The Washington times., 1936-03-03

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as if it were July 4.
Now ladies and gentlemen, your
reporter has been peering at
spring training for more years
than enough, and cheering crowds
at morning practice are rare.
The cheers were deserved, for
the drill was more than hearten.
ing. Cecil Travis Is not going to
be just a fair to middlin' short
stop. No sir; he's going to be
Just what the doctor ordered.
Travis play Is one Of the sur
prising developments of this trip.
He simply has moved into the
job as if he played there all his
life.
Bucky Harris can explain that
very easily. To get the right slant.
you have to know Travis. When
Cecil moved out Of his home town
in Georgia to take . whirl at
baseball, he was a ShortStop. But
they put him at third on the prop.
osition that an infielder should
play the infield regardless Of the
particular station. So he started
at the turn for home, utterly mis-
cast.
Myer Works Today
Travis Is q shy, retiring young
ster and tried his level best. It
was pretty good, but not good
enough to win him . place in .
big league club.
The Griffs will be all right
around ShortStop this year with
Travis working alongside Of Buddy
Myer.
Myer will don a uniform this
morning and go to work around
second. Buddy reports that he
weighs 17S pounds, Just three
pounds over his playing poundage
of 1885. He will work along
slowly and not try to keep pace
with Lewis and Travis and Kuhel
who have had the benefit Of
Orlando's flooding sunshine and
kindly climate. But before the
first game is played against the
Boston Red Sox, March IL, Buddy
will be ready to 60.
Harris posted notice in the club
house this morning that golf would
be taboo on and after March IA.
Last year at Biloxi the boys played
golf and thought more Of their ap-
proach chips than they did Of their
hits and double plays. So this sea-
son the ancient and royal game Is
out once the exhibition tits start.
The changes Of a week in a
spring training camp are interest
ing. Just a few days ago Bucky
Harris was high In his praise of
Ken Chase, the young souChpaw.
Harris still thinks the boy has ex-
ceptional possibilities, but the week
has discovered q certain lack OF
polish in Chase. Now that his arm
is stronger than when he first re-
ported, his control is not what q
major Lacquer should have. Harris
will concentrate on making Chase
pitch to a target for the next
week.
If Chase can acquire the proper
control he has enough natural
ability to get him by in any COM
pany. He is the best fielder
among the pitchers, and that Is
a tremendous asset. Pitchers like
Urban Shocker, Fred FitzSimmonS,
George WiltSe, Herb Pennock,
Sherrie Smith and others who
might be cited, made their own
tasks easier by developing real
skill as fielderS.
BOklna White-Haired Boy
The white-haired boy Of the
pitching crop right now Is Joe
Bokina, the Highlander from
North Conway, Mass. Bokina halls
from the home town Of Jack
Chesbro, once one Of the great
est pitchers in baseball. Chesbro
was q star with the old Pirates
and also with the New York
Yankees.
Bokina Is ready to pitch q 1eW
innings now. He has q good fast
ball, Just about as good aS anyone
could ask, and his curve is a little
bit of all right. What impreSseS
Harris most, however. is the fact
that Bokina can pitch to a mark
about as well as anyone you're
going to see, experience and all
other things equal.
Another development Of interest
is that Perryman, the young
catcher, is beginning to loosen up
in his hitting. He is timing the
ball now.
Dick Lanahan has acquired the
poise Of q veteran and Is going
along about his business in fine
style.