Evening star., 1933-03-21
B0KEN MAKES GOOD
AS|NF|E[D UTILITY
Also Shows Promise as Bat.
ter-Lame Arm May End
Career of Burke.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

WIN IQe SCdrC OF Cne
- American League season
little more than three weeks
away, Manager Joe Cronin Of the
Nationals has decided that the
veterans of his pitching staff must
take regular turns on the hill in
the exhibition games remaining
on the training schedule.
Putting into effect tomorrow his new
scheme Of pitching picks, the boy field
boss will have AL Crowder share with
Walter Stewart the mound burden In
the tussle with the Atlanta Club in
Biloxi Park Stewart had BEEN def
nitely slated to face the Crackers after
rain had cheated him Of chance to
make his season bow while the Ma
tionals were in New Orleans playing
the Cleveland Indians. 1t had been
thought, however that Jack Russell or
one of the rookie hurlers would. take
up where the left-handed transfer from
the Browns left OH in the fray
The nomination of CroWder for the
task tomorrow came with Cronin's an
nouncement Of the new policy of CIV
ing the old-timers plenty to do the
remainder Of the conditioning cam
paign. The young chieftain also in
formed his pitchers that from now on
they'll be expected to toll through more
than . three-inning session on the
0lab.
Against the Crackers tomorrow
Stewart will start. to 60 i've innings,
with Crowder scheduled to 60 the
remainder of the route Both veterans
went through long workouts yester-
day during batting drill, but were to
get only general conditioning work
today.
Nov that Cecil Travis, the youngster
~ brought up from Chattanooga
has about definitely been counted
out of the Washington squad SO far
as this year is concerned, Bob Boken
Is getting big play in the morning
inield drills The lanky Lithuanian
takes to the strenuous daily workout
like tabby to catnip. He reyels in it.
Manager Cronin gives the purchase
from Kansas City lot of special atten-
tion and when he hasn't the young fel-
low in tow Johnny Kerr, the Nationals
cagey utility inf1elder turns to telling
Boken the fine points of toiling with
the inner defense
Boken is proving an apt pupil, too.
A natural ball player when he came
TO Camp Griff, Bob has been benefited
by his grooming to such an extent that
already he is as polished in his play
as many an infielder who has been in
the big time a full season.
In practice Boken looks good at both
the third base and shortfeld posts and
in games at shortstop he has filled the
bill most acceptably. When the Ma
tionals bought him from Kansas City,
reports sifted in that he wasn't much
of batter. True, he had a good record
for driving in runs for his American
Association club last year, but those
who had watched him declared he was
something of Ax"lucky" hitter.
Down here, however. they are be-
ginning to believe Boken has possibili-
ties as batter. Those in charge of
the Nationals like the way Bob stands
up to the pitching and they think
plenty Of the cut he takes at the ball.
He's a strong youngster. too and when
he gets hold Of the ball it travels.
Without being forceful hitter,
though, Boken stiI would be q good
extra to have around. He'd come in
'cAy A0Ai0y O4iOQAu tlLIlcT VI Lie I6SuldIS
on the left side of the Nationals in
ner Gordon be put out Of commission.
DOB BURKE probably will be
- through with base ball as a Ma
tional unless the pitching arm
that has been troubling him for some
time responds quickly to the treatment
1t Is to get from Doc Jensen, muscle
manipulation attached to the Chatta-
nooga club.
The string bean southpaw left yester-
day for Selma. Ala, where the Look
outs are training to have the Doc
handle the ailing salary wing. Bob
had Jensen work on the arm last
Spring when it was as wabbly as it IS
now and he thought the Chattanooga
muscle man did him some good then.
Evidently the "cure" was only tempo
rary as Burke pulled up with lame
arm after his second workout at this
camp.
When Burke left he had an idea
Jensen would have him in trim to re-
Join the Nationals for regular drills by
next Sunday when the club moves to
Birmingham for an exhibition series
with the Barons. Should Bob not be
ready then. however the powers that
be are apt to decide they cannot afford
to carry him any longer. That very
likely would mean Burkes shipment to
some minor outfit. conditional, OF
course, upon his ability to get in proper
pitching form later on.
Big league clubs are not given to
wasting much time with young pitchers
Ill - 1,nix irI,S