Evening star., 1933-02-05
KUHEL AND TRAVIS
FILL SMART SQUAD
Lookout Star Is Expected to
Bid for BIuege's Job.
Spring Lists Full.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.
GRIFFITH still has a

JOfN ID. H.
)LARK GRIFFITH still has a
few problems to solve be-
~ fore getting his Nationals
lined up for the 1888
American League campaign but
none has to do with the infield
group he plans to turn over to his
youthful manager, Joe Cronin.
The inner defense issue was set
tied yesterday when the mail
brought to the Washington ball
club headquarters the signed con-
tracts of Joe Kuhel, regular first
baseman, and Cecil Travis, juve-
nile third baseman, expected to
figure Importantly in the making
of this years outfit.
With these two accepting terms Grit
fifth has bound over for this years flag
battle six high-grade inflelders, four OF
them regulars OF the 1882 Nationals
Cronin, OF course, fell into line when
he took the job as player-manager last
October. That gave the Nationals one
OF the finest shortstopS in the business
today. Within the past three weeks,
Johnny Kerr, utility infielder; Ossie
Bluege, the veteran third sacker, and
Buddy Myer, second baseman, decided
terms offered were to their tastes.
So the week end signing of Kuhel
and Travis certainly clears the situation
SO far as the inner works are concerned
A to three posts in the Washington
IA infield this year, all is settled.
Cronin and Myer have no con-
tenders for their positions. Naturally,
there has been no thought of any one
attempting to oust the shortstop and
as second baseman Myer has i'm
proved so rapidly the past two seasons
he now is to be accounted a fixture
at the position.
AS to Kuhel, he must handle the
first base proposition. There's simply
no one else on the club to do that work.
The only real reserve first baSeman
the Nationals will have will be at Chat
tanooga. The LookoutS got Bruce Con-
natser. initial sacker who came to the
washington club along with Jack Rus
sell, pitcher. from the Indians in ex-
change for Harley Boss. But they got
him subject to return on 24-hour no.
tice which gives the Nationals gener-
GUS protection.
In the event that Kuhel suffered in
jury, Manager Cronin could, until Con-
natSer'S arrival, employ at first base
Frank Schultz, outfielder who came to
the Nationals in the big st. Louis deal,
slated to be regular center. Schultz
sack and with the club having good
reserve outfielders in Sam Rice and
Dave Harris could well be spared from
his customary position for a brief while.
There may be some contention for
the third base job, though, for this
young Travis is branded by all who
have seen him an up-and-coming
fielder, powerful hitter and one al
together likely to give the veteran
Bluege brisk brush for the place at
the hot corner.
THIS Travis-Cecil Howell, to give his
L two front names-is a slashing
180-pounder who will not be 20
years old until next August. With the
championship Lookouts in the Southern
Association last season he swung for an
acreage of 1852. and in 1881. his first
year in the profession, he batted in Is
games for .429 Those in charge of the
Washington club figure any young fell
low who can clout at such a rate in
Glass A company ought to be able to
do something worth while with the bat
in big time.
Maybe so, but Travis will have to
show something more than offensive
ability to oust Bluege from the third
base post the latter has held regularly
since the start of the 1923 campaign
He must display sparkling defensive
qualities. for there really are none bet
ter in the business at protecting the
territory around the hot corner than
the veteran Ossie.
And unless Travis uncorks a dazzling
bit of fielding in addition to swinging
a heavy bat at the outset he isn't like
1y to linger long with the Nationals
Not that he wouldn't be regarded valu-
able timber because he couldn't field
with Bluege. No youngster has done
SO yet. But both Griffith and Cronin
feel that Travis must play regularly or
go back to Chattanooga, where he
would be assured of a steady job. AT
such stage of his career he mustn't
be permitted to loiter on the bench.
Travis must have continuous action
If not with the Nationals, then with
the Lookouts.
THERE'LL be plenty of base ball for
i the Nationals before they swing
into the championship campaign
The revised schedule for the training
season calls for Is games, the last 1s
to be played on successive days.
Only six are to be played on the field
at the Biloxi training camp and the
exhibitions will be concluded with
series of six games here. The tussline
will start on March II and end April
10, two days before the flag race starts
The Indians, Braves and Dodgers are
the only big league clubs to be oncount-
cred. Six Of the Southern Association
outfits and two International League
clubs will be met.
The schedule follows:
March 11-Atlanta at Mobile.
March l2-Atlanta at Biloxi.
March 15-Atlanta at Biloxi
March 17-New Orleans at Biloxi.
March 18-Cleveland at New Orleans
March 19-Cleveland at New Orleans
March 22-Atlanta at Biloxi.
March 2+Cleveland at Biloxi.
March 25-Cleveland at Biloxi.
March 26-Birmingham at Birming'
ham.
March 27-Birmingham at Birming'
ham.
Marcn 26-bumlnSnam al oAAhnAe
ham.
March 29-Birmingham at Birming'
tam.
March 3O-Atlanta at Atlanta.
March 31-Atlanta at Atlanta.
April Atlanta at Atlanta.
April 2-Chattanooga at Chattanooga
April Chattanooga at Chattanooga
April Knoxville at Knoxville.
April 5-Boston Braves at Wash
1ngton.
April 6-Brooklyn at Washington.
April 7-Brooklyn at Washington.
April 8-Buffalo at Washington.
April 9EBuffalo at Washington.
April l0-Baltimore at Washington.
ARTILLERY FOUR AHEAD.