The Washington times., 1932-04-02
COAST FLASH
LEARNING
FAST.
BY BABE RUTH

MEMPHIS, Ienn., April D.
Some interesting experiments have
been going on this spring at
various training camps and at
least one seems to have turned
out very satisfactorily. The latest
I have heard about the White
Sox is that Smead Jolley has
shown enough skill behind the
plate to insure his being used as
q catcher. And one of the critics
has come forward with the pre-
diction that Jolley will be the
regular catcher when the Sox
open the season.
Looks as if Lew Fonseca knew
something when he made that
move. I recall that the early
announcement brought a few
smiles, but Fonseca is having his
laugh now. JoIey no doubt still
has plenty to learn behind the
plate, but that is true Of any
player going to another position.
The big fellow certainly has a
powerful bat, and the move which
keeps him in the lineup every
day is likely to mean a lot to
the Sox. 1 recall that last sea-
son he appeared in several Sox-
Yankee games as a pinch hitter
and it didn't seem that we could
ever get him out.
Moore Also Shifted
While the Sox have been using
Jolley behind the plate Manager
Bill McKechnie of the Boston
Braves has been using Randy
Moore in the same position.
Randy has played in both the
outtield and infield against our
club in spring exhibition games
in other seasons and this year
ne bobbed up with a mask, big
glove and protector. And l can
tell you that he gave very
good account of himself in the
new role.
When We played the Cardinals,
Jim Collins was in the )utfield
and I heard some glowing &C
counts Of his ability as a fly
chaser. You know Jim came to
the Cards as first baSeman,
and the dope last spring was
that he was going to supplant
Jim Bottomley as first paseman
of the champs. Then Collins
was injured and Bottomley came
through with such brilliant play
ing that there was no displacing
him when Collins was able to
play again. So Bottomley con-
tinued to play first through the
season and through the world
series. and he still holds the in
side track.
Collins Looms big
The holdoLt of Hafey gave
Collins his chance to show his
skill as an outfielder and he
looms today as a far more val
liable player than Gabby Street
had figured him. imagine that
Hafey will displace him when he
returns to the Cardinals but that
does not change the fact that
Collins has surprised the boys in
a new position
At the Tigers camp Mark
Koenlg, who came into the
majors six years ago as a short
stop. has been continuing his
campaign for recognition as a
pitcher Manager Shane Collins
of the Red Sox let Bill Sweeney
drift back to- the minors because
he was satisfied that Al Van
Camp would make the grade as
a first basenan. Van Camp
came to the Red Sox as an out
fielder and in the official club
roster for 1882 he still is listed
as such.
It will be no surprise if Joe
Strip, who came to the Robins
only a few days ago as a third
baseman in exchange for Wally
Gilbert, will have to play first
base for awhile because of the in
Jury which forced Del BiSsonette
to return home. But Strip is
not exactly a newcomer at first
base as he played the position
quite a lot while with the Clncln-
natl Reds.
Terry Changed
There are many instances in
the majors today of outstanding
players who became stars after
changing positions. Bill Terry
was a pitcher when the Giants
first got him and he developed
into one of the great basemen OF
recent years. Babe Herman came
to the Brooklyn club as a first
baseman, but he has been in the
outfieId for years. Fred Lind
strom was an infield star for
years until the purchase of Johnny
Verges gave McGraw two third
baSemen. So Freddy was sent
to the outfield and he became
quite fly chaser
Mel OFT came to the Giants as
q catcher, and Jimmy FoXX, who
plays either first or third base
for the AS, was also a catcher
when he first came into the ma
iors. Oscar Roettger, who has
been playing first base for the
Mackmen in many of their spring
games, was a pitcher when the
Yankees had him several years