Evening star., 1936-03-07
NAT lob BELIEVED
CERTAIN FOR DICK
Early Disappointing Form
Made Pilot Fear HurIer'
Would Be Useless.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
etsf CORRESPONDENT of The Star.

Lanahan, for two years the
ugly duckling of Washing
~ tons Spring training, finally
seemed ready to undergo his 1885
metamorphosis today.
"s' help me-" commented Manager
Bucky Harris relievedly. the KID
finally is acting like the pitcher
thought he'd be-"
Lanahan, least impressive OF the
rookie pitching crop at Biloxi a year
ago, wasn't far from the same dubious
distinction in this training camp until
today. Suddenly and without warning,
the former District sandlotter seems
TO have snapped out of it.
Lanahan was taking his turn pitch
ing to the batters yesterday when II
became apparent that he finally was
rounding into form. Harris, instantly
recognizing the reversal of form,
walked to a spot behind Dick and
coached him in his l2-minute term
on the slab. When it was over Harris
looked as though ton Of weight had
been lifted from his shoulders.
1T was tough enough to see Henry
Coppola pull up with his sore arm"
he said. but the prospect of having
Lanahan throw us down really made
It look kinda bad. Honestly, if it
wasn't for the experience I had with
Dick last year I might have given
up on him days ago.
Slow Start Worried Harris.
"VOU probably remember that he
looked SO bad in Biloxi last year
that he was among the first to be ship
ped away. When he came back to
us late in the season believe he was
the most improved pitcher I've ever
seen. I couldn't believe he was the
same kid who looked so bad in the
Spring.
When he started off so slowly here
] wasn't worried. But when he didn't
show anything at all even at the end
of the first week I was getting rather
jittery. That look I had at Lanahan
last year convinced me that he would
help us. but was doggone near ad-
tnitting maybe I was wrong until
yesterday"
Lanahan's performance during the
stick drill yesterday created quite a
stir in the camp. Dick was stacked up
against the classiest flock of hurlers
yet to be thrown into single batting
drill and yet. with the exception Of
Buck Newsom. he outshone the bunch
And this included Jimmy Deshong, Joe
Bokina, Monte Weaver, Harry Oates
and Frank Peticolas.
Dick stuck to fast balls, as per orders,
but for the first time he was getting
his offerings over the plate consistently
and for the first time the ball was
"alive." 1t kept fading from the right
handed batters and into the southpaw
swingers.
VIII Stick With Club.
7 ANAHAN'S apparent return to form
virtually is certain to mean reten-
ton for the former Eastern High
School and N. r. A. slab star. The
young southpaw, in Harris early plan
ming, was one of the nine hurlers upon
whom he counted to bear the brunt of
the Nationals pitching. Now his
chances appear to be as bright as ever
"Lanahan's exhibition has done a
lot to restore my confidence in him. -
vas Harris comment following the two
hour drill. "Poise and control are the
assets he must acquire. Dick can curve
q ball, once he gets his arm in shape,
and his fast ball is fairly sneaky. That
was apparent today. Now it's just a
question of control"
Dicks control yesterday was all that
could be asked for. He was giving the
batters plenty trouble and even at this
early date that has been a large order
The Nationals may not be a long
distance hitting club. but they have
been hitting that apple sharply.
Roberto Estalella continues to take
honors for long hitting. The little
Cuban slammed one of Harry Oates
offering up against the rightfeld fence
on a fly to accomplish a feat un-
precedented for this training season.
But for consistent hitting Carl Reynolds
just about stole the show. The former
Red Sox out6elder always known as
q great Spring" hitter, certainly gives
no indication of losing his reputation.