The Washington times., 1933-03-20

major league baseball prospects.
FORT MYERS, Fla, March 20.
There are no symptoms of pen
nant gout" in the Philadelphia
Athletics camp here this year.
The self-satisfied and weary-of'
winning attitude which infected
the club after three consecutive
American League pennantS, 1929
to 1881, has been cured by tonic
of youthful aggressiveness and re.
kindled veteran enthusiasm. Every
one is hustling.
This new spirit has revived the
fighting spirit of big George Earn
shaw, the hero of the 1929 World
Series, who last year was accused
of indifference to his job. Earn
shaw has turned over a new base
ball leaf. Somewhat Of a clown
On the diamond, George today is
the most serious athlete in camp.
Hes been the hardest worker, too,
and may be good for Is victories
In the 1888 race.
In addition to Earnshaw, Lefty
Grove and Rube Walberg, Connie
Mack has two corking southpaws
In Gowell S. Claset, 225-pounder
who shows a decidedly fast ball
and a change of pace that's baf.
fling, and Tony FreitaS, the 23-
year old boy who weighs only 155
pounds, yet managed to win IL
= games while losing five after join
ing the club late in May last sea-
son. Classet pitched great ball for
Montreal last year.
Wants Winning HurIer
Mack won't hesitate to make
baseball history by using four
sOuthpaws in one series. II don't
care whether a pitcher is right
handed or left handed" said
Mack today, 80 long as he
wins"
Mack also has Roy Mahaffey,
Q right handed veteran of three
years; Sugar Cain, who displayed
real ability after spending most
OF last summer with Baltimore;
Jim Peterson, former University
of Pennsylvania athlete who had
q grand year with Portland; Lew
KrauSSe, young Philadelphia
who has been carried two full
seasons while picking up the
weight and experience Connie
thinks he needs to develop into q
real star; Hank Mcdonald, 6 feet
3 inch hurler who also was win
ner with Portland; Bill Dietrich,
bespectacled youth who enjoyed
success at Portland and Harris.
burg. and Tim McKeithan, who
Joined the club last June follow
ing his graduation at Duke. OF
these seven, Mahaffey, Cain, Pet
erson, Krausse and either Diet
rick or Mcdonald are expected to
be retained.
Claims Best Outfield
The Athletics will present what
Mack predicts will be the best
outfield in the American League
despite the clubs loss of AL Sim.
mons and Mule Haas, who de.
parted with Jimmy Dykes for the
Chicago White Sox. Mack be.
iieves Lou Finney, a 22-year-old
fly hawk, will make the Phila.
delphia fans forget Simmons
Ffnney hit well about 300 with
Portland last year. He's tall,
rangy and covers more ground
than Simmons. In center field
will be Roger Cramer, another
speed merchant, who displaced
Haas in the lineup last June
Cramer today is the finished
player bordering on Stardom. Ed
Coleman, 6 feet 2 inch Coast
product who broke his ankle in
June after stealing the veteran
Bing Miller's position, will be in
right field.
Surprise of Camp
The surprise of the camp. how.
ever. has been Bob johnson,
hard hitting outfielder from Port
land. Sent back two years ago
because he couldn't hit a curve,
johnson has been socking every
thing and driving the ball as far
as the mighty Jimmy Foxx.
Capt. Bing Miller will be the
fifth outfielder.
one new face will be found in
the infield. Frank ("Pinkey') Hig,
gins, Texas youth who took his
finishing course at Portland, will
be IN Jimmy Dykes old position
at third. Eric McNair will start
at short with the veteran Max
Bishop on second and Jimmy
Foxx on first. Dib Williams may
be the only reserve infielder as
johnson can fill in at either
second or first
Mickey Cochrane. headed for
another big year after hitting in
hard luck last season, and Ed.
Madjeski, 23-year-old resident of
Elizabeth, N. j., will be the only
catchers.
The AS will have better pitch
ing than last year, a faster NOV
ing outfield. an infield that
should be an improvement and
real catching. The one un.
certainty is the attack. If young
Finney or Coleman or Higgins
can give Foxx, Cochrane and
Cramer the run driving aid that
Simmons did the AS will be
dangerous from start to finish
If the youngsters fail. only an
other brand of super pitching
by Grove, Earnshaw and Wal
berg will keep the AS in the
race.
ArEc AMYInUc