Evening star., 1933-02-24
EXTRA BAT DRILLS
WILL TRY HEAVERS
Friedrichs Reports-Burke
Signs-Rain HaIts First
Biloxi Practice.
BY TOM DOERER.

n n OdA1O VI yOuAlS dIIO dulOl-
IL tious Washington battery
men was raring to get up
IN the saddle and 60 galloping
Into practice today following the
disturbing of their opening day
drill yesterday by as sharp rain
shower as the boys will see in
any league, or two, at one time.
All of the rains slanting power ar
rived just as Tony Ragusin, secretary
OF BiloXi's Chamber of Commerce, was
in the midst of his No. speech, which
contends that it rains in the land of
Tuesday, twice year. But it was We'd
nesday, and according to President
Clark Griffith, who has been down here
q pair of weeks, it has been raining
every Wednesday-and few Tuesdays
and ThurSdays-Since he dropped off
with his bag of golm clubs and pennant
intentions.
But everything is jake down here in
Magnolia land. The rainy season will
be over in few days, according to
local prognosticators, who get their
weather views from an old prophet over
on Deer Island.
When the clouds go drifting away,
Battling Kid Cronin, the young man to
whom Uncle Clark has intrusted the
helm of the hag-headed ball craft, is
going to shove before these young fell
lows more bats than they thought ST.
Louis turnedout. No kidding
Cronin-and how portly this young
man is this season-thuS comes up with
a neat answer to your worried corre-
spondents question as to what he is
going to do with all this pitching talent
which Is crowding the place.
THERE are so many hurlers here
i that the natives are asking what
is the other team practicing in
Biloxi this year. They think Tony is
holding out on them. But Tony is doing
right by the citizens. It's only Uncle
Clarks extra pitchers-six of them, to
be exact-who, added to the eight vet
Grams standing around waiting for the
rain to cease, makes IA of them.
But that's wrong because it's IS now,
young Robert Friedrichs having steamed
in from Cincinnati yesterday afternoon
to add to the rookie squad That leaves
only Moe Berg and Luke Sewell due
here of those who were listed to report
w C4XiCSQdy AlSl1t. N4OC, CllS4C dIlO JUG
say, is due here tomorrow or Sunday
Sewen will be in today.
A ND SO it goes down here as the
"A rain drops batter lot of kid
depression pitchers hanging around
waiting for the fireworks to start. And
depression pitchers, by the way, are
young men who paid their own fares
to get here to have Uncle look them
over There are two or three of them
around
But there will be plenty of use for
them here after March 6, when the re-
mainder of the outfit comes treking in.
These boys will get a lot of chances to
show what they can do in pitching to
the batters, who, it is promised, are
going to be told to hit hard and often
from now until the season opens-and
then hit harder and more often.
"You can't TELL" says the gray ranger,
wiggling his eyebrows and putting his
Perfecto smoke at the Gulf of Mexico,
what I have in thes young pitchers
hanging around There may be dia-
mond in the rough among them. 1t is
going to be worth my trouble in looking
'em over"
If Uncle plans to pack nine hurlers
around the loop with him next season.
0NON
as he thinks they are, that means he is
going to be good and kind to Joe Cam
6ria at Albany and Joe Engel at Chatta-
pooga.
DOBBIE BURKE, the lanky left
ID handler, signed willingly and peace
fully yesterday. There was no COM
motion nor fireworks at the affair. Bob
walked toward Griffith with his foun-
tain pen loaded and Grif headed
toward Bob with contract in his hand.
It was that colorless.
Asked point blank whether Burke was
to be one of the boys who would be
headed toward Kansas City in pay
ment for Bob Boken, handy-andy OF
the infield, procured by Griffith just as
February Is was ebbing into history
the big boss became indignant.
Who says must give players for
Boken" he countered.
Apparently nobody did. Your cor
respondent just thought that one up
but it brought an answer.
49, bought Boken from Kansas City
for cash." he said. And then add
ed - he was holding Boken's un-
sigr-L contract, too, the little parch-
ment having been returned as swiftly
as sent out.
But Boken, according to Griffith, is
not going to be a holdout They will
come to terms, the preXy having mailed
another paper to Bob with the figures
somewhat enlarged.
But" and here uncle says something
to null over, Il may send some players
to Kansas City later on if can get a
price for them"
IF Cliff Bolton pleases the boss mar
i down here within the next few
weeks young Mr.. William Johnson Of
Norfolk. a right smart-looking receiver
will move on to take his place with the
Lookouts, so they say.
A rockies chance of breaking intc
this club as it now stands is mighty
small one, almost impossible, unles!
Babe Ruth is among the lot in disguise
And maybe the Babe couldn't make Il
either, because the boys down here don
believe the big man from Gotham L
going to scorch through the league thii
year.
Tot Cuhc Choco