The Washington times., 1936-03-02
HardWOrk
Ahead for
Grim1en
BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEnL

OfE4AANDC, El8., MarC0 Zine
first week of spring training is
completed, and the dawn Of q new
span Of days finds Bucky Harris
with the problem Of establishing
This team fairly well in hand.
The signing of Buck Newsom at
what he considered fair salary.
although not the $4,000 he de-
manded In his first salvo, simpli.
flied matters for Harris. His pitch.
ing staff Is fairly well set.
Just as soon as Buddy Myer ad-
justs his contractual dispute with
lClark Griffith, Harris will be able
to start working his infield and de-
veloping team work between Myer
land Cecil Travis. Joe Kuhel looks
I20 per cent better than he did at
this time last year. Lewis has
improved in the last couple Of
days. With Myer in line the de-
velopment Of the club will be
pressed at top speed.
Admitting that Lewis Is not the
greatest thrower in baseball, Bucky
contends that Buddy will be plenty
good enough, and says that his
fielding skill will more than COM
penSate for any unsteadineSs Of his
arm.
| Travis Surprises
Cecil Travis has surprised every.
one in camp with the way he has
taken hold Of the shortstop assign
ment. Perhaps no one is more
surprised than Travis himself, and
certainly no one Is more delighted.
'T'm concentrating on the
little tricks Harris showed me-"
Travis said this morning while
waiting to leave for practice. II
take throws on the wrong side
sometimes, but I'll be glad when
Myer goes out to second base
and il there ali the time. III
have to watch his style closely
and know just what to expect.
1t is different playing right next
to him than to watch him from
third base or somewhere else"
Joe Kuhel is bubbling with
enthusiasm over the way he has
been meeting the ball hitting out
Of his new stance. The crouch is
not especially pronounced, but it
is noticeable. The chief change,
of course is in the position Of the
bat. The hickory is on Kuhel's
shoulder, constantly cooked and
ready.
Another thing noticeable in thisr1
camp. There are no Jack KeefeS,
or at least your reporter has not
found any. The kids are serious
and sensible. There has been no
attempt by anyone to throw the
ball through the grandStand
lpla11kS. No attempt to do anything
that is not entirely regular. No
Snipe hunts have been organized.
The pitchers who have showed
greatest promise among the young
stars are Ken Chase, the left
handed kid from New York State,
Joe Bokina Ind Dick Lanahan.
Weaver Eats
Monte Weaver has been cured Of
his stomach trouble and is now
able to eat steaks and roast beef.
He is five or six pounds heavier
than he was last year and reports
that his stamina is far greater
than at any time in the two
previous years. If Weaver can
carry his stuff through nine in
nings he will be all right.
Neither Eddie Linke or Jimmy
lDeshong has done q thing except
run around the field and do the
IlighteSt sort Of throwing. Both
Harris and Griffith are sure that
Linke'S weight Is just right at 1875
pounds. But Linke himself is not
: so certain. He thinks that he
would be better at 200 pounds and
this reporter shares the belief.
Sammy Holbrook and Bill Starr.
the catcherS, are in camp and
now the mask and pad squad Is
complete. Starr is regarded as
the best receiver of the lot, but he
lacks the punch Of Bolton.
| Buck Newsom had his first
workout yesterday, running seven
times around Tinker Field. New
som said that constant hunting
this fall had kept his legs in ex-
cellent condition. A bit OF run
ming, q little soft throwing, and
Buck will be ready he says.
'T've set Is victories aS my
goal" NewsOm said today. "Iu
win the opening game and then
20 ahead and pick up "a games
along the route.
"Griff wrote me and told me
that he wanted youth, color,
fight and spirit ON the club. SO
when IL came time to talk terms =
/ proved that had plenty Of y
color, plenty Of fight aS evf-
denced by pitching six innings
ON a broken leg, and . lot o.
spirit by working In and out OF
turn, Griff had to admit was
right, 80 that's why / got just
about what 1 wanted in salary
concluded the pitcher.