Evening star., 1933-02-25
PICK To AUGMENT
LOT Of FIVE VETS
No Real Rockies Are Among
Aspirants-SeweIl Joins
Squad for Drill.
BY TOM DOERER.

- gray ranger from the COW
country, hustling around
Biloxi Ball Park today helping
his energetic manager, Joe
Cronin, whip into shape bat
terry outfit, which has been
labeled as a great part Of the
means by which the Nationals
will soar to the peak of the
American League, stumbled over
an obstacle and injured his cigar.
"A coyote hole" yoWled the old
tearing up with liniment bottle in
one hand and a medicine kit in the
other
Wrong, chief" said Mike. TT was
q pitcher"
coming FROM" demanded Griffith.
You sent for EN-. Il didn't" Mike
came back
We'll, get me a list of my pitching
talent ordered Griffith. L want to
spend the afternoon counting EN-"
And that's the situation down here
In the land Of honeysuckle, pone and
terrapin steak, where Griffith has
gathered the greatest array of big and
rangy pitchers he has seen in long
while.
They troop on the field in gangs,
right handlers and southpaws. swishing
the ball to the squad of emergency
catchers which includes inf1elders,
coaches and a few of the town boys,
among the last mentioned, Kayo Kelly,
q young catcher from a Biloxi high
school who has signed for trial with
the Yanks
lust what Uncle is going to do with
all this talent, unless he is figuring
on entering a team in the National
League next season. Is very much OF
question. But when corner Uncle and
Joe on the subject, Uncle says:
There may be diamond In the
rough
And there is only one answer to that,
which is, may be: "A rolling stone
gathers no moss. or, honesty is the
best policy. Fifteen hurlers, rocks
and regulars. southpaWs-iuSt a few Of
them-and right-handers, today loaded
the atmosphere at Biloxi ball park
with an array of pitching technique
which caused even Joe Cronin to look
in surprise.
Submarine balls were soaring upward
fast ones were smacking in gloves
crves-very anemlc. of course-were
Npping into the air, and lobs loped
around from all angles.
Uncle Griffith was amazed at what
he saw. Il never knew that boy was
eft handler" he said, taking squint at
Johnny Burrows, the dirninutlve, knotty
kid from Arizona.
Mike" he yelled find out how many
left t-handers are among the rookie crop
and-say, where did that second Ad
Liska come from with his underhand
heave?'
But it is going to be tough task for
any of this group Of very promising
Youngsters to hammer his way into
Griffith uniform next Summer. Cronm
has five sure-aS-Shootlng starting pltcn-
ers for the season in Alvin CroWoer, Al
Thomas. Monte Weaver, ilght-nanoets,
and Walter Stewart, the swap from the
Browns, and Earl WhltehlIl, the eA-
Detroiter, left-handers.
Cronin insists that Al TIL mas is a
great pitcher, and Uncle Clark backs
him up.
90 the supposed struggle for the flfth
y berth in the starting hurler sltua-
tion has simmered down-knocklng
of any thought perhaps, that the euTi,
nation battle is on among 1homas, Eu
Iinke. the kid who ripped the missouri
Valley League asunder with his strlKe-
out record and speed last year, ana JACK
Russell. the right-hander VINO came
from the Indians in the Boss swap.
Cronin has intimated the clup Wouio
get away at the bell with nine nurIels;
These are Bobby Burke. the elongaIeu
southpaw. and the right-handers bop
Friedrichs, Linke, Bill McAtee, RusselI
o,d luther Thomas from whom to
nluck the remaining four to complete
the Nationals hurting department.
Eleven experienced pitchers from
whom nine may be picked, with tour
brand-new rockies in Burrows. Lloyo
easel Paul Lines and Ellsworth Haz-
zard to be sidetracked for further pick
ling, pruning or whatever a paSe pdll
manager and an owner do with young
hurting talent at camp that mas more
pitchers on the hoof than BUSINESS liae
worries.
An eve sweep of this layout today
showed the flock to be working In
earnest with volley ball games going on
in one section of the park. veteran hurl-
ers trotting around the rim OF the out
field and everybody trying to eaten tne
remaining pitchers.
DOBINS were chirping and there was
X song in Cronins heart when the
spirited practice was concluded.
Only two casualties were recorded. LLOYD
Cassell had a sore toe and Ed LlAke a
limp. Otherwise DR.. Mike Martin had
an uneyentful day.
Luke Sewell, the catcher copped from
Cleveland. hoped in at noon yesterday
with a grin and mean swing to his
new driver. In the afternoon he. Rus
sell and Whitehill took Uncle Clark out
for trimming at golf, but came in
losers.