Evening star., 1932-02-27

alls following morning practice
today, shined up their silk top
pers and looked forward to tomor-
row, when they will have earned
a momentary respite from ardu-
GUS duties.
Today's skirmishing over at Biloxi
ball park was hectic and profitable.
Some Of the boys pulled up putting Just
slightly, like your model T trying TO
make something in second.
They went after the days portion Of
training with more zeal than Judgment,
more fire and punch than you would
expect upon the sixth day OF preppng.
But 1t was profitable in that the boys
learned just what can and cannot be
done.
Only slight bruises. and those due to
this "old mans game" Of golf, show
that the pitchers and catcherS have
been careful in their first week of get
ting into shape In fact, golf has been
q major part of the training so far, and
no less a leader than Clark Griffith
himself has led many of the boys from
afternoons Of Strolls and beach chairs
siestaS into grueling conflict upon the
fairways and greens Of the Biloxi Coun-
try Club.
But what better way can ball play
er spend an afternoon than by shoot
ing at the hundreds on a golflng lay
out, is Walter Johnson's naive way Of
both asking and answering the question.
First Week Is Pleasing.
Looking back over the week Of activ-
fly, both socially and athletically. Grif
announces that he IS pleased with what
his early batch Of troupers have shown,
both in lounge room department and
on the training ground. Socially, these
young men are just the sort OF people
you would like to meet most anywhere.
AS athletes they are promising, so much
so. particularly the young pitchers, that
Mr.. Griffith boldly announces that he
hopes to get himself good pitcher or
two out of the flock.
Monday, when Bobby Burke has
donned the overalls, there will be IL
hurlers shooting away. Today there
were 10 young and ambitious men pop
ping the pineapples over to boy friends.
OF the IL who will be on deck Mon
day are seasoned beanshooters, play
ers who went through last year with
colors flying. That leaves six young
men, one of whom can be counted as
regular at once-Monte Weaver who
came from the Baltimore Orioles last
year with a record as sweet as your
SWeetie.
Which, unless the count is lost and
there are more blackbirds on the fence
than should be- leaves five rookie hurl-
ers down here bidding for the one or
two jobs which Grif says he has open
for pitchers.
Three to Be Picked.
AS the boss man plans to carry nine
moundsmen during the season the six
regulars can be augmented by but three
youngsters, and as there are five here
that is why Mr. Griffith has the young
men hard at work, or why there is a
Washington Monument, as Mr.. Al
Schacht will explain.
No matter what the method Of ar
irving at an answer. the thing is that
the answer will not change. Mr.. Grit
fifth can use some pitchers and the only
thing he has in his hands at the mo-
ment is hope that these youngsters can
come through. But hope is sometimes
tricky and Mr.. Griffith, though con-
1ident, still is walking about with his
fingers crossed, or your expert IS seeing
too many sea gulls with his drinking
water.
AS the boys now look Griff may be
able to go through the season with his
pitching department holding up nicely.
There may be no need for worry and
If he must worry he can turn his at
tention to the catching division, which,
while in very good early season shape,
still is very meager in power.
Yet there is no reason why your cor
respondent should do any worrying for
Mr.. Griffith. The very Shrewd gentle
man has had worries before and came
through laughing up his sleeve. And,
besides Grtf is eXuding confidence down
here and there must be something
behind it.
Anyhow, It is felt here that Grtf will
get himself pair Of good hurlers out
of Grifhth, Ragland, Friederichs or
Delaney. Boyle, the youngster from
Bayonne, may find the task of hopping
from Sandlot to the Mats too much.
Delaney may be a problem, but Griffith,
Ragland and FTiederichs are standoutS
for the berth or berths Grif has to
offer.
Only Four Now Unsigned.
With Burke's signature in. Marberry's
condition fine, Crowder's excellent and
Carl Fischer, Monte Weaver, Brown
promising to go well, Griff cannot COM
plain Of the weeks work from a busi-
ness standpoint. Spencer, too, relieved
him of more worry than one man should
carry Only four contracts are now out
those Of Judge, West, Manush and
Myer
Added to the comforts Griff has de-
rived from the early crews first week
here IS the weather. 1t started off bad
ly. but soon perked up to such an extent
that Mr.. Johnson made himself a life
long honorary member of the local
Chamber Of Commerce by saying that
the site was the best he ever has trained
upon.
Tomorrow the first of the second
squad gets into camp, when Carl Rey-
nOldS is due to arrive. He will undergo
sliding drill as soon as he is ready for
it. Griff and johnson think that his in
ability to get into bag just the proper
way can be overcome.
Just how many OutfelderS Grih will
carry is a problem that is worrying the
yeranda experts here but getting no
play from Griff. He has six listed, and
in the pack is Ralph Boyle, former Bal
timore Oriole, who while rated on the
club roster as % years of age is but 19
Whether Johnnie is going to be that
extra left-hander to be around for a
punch is a question that you may ask
Mr.. Griffith the first time you happen
to meet him.
Down here he laughs off all talk on
his infeld and outfield. He threatens
to get around to all Of that when the
boys come TO camp.
But a week of gossip down here
would lead any one interested to be-
lieve that Griff is pretty sure of Just
how his team is going to walk to bat
on April II, and just who is going to
be sitting around to pinch hit, play or
pitch
But the tax on speculation at this
time Of the year is practically nothing
at all, and where there are training
camps there is early spinach, which
leads up to Mike Martin, who is max
ing his boys eat plenty OF it and less
sea food.