Evening star., 1932-03-12

X Will TAKE Cne services Oh an
IL other well seasoned hurler
to put Clark Griflth's
Washington ball club over the
top next season, no matter how
well the boys down here appear,
eat and f1ex their muscles for
company.
That's what they are saying
the folks of base ball who stop off
here to take a squint at the Grif-
fifth ensemble.
And Griffith agrees with them. That
is, he agrees to the point where he will
admit he could very safely use the
services of pitcher who is much more
than a thrower. So far as the flag is
concerned, Griffith still believes he has
as much chance as the next fellow in
the league with Just what he has on
hand. And would you expect your
Uncle Clark to figure any other way?
But he needs another seasoned hurler
This morning he announced to those
who acted as If they were about to
present him with the plea for another
pitcher for the dear old Nationals, with
this offer:
Il will pay $50,000 Immediately for a
flrst-class major league pitcher-a win
ming pitcher who can go get me some
ball games"
No doubt but the gray pilot would do
that very thing at an instant There
are several club owners in Grifdth's
own group who would do that, too. But
there are no f1rst-claSs winning pitch
ers hanging around the corners of
Biloxi these days In fact, there is
hardly any one on the corners down
here now because it is both cold and
raining. Yesterday morning it hailed
by way of variety and tonight 1t may
snow.
And there are no huriers in the
American League, either, who could be
procured by Griffith at his figure, or
any other, except losing moundsmen.
Ihere would hardly be any sense in
your Uncle Clark taking in boarders.
n NYHOW, the rocking chair statis- |
n ticians figure that it will take
around 100 ball games to sew up |
the gonfalon this year in the American |
League. Giving each of the present |
staff better break than he got last |
season, it is figured. that including
Monte Weaver, the staff will turn in |
eighty some combats And that is |
being very lenient with them, UNDER |
stand.
That leaves a gap somewhere and
tnat somewhere Is where a seasoned |
pitcher would come in to make Wash |
lngton contender for the flag. So |
say the experts, as they figure.
But at the moment Griffith haS civ |
dependable moundsmen-Lloyd Brown, |
Carl Fischer, Fred Marberry, Alvin
CroWoer, Bobby Burke and Monte
Weaver. 1t is figured that Weaver viii
lose no poise in the majors.
Yet, he must have nine to 60 bounc- |
ing down to market for the groceries. |
Out OF this flock Of yearlings at feed |
not dependable That makes eight and
there still Is one more to count and he |
Is not around.
So the experts again figure that Grit |
nth is holding on to trading material |
with the idea in mind of doing a David |
Harum with another gentleman to get |
hlmsen some one to hold down the |
ninth berth.
HOWEVER, these are figures and
l. they are boring, Figures in base
ball appear nice, back up argu- |
ments, but tough fellow with a wick
eo Dat can shoot more holes into fig |
ures than there are In Swiss cheese.
oont ike spinach or figures. They |
never impress me, and I am one of |
tne listeners at the confabs, who hopes |
that your Uncle Clark has a few young |
men on his ball club, who will chase |
tnoSe hgger hlberts up pecan tree be- |
lore the Fourth of July. Even Griffith's |
SoO'OOO does not make me turn around |
Tor a second peek.
YESTERDAY was one of those DAYS
l. when ball players catch up with |
their mapping and knitting 1t
ralneo toWserS all day, except for about
two hours in the morning-when the
Mats went through their stufY-and
movie men did theirs at the same time. |
It was a nipping. cold morning with
the entire squad in heavy clothing And
1t looked for moment that the Griff
record Of having never missed a days
training here IN the three years they
have been coming to town was about to
be knocked into Aunt Matilda's lap.
So far as I can learn from Manager
Walter JohnSoan, the cold weather Of
the last two days has had no Ill effect
upon his charges. But II this drizzle
continues and the cold hangs around,
Martin, the trainer
Reporters spent the evening staring
into ball players faces as If they ex-
pected a front page story to hop from
behind their ears, 1t was not COM
Portable evening for The players, for
they mistook those stares as meaning
that, maybe, the news persons had
something on them.
TRIFFITH sighted his golf to play
~ pinochle with the card experts.
Walter johnson did not give up
his golf ard Fritz Maisel Of the Bal
timore Orioles, as round as an apple,
popped in to pay visit official or un-
official, not being announced b the
Baltimore manager or any cne else.
There is no news worth a line, not
even the promised appearance today Of
Moe Berg, the catcher. or Dave Harris.
the outer gardener. But I'll add that
A. Schacht saws that Thomas and
Lyons, ChisoX hurlers. told him that
Berg was smert catcher and meant a
lot to pitcher
In tomorrow's ball game with the
Baltimore Orioles neither Heine Ma
rush nor Dave Harris will get into ac-
tion. Rookie pitchers. Frank Ragland,
.INhnnU