The Washington times., 1935-03-27


The battle = sSsl -
for ShortStop Frank Buck O'Ne1ll
still RACES, and right now Red
Kress holds a slight edge. If
the season started tomorrow he
would get the call. Lyn Larry
is making phenomenal stops and
is hitting the ball hard, but Lyn
always has trouble with his arm
in the spring. Kress is hanging
his throws on a trolley wire.
Kress is hitting the ball with all
of his pristine fervor and force,
riding line drives to the fence.
He has hit a dozen balls down
here against good morning pitch
ing that would be triples in the
league.
Powell is going to add a lot of
much needed color to the Grltt'
men. Despite their championship
in 1888 they were flat toned. Last
year they were dismal. But jake
is SON ethirg of a colorful clown.
He is a good ball player. make
no mistake about that, but he is
the type of player whose good
days will be sensational, and
whose bad days will be so fam
tastic that you may want to have
him shot at sunrise.
Good Hitter
Powell can hit that ball. You've
read thai statement in this space
before. He has bounced them off
the fences in practice, and he'll
hit them off the fences this
year.
He has the power to make his
hits count for runs and that's
something any team can stand.
The writer looks for Powell to
strike out often. He is that kind
of a hitter. But before you
start to dive into the indigo tank
remember that the year Babe
Ruth drove in ITS runs, or there
about, he struck out ITS times,
mere or less. He has also hit
home runs in such profusion that
the turnstiles around the league
spun in a mad money dervish.
Powell is the best bllnter on the
team, with all Difference to those
who claim that honor for Cecil
Travis. Although breaking from
the wrong side of the plate, Powell
is faster than the young third
sacker. Moreover Powell sleeps
his moves in deception, he will
feint at hitting and drop the ball
down the third base line. He will
feint a bunt and snap the ball
to left field. Yes indeed, the
young German is pretty much OF a
ball players ball player.
Kress is going to be tough CON-
petition for the shortstop job this
year. I've never seen any ball
player as enthusiastic as Red is
right now. He yells and romps
and when he connects for solid
drive you can hear his shouts of
JOY in the next county. The same
goes for when he makes a good
stop in the field.
Those of us who remember the
flame haired boy when he came
into the league know just how
good a ball player he can be. 1t
may develop that the trade which
brought him to Washington from
Chicago was one of the happiest
trades Clark c. Griffith ever
made.
KuheI To Start
Joe Kuhel refuses point blank
to believe that he is not going
to start the season. His leg Is
improving with each days work,
and this morning the kid told me
that he knew he was all right.
There are times when he un-
consciously favors his prop, but
that's natural.
This writer recalls the case of
Earl Combs of the Yankees.
Combs suffered one OF the worst
breaks it has been my duty to
observe. The leg just dangled.
Veterans shook their heads, but
Combs came back and put in 10
years of fine service before ne
was injured last year.
Kuhel is grateful to big Freddie
Sington, the Alabama tackle for
giving. him leg exercises. The
strain was tough in the beginning
but Joe stuck to it and he's COM
ing out all right.
Although Archie Scrivener Is
due to be farmed out before long,
you notice that he is still here.
The reason? That's a cinch.
Griffith is personally directing
the work of the kid, and after
long time Scrivener is beginning
to put that ball over the plate
with all his stuff far better than
he used to. The men to ask
about these things are the regu'
lars who face the pitchers in
batting practice. They can tell
you right quick who has the stuff
and who lacks it. They all agree
that Scrivener tosses a ball with