The Washington times., 1935-08-08

N d; himself In
condition.
"a The program
Frank Buck" O'NeilIfor Coppola as
outlined by President Clark c.
Griffith this morning calls Tor
considerable road work and ny
chasing but no pitching. Grit
personally will take charge OF
Coppola's work, and along about
August "a, a week before the club
returns, Coppola will be allowed
= to pitch.
Hes too good prospect to
take any chances with" Griff
said this morning. "I'm going
. to take charge of his work, and
with him will be Frank Peti-
cOlas and several others. II
COppOla cannot regain his form.
why I'll have to to do some
thing about that"
Roberto Estellella, the Cuban
third baseman, who is with the
Harrisburg club, will join the
Griffs early next month. This
boy is hitting 1874 in the New
York-Penn League and is re-
garded as a sure fire prospect.
Griffith is enthused over the
showing made by Buddy Lewis,
third baseman of the Chatta.
nooga club of the Southern AS
ISOLATION. Just the other day
Lewis made five hits in five
times at bat, and another day
he made four hits in four times
up. He is riding the ball hard
and swinging like a real ball
player.
There is no doubt now that
Cecil Travis will get trial as an
outfielder next year. Five weeks
ago this writer said that Travis
would be shifted from third base,
and great was the indignation in
certain quarters. But Travis is in
for shifting if he proves that he
can play the outfield-a post for
which he is ideally fitted.
Travis Good Player
Playing the outfield will relieve
Travis of a great part of the strain
under which he now labors. He
is a good ball player anywhere
you put him but his legs have
bothered him at third place where
the fast starting and sudden
stopping put q terrific burden on
his limbs. A third baseman in
stinctively starts with every hit
ball and he starts fast. He is
constantly on the alert with few
moments of relaxation.
"In the Outfield," Griff con-
tinued, Travis would be spared
q lot Of this work and could
preserve his energies until q
play developed. Travis showed
me that he has natural talent
for the Outfield by the way he
operated in practice during the
last week. He can hit and he
can throw and / am sure that
things develop 50 that he can
be moved to the Outfield he will
prove himself . real star"
Now all of this is very refresh
ing and exceedingly interesting
coming as it does from President
Griffith. Everybody who knows
Griff knows that he has. two
estimates of a ballplayer. One OF
these is when he is buying and the
other is when he is selling.
Until last night Griff has been
selling Travis as a third baseman
and without attempting to be
facetious in the matter the trend
Of his talk was decidedly bullish.
Now he is ready to admit that the
hard hitting kid from Georgia
has a future as an outfielder, and
that his future in the gardens is
more promising than on the inner
line.
Compared To MeuseI
Griffith last night compared
Travis to Bob MeuSel, the great
left fielder of the New York Yam.
KEGS, during the days when the
Rupert Rifles ruled the Ameri.
can League.
che moves like Meusel, he
throws like MeuSel, and he hits
line drives like Meusel, Griffith
said, and that is all you have to
say about any player in the
world.
Griff also found time to
weigh in with q big boost for
Miles, the young right fielder.
"Miles can hit that bah,
Griffith said. and h develops
o real punch in spite Of his
awkward swing. count on him
for next year."
So putting two and two to-
gether maybe the Washington
outfield next year will be com.
prised Of jake Powell in center
field, thanked by Cecil Travis and
Miles.
AS for the rest Of the patrol.
men-Well the team needs pitchers
and there is nobody on this
present Washington club who
would not be spared If Bucky
Harris could pick up some pitchers
who could win the same game