Evening star., 1933-03-02
EXTRAS OF CLASS
AF|ELD, ON MOUND.
Bolton, Russell and Travis
Get Special DriIIs-Rice
Reports at Camp.
BY TOM DOERER.

X Commander in Chief Clark
IL Griffith of the Nationals
eXpeditionary force concen-
trated here took a wise and keen
peek at his ball club this morning
as it spun into third gear-and
headed for the curves with a lot
Of steam.
1T will do" said Uncle, "in any
league and for any race.
Mark down on your cuff that will
have the best crop of utility players in
the American League next season, a
or Athletics will show, If they stay up
all night trying to figure out a way to
beat my aggregation.
And reserves, Napoleon-or was 1t
Pershing g?-said, win the battles
Uncle was all aglow over the safe ar
rival of young Cecil Travis. the elon-
gated Chattanooga kid who burned up
the Southern Association with his bat
and snappy fielding last semester. And
he was humming tunes of JOY when
Sam Rice blew in late yesterday after
noon.
And Uncle was Grooming about the
showing Of young Cliff Bolton and Jack
Russell. Also about the change in the
weather. This has been for the better
within the last "a hours Today was
a pip, a nice hot sun telegraphing its
rays down from over the Gulf right
smack on the rockies new hair cut.
RUT Uncle's original Groom was be-
- cause of his utility men. He says
they can't be beat and that with
them he is going to whip the rest Of the
American League.
Take Rice and Harris, my utility out
felders. Harris is the cream of pinch
hitters, isn't he? Well, he's as good as
the best anyhow. Dave drove in more
runs than any other pinch hitter in our
league and he made the most hits.
Rice is the cream of the crop when
. dependable is needed.
In our infield we will have either
the promising rookie Travis or the
American Association nfelder Bob
Boken to help Johnny Kerr. If Travis
or Boken can WELD a willow under
fire, we will show the finest pair of
young men on any ball club.
In pitching, we have Jack Russell,
who is surprising Joe Cronin with the
way he can let them loose; Bill Nc
Afee and the improved Burke to come
running in with the fire hats If a
fourth alarm Is sounded"
A year ago the base ball sharps were
saying that Uncle's ball club-1932
edition-could not stay at the top If 1t
got to the top because it lacked Ca
pable reserves.
But Uncle has q way figured to stop
that gap this time, just as he has
whipped together better-looking
hurting staff for the coming scuff1e.
-o2 49, ,,+cbi,o dena rtnoent Crit
Il fifth seems to feel that young Clin
Bolton is going to be the fair
haired boy.
To prove that he intends to have
Cliff stick through the season with the
club, Griffith had his peppery man.
aper. Joe Cronin, put Moe Berg ana
Luke Sewell to work as pair OF
teachers to show Cliff the art Of field
ing bunts and going back after the
high fouls.
Cronin, Sewell and Berg put sne
stocky-built former Lookout catcher
through the PAGES. 1t was gruelling
mace set by the veterans, but the KID
from Chattanooga stood up under II.
Give him some major league expert
ence," said Cronin, putting, after the
test "and he is going to make q sweet
catcher. He is natural, and only
needs polishing"
While Cliff was working the bunts
from home plate Cronin and Kerr were
tutoring the kid, Travis, in how TO come
in after the ball and heave 1t 10 nrst
for a double play shot. Altrock, pat-
ting short and long bunts, kept tne
two rockies busy every moment. Travis
cot over to play the ball in a smooth
fashion for his opening day. He IS
rangy and has a sharp-cracking whip, |
the ball going across to first In hurry. |
WHILE the prepping Of the two kids
w was the high light OF the morn
ing, Russell came in for good
share of attention in throwing the ball
to first to get an imaginary man STEP
ping off for a healthy lead. Cronln |
tutored Jack in the toss, but said that |
if any pitcher in the American League |
breaks any better on the throw to frst |
than Russell he has failed to see him
since he has been around
Progress in the prepping of this title
hope battery brigade has been OF such |
nature that Cronin will send hitters up |
to the plate by Saturday morning to
give the twirlers something to throw |
them past.
This bunch of fellows needs no one |
to tell it to hustle. 1t is trying to get |
ahead of me and my plans,' said
Cronin.
While the rookie hurlers surely know |
that getting berth on this ball club
is next to impossible, they do not let
that thought prevent them from max
ing the try. While Cronin says that !
a ball club can get along nicely with
eight hurlers, the Griffs are going to
have nine. and the ninth one will come |
from the rookie squad
lust who the fair-haired young man
is going to be is matter OF deep |
speculation at the moment. There
are those at camp who will say 1t will
be Ed Linke, the heavy boy who throws
q mean fast ball. Others contend that
Luther Thomas will get the call But
it is all a gamble and the youngsters
are trying so hard that it makes the
race more difficult to call.
Either one or these boys, however,
Is ready to 60 up for little major
league polishing. Linke is confident
and strong, Thomas is good and has
the physique to stand lot OF work. |
But neither Griffith nor Cronin Will
talk en- the prospects OF the young |
pitchers until next week.