Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-04
JOHNSON IS EAGER
TO BUILD RESERVE
Kerr Now Is Only Extra for
Three PostS-MapIe Not
Apt to Dust Bolton.
BY TOM DOERER.

HOXI, Miss, March PRO
K tected by capable reserves
- in every other department,
Manager Walter Johnson
Is bent upon adding an infielder
to the Washington roster before
the season opens on April II. AS
yet he has made no overtureS, but
he will not go into the pennant
campaign without one more utility
man, he stated today.
Johnny Kerr. brought on to Wash
ington with Carl Reynolds in the deal
that sent Irving Hadley, Sam Jones and
Jack Hayes to the White Sox, is the
lone man available to substitute for the
three infield positions outside of first
base. Should any two of the Nationals
regular infielders be put out OF action
at the same time. it would be necessary
to impress a substitute catcher or out
fielder into service, according to the
present makeup of the squad.
Johnson's search for an additional
infielder is intensified by the fact that
it Is plain he is nursing fond hopes
for a winning campaign in 1882 and
is especially anxious to fortify himself
in every department.
TNASMUCH as the infielder to be
i obtained for utility dut7 will be a
veteran according to Johnson's plans,
1t is not necessary that he join the club
before the start of the season proper.
In what direction johnson will strike
out for a reserve infielder is not known,
but it seems probable that he will scan
the list of releases at other big league
camps or make a deal by the waiver
route as early in the season as possible.
Last year the Nationals operated with
two reserve inf1elders, Jackie Hayes, who
performed acceptably. and Baxter Jor-
dan, a combination first baseman-out-
fielder-third baseman, who was released
to the Orioles after the club was cut
of the pennant race.
Kerr is expected to fill in capably in
any emergency, although his hitting is
not deemed powerful enough to earn
him regular job. He has no hope of
ousting either Cronin or Bluege and
Buddy Myer has demonstrated that it
will take better man than Kerr to
force him off second base. Jackie
Hayes tried the stunt last Spring and
for time apparently was giving Myer
q keen battle for the position, but
Buddy's improved fielding and superior
hitting turned the tide decidedly in his
favor.
Kerr, however, saw much service with
the White Sox and johnson is satisfied
with his presence on the club.
The Washington team has been ex-
tremely fortunate in recent years In
the seeming immunity of Ossie Bluege
to injury, for the third baseman has
been an almost constant performer at
his position. Joe Cronin too, has been
out OF the lineup few times since he
earned regular job at shortstop and
the need for substitutes in the WASH
tngton inf1eld has been at minimum.
HOWARD MAPLE, the all-American
i foot ball player from the Oregon
Aggies, who is striving for
catching berth with the Nationals, thus
far has given little indication he will
be able to GUST Cliff Bolton as alter
nate to Roy Spencer.
Maple like the rest of the rockies,
VIII be given an opportunity to show
his best in the Spring training games,
but Bottoms actions in the drills thus
lar have been more impressive and
MS hitting proves augurs well for his
retention over Maple.
DRESIDENT GRIFFITH, whose daily
pIOSIdIH Is rOunQ OF g01 after
the morning practice, has received
no further news from the trio of Ma
tIonas still unsigned, but he is express
ing no uneaSiness over the fact that
Heinie Manush, Sammy West and Joe
Judge have not yet returned their con-
tracts.
He expects the three to report Sun
ray 70 talk terms, as several others have
done this season. None will be con-
sidered holdout unless he fails to
sign by next Monday, when the opening
practice for the second batch of play
eTs is scheduled,
JOHNNY FRIEDRICH continues to
j set buzzing the board of strategy
with his hkeable performance in
pitching practice. He has progressed
IN the estimation of both Griffith and
johnson by leaps and bounds and his
retention along with Ragland and
Griffith for the second-string pitching
berths appears to be a certainty.
FISHING again was the after-dinner
J. topic of the ball players yesterday,
who came back dripping wet as a re-
suit of storm that broke late in the
afternoon. Beyond a few miniature
croakers, there was no success to re-
port and Biloxi as a fishing grounds
Is dropping steadily in the estimation
OF the fishermen on the team.
Rox.,x,o-ofA A. /