The Washington times., 1936-02-28

ForPLace
At Third
Nv FRANK BUCK" ONEnL

ORLANDO, Fla, Feb. 2S.-They
stood at third base in the morn
ing practice, two shining faced
youngsters with a common goal,
the ephemeral glory and gold Of
major league baseball. The fresh
ness Of life's morning was on
them. They we're youth in youths
hour.
They chartered gaily in the
thrill Of the game. Smiles
wreathed their faces and they
passed the praise Of the moment.
Friends and buddies of the day,
they are bound together in the
cause of making q winning team
for Washington. And yet, behind
the smile, behind the friendly
chatter, was the grimness Of con-
flict. Only one man can play
third base, and they are fighting
for the job.
Lewis, fair skinned, tall and
rangy, as quick as cat. Lithely
built yet strong, his deft hands
shared with swift certainty the
hard hit balls driven to his LETT
or right.
The other was Roberto Esta-
leila, Swarthy and squat, with the
bulging chest of a heavyweight
boxer, his compact form sup
ported on bowed legs that are
as sturdy as the gnarled trees
of a Storm-lashed coast. Not
pretty to look at, not as dett
as his friendly opponent, but an
apotheosiS of power, fired by
youths ambition to win his post
in the face of handicapS.
Grim Duel Starts . -,
It was the first time they were
arrayed against each other on
the diamond, with the prize Of
position at stake. It was the
first Of a series Of duelS that
they will fight before one or the
other wins the nod Of approval
from Bucky Harris, the manager,
who missed not move in the
long drill that featured the first
of the Semi-formal infield Ses-
SionS.
Each showed to advantage that
must be reckoned in the final
computations. Lewis is clever
with true hands and feline skill.
Already he has greater polish.
than the colorful little Latin,
, whose ready smile epdeared him
to Warrington fans last year.
But Lewis can't throw the way
! the Cuban throws. He can't
e knock down a ball, recover and
!. still retire a fast runner. His
: style makes experienced critics
|. tongue their cheek when Clark
Griffith utters optimistic state
Y mentS.
4 Nor can Lewis power the ball
as EStalella does. The advan-
tages of the Cuban in throwing
and hitting are indiSputable,
} this writer believes. Quite as
, indiSputable as the superior skill
/ of Lewis in fielding. The ques-
tionS to be settled sometime be-
/. tween this day in waning Febru-
}. ary and mid-May are whether
4 EStalella will acquire cleverness
/ in the fielding to offset the edge
E of his rival, and whether Lewis
y will gain the proper throwing
technique and power at the bat.
EstaIelIa Hits Fence
j. Estalella hit the longest ball
\ Of the batting practice. He
cracked a screaming drive to
dead center field, so far over
the head of Dee Miles that the
Chattanooga youth merely stood
and DOTTED his hat, as one
might salute a passing plane
winging its roaring way through
q the morning skies. That bali hit
n the center-field fence on the
first bounce. It would have gone
!, into the dead center-field bleach
: ers in Griffith Stadium with
9 something to spare.
. Lewis developed lot of power.
, He is the type of hitter who will
crack line drives down the alley
in left center field when his
swing is. tuned. Zeb Milan told
! the writer that Lewis, was . pull
3 hitter and would develop aS such
5 in the majors. Perhaps he will
: But so far he has shown his
; greatest power in hitting to left
! center, after the fashion of
4 Earle Combs. Of the Yankees.
9 Buddy hit half a dozen ring
ing clouts off the soft pitching
;, that was offered, cutting into the
!. ball with a true swing that was
J; pretty to watch.
d EStalella almost matched his
fence crashing drive with three
others that were reminiscent of
his mighty drive in Shibe Park
i that last season cleared the roof
v Of the leftfield pavilion. Twice
be blazed singles beyond the
Straining reach Of Cecil Travis at
ShortStop.