Evening star., 1933-03-25
PROMISES TO RIVAL
Joe JUDGE IN CLASS
kdded Confidence Also Ap-
! parent in Heftier Hitting
: of Firstsacker.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

X Washington fandOm, keenly
- appreciative of fine first
basing after watching Joe
Judges sterling performances SO
bong, has a great treat in store for
It this year. In Joe Kuhel the Ma
tionals have another initial sack
guardian who soon should be as
highly esteemed by the Griffith
Stadium crowds as was the vet
bran Judge.
Kuhel has improved so much that he
now deserves recognition as one Of the
ways a shifty player around the first
station since coming up from the Kansas
City club in 1880, Kuhel now has few
equals at stepping about to take throws
and tag the bag. His fielding of
grounders is markedly better than it
was last year-and then it was good
and in training this Spring he has hit
Tn way that indicates he will be far
Hreater factor than before In his clubs
offensive.
A notable Improvement In Kuhels
fielding Is seen in his handling Of drives
directly at him. Last season and before,
fhe lanky lad either overcharged this
type Of grounder or fell back too far
10 check the ball in time for an effec-
tive play. Now it looks as though Joe
has acquired the knack Of gaugtng such
drives properly. He certainly has taken
good care of them in the exhibition
games to date.
Kuhel also seems to be throwing
stronger than formerly and more ac-
curately, too. He Is getting the ball
away fast in the flrst-to-second-to first
double play for which Judge was so
famous, and timing his run over to
the sack for the return throw in an
excellent way. In every way, Kuhel
seems to have mastered the mechanics
Of flrst-basing.
IA NATURALLY bright young fellow
"A and keen student of the game,
Kuhel, now that he has perfected
his play to such an extent, should do
much to make the Nationals inner
Gordon one of the best in base ball.
The other infield positions already are
occupied by outstanding players and
Joe is advancing by leaps and bounds
to the point where he will be able to
match them in class.
Kuhel is pleasing everybody con-
hected with the Nationals with his bat
ting. He has been swinging freely and
Walloping often and his drives have
had plenty of distance There has
been no change in his batting style to
account for the improvement. 1t may
be Joe has more confidence in his
ability to hit-whatever may be re-
Sponsible for the improvement, though,
means nothing to Manager Cronin.
The boy field boss sees in Kuhel an
b great help to the club this year.
AS top-notcber ball player, Kuhel
Is no overnight -phenom, for he has
been nine years getting to his present
high station. Joe has been banged
around from pillar to post, finding it
difficult enough to make the grade
Now, when nearly 81 years old, he's
ripe enough to reap the reward of the
grueling battle.
REFORE he was 18 years old Kuhel
" jumped from the sandlots of Cleve-
land-that was his old home town,
but he lives in Kansas City now-to
Flint Of the Michigan Ontario League.
That was in 1924. He stuck with Flint
through the 25 campaign, then spent
the next year with Springfield of the
Fhree Eye circuit Joe did some heavy
hitting for Springfield, so Lincoln of
the Western League took him on for
1927.
A year with Lincoln and Kuhel
moved on to class AA base ball, getting
the call from Kansas City Of the
American association. 1t was from the
Blues that Washington bought Kuhel
IN 1880. For while in 1881, Balti-
more used him, but he came back to
the Nationals when Judge got that
case of appendicitis at Boston in May
of that year That stomach ache was
Judges finish and Kuhel's real start
with the Washington ball club.
All three seasons with Kansas City,
Knhel was a 300 hitter In 80, be-
TO he came to Washington. he swatted
.372 for the Blues. He hit .291 for
th Nationals last year. And he's apt
TO he 2 stronger batter this time.
he is the Nationals will have a
a. sac1er who will be the envy of
mon- other American League clubs.
ACd hitting to his fielding ability and
g manager would have to hunt long
and far for a better all-around first
baseman than Kuhel