The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-19

al L g q que
Kirk Miller club doesn't
exploit him unnecessarily,
may sometime have an op-
portunity to demonstrate in
a very concrete way their
partisanship for the former
Sing Sing inmate.
Should Pitts make the Class
IA grade with Albany and
show promise Of major league
utility, the chances are he will
eventually wear a Washington
uniform, giving local fans a
chance to encourage a boy who
was once wayward.
Washington and Albany do a
great deal of player trading in
the course Of every season, there
being a working agreement be-
tween President Joe Cambria,
of Albany, and President Clark
Griffith, of Washington, that
gives each other first call on
material belonging to one, that
is desired by the other.
Griff for Pitts
A week ago and more Clark
Griffith gave this observer to
understand that his SympathieS
were with Pitts in the predica-
ment he then faced-just finish
ing a moderate prison sentence
and being barred by the minor
leagues, therefor.
Griff'S reaction to the situa-
ton was that every man de-
serves a chance to stage a come
back, and in that Pitts was not
what is known as a hardened
criminal he saw no reason why
baseball should turn him down
just because Of his prison back
ground.
Griff is not one to retract
an opinion. He is a pretty
sound thinker and once his
mind is made up about any
issue, he is hard to dissuade
from q stand once taken.
Therefore, Pitts at least has
. major league future here
provided he shows the proper
stuff in Albany. In fact Wash
ington may have competition
for Pitts services were he to
materalize into a big timer, both
for his playing ability and the
fact that he has been the
center of a fight for recognition
in baseball that has never be-
fore been equaled in human in
tereSt.
Hit Fitzsimmons
A line on Pitts playing ability
in high-grade baseball company
may be drawn from an incident
of two years ago, just previous
to the Washington Giants world
series.
After the New York National
Leaguers had clinched their
pennant, they were in demand
for exhibition games, one Of
which was staged within the
prison walls at Sing Sing.
Alabama Pitts was in center
field that day, and although
the inmates were defeated, 9-3,
Alabama got three hits off
Freddy Fitzsimmons. His blows
included two doubles and a
single out Of four times at bat.
You may draw your own con-
illusions from such a statement,
as to Pitts ability to slug the
ball, which is just about so per
cent Of an outfielder's duty.
A Physical Oddly
Joe Louis, said to be the
hardest hitter to come along
with championship aspirations
since Jack Dempsey, IS having
his troubles in his Pompton
Lakes IN. ~ training camp
getting boxing gloves that do
not cramp his thumbs.
Joe'S thumbs are unusually
long and the ordinary boxing
glove does not provide room
enough for them. The Brown
Bomber has been the subject Of
no little rubbing in view Of this
odd physical characteristic.
Recently John j. Phelan,
chairman Of the New York
State boxing commission, visited
Louis camp and, being made
acquainted with the facts about
Joe's thumbs, commented:
"WeT have to cut a piece off
each thumb"
To which the Serious-minded,
unimaginative Detroit leather
singer replied:
'Tt would be better to cut .
piece off each glove and let the
thumb stick out"
A special glove. that will be
within the regulations in size
and weight, will be made to &C
commodate Louis thum BIS.
Primo Camera, owing to his
huge maulies, also has to have
his gloves made to order.