 10 getting an assist
ant to Spencer on the catching staff
However they may not be successful
in the quest until the big leaguers be-
gin wedding out material shortly before
training camps are broken.
While attending the major meetings
In Chicago early this month President
Clark Griffith sounded several clubs
with the idea Of picking up a capable
catcher, but declared he was offered
nothing that would make the Nationals
catching staff any better than at
present.
Those catchers the other clubs were
willing to turn over to us could not
help" he stated. Not one is as good
as Gordon Phelps, the Bowie boy who
has been brought back to the club
Phelps by the way, is a much improved
catcher, far better than hes was when
we gave him a trial in the Spring Of
1880
He might prove quite useful to us
Gordon certainly will get a thorough
looking over at Biloxi unless, of course,
We are fortunate enough to pick up
more experienced catcher before going