The Washington times., 1936-03-30

ChanceAs
Griman
BY FRANK BUCK" o,NEILL

Two pitchers Of the Griff's staff
definitely won reprieves in the
last 48 hours from the ranks of
men who were condemned to
move along the downward slope
Of baseball. They are Jack Rus
sell, veteran highlander, and
Ken Chase, rookie southpaw.
Russell, with a decade of ma
jor League service behind him:
10 long years spent in the
second line and in relief work,
finally decided to put every
thing to the touch in an effort
to establish himself as a starter,
He experienced with a new mo-
ton, and If work in batting prac-
tice means thing, he is going
to be vastly better pitcher this
year than he has been in pre-
ViouS seasons.
Chase, who was most impress
Sive in the first week or 10
days Of training. chiefly through
his cat-like agility in defense.
developed trouble in locating the
plate. He was wild and ineffec-
tive, as wild pitchers always are
ineffective. He was just about
slated to spend the summer in
Chattanooga, but yesterday op-
portunity knocked on the young
southpaw's door.
Chase At Home
Mr.. Chase was at home. Very
much at home. He welcomed
opportunity with both arms. Mr.
Chase went over to Palatka with
the rockies and pitched against
the Louisville Colones. The
GriffS lost that game on errors,
but Chase, who worked eight full
innings and part OF the ninth.
struck out 10 men and gave a re-
markable exhibition. Just why
Nick Altrock permitted Chase to
work so long has not been prop
erly explained.
The circumstance of defeat or
victory cannot detract from nor
add to the excellence of Chase's
performance. He fairly poured
the ball over the plate while he
was fresh and strong. That he
was over taxed was Altrock'S
fault.
The ColonelS made one run off
Chase in eight innings. He
walked two men in the first inning
of the game, and then none until
the ninth when he was dead
tired. Nor any kid who can hold
an American Association team to
one run in eight innings merits
full chance to show what he can
do in the big show.
That is precisely what Chase is
going to get. Bucky Harris called
Clark Griffith aside this morning
and said gently but firmly:
"Just forget all about leav.
ing Chase in Chattanooga"
Russell has perfected a swing
ing windup that gives him greater
action and far greater deception.
What is more, the pivot that he
gets out of the windup, a pivot
comparable to that of a good
golfer, enables him to pour greater
speed into pitch at no excess
expenditure Of energy.
Tough to Beat
With RuSsell'S superb control,
the greater hop on his fast ball
and his fastbreaking curve ball
will make him tough to beat.
There is little room in profes-
Sional baseball for personal likes
and dislikes, but if Russell can
win Is games for the GriffS this
year, everyone who knows him
will rejoice in his success. There
is a chap who is credit to the
game he plays so well.
Roberto EStalella, the Cuban
flash had a field day against the
Louisville team in Palatka. He
walloped a home run over the
right field fence, hitting a curve
ball with terrific power; then he
cracked a double and filled in
with a single. He made bad
throw that helped to lose the
game, but three hits are three
hits.
If the pitching of the Griffs is
only up to standard this year,
there's no telling just where the
team will go. The hitting has
been terrific and big innings have
been the order Of the day. Over
the weekend the Browns were
Kuhel, Bolton, De-
Shong, Lewis and Holbrook
the ball out over the
terrain. '
DeShong. incidentally, looked
great against the Browns. He has
poiSe and presence on that pitch
ing hill something of dis
in his previous starts,
Deshong looked all right yester-
day.
With Chase coming along the
way he pitched yesterday, the
pressure is on Monte Weaver and
Lanahan. The last named has
lot of stuff, but he has been
wilder than a hawk.