Evening star., 1936-02-28
new POST At BAT
T|CKLES VETERAN
First Sacker Insists He Is
Physically, Mentally Bet
ter Than Ever.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.
staf Correspondent Of The Star.


~ RLANDO, Fla, February 28.-
4 The best hustler in this
Washington training camp
~ is not a rookie fresh of the
farm and anxious to please Bucky
Harris AS a matter of fact, he Is
young man who knew stardom once
and who is anxious to sell himself
again not only to Harris and Capital
fans, but to himself.
I've got to make good this year"
Joe Kuhel was saying today as he
caught his breath between workouts
at Tinker Field. II not only have to
do it. but am going to be darn
good ball player"
It is doubtful If Kuhel ever before
expressed himself to this extent.
Thousands of words have been written
about his finesse at first base since
Kuhel came to the majors in 1880, but
very little about his fire. But Joe this
Spring is a little harder Of face, a
little grimmer.
IT spent the whole Winter trying to
sell myself to myself" he disclosed.
IT know had bad year last season
and I know why. Right OIL the oat'
when started slowly, lost all con-
fidence in myself. I was through
long before the year was up.
1--WE had a lot of time to think
about it. worked on myself and l
think I'll get results, Base ball is the
only work I do. I've got to make
good"
Lighter Than Last Year.
IF ACTIONS speak louder than
i words Kuhel still presents strong
argument. He underwent an opera
ton this Winter, and. after recuperat-
ing, Joe wired President Clark Grn-
nth for permission to report to camp
with the rookie squad. Il want to be
in TOP shape when the season opens,
he explained, and Griffith needed nc
urging to snap up Kuhel's offer.
He is 5 pounds lighter now than
when he finished the 1885 season. and
so hard has Kuhel worked since camp
opened last Monday that he looks
ready to step into a ball game at a
moments notice. He runs around
the park, takes his batting practice
cuts, works out in the infleld. shags
flies in the outfield and during the
afternoon he plays golf.
How do you like the idea OF drop
ping down in the batting order?'' ne
was asked and the first response Is
an ear-to-ear grin. Great" ne
answers. II really think I'll bat
a lot better as a result. In fact. I
think that batting in the lead was
the source of all my trouble last year.
Mental Condition Hurt.
"VOU see," he continued, II had
batted down in the lineup every
wear except one and I've been play
ing base ball for IL years. When
Bucky Harris put me at lead-o1
last year it was in the best interests
of the club, know, but somehow
I couldn't get around to really liking
it. When I topped at the start I
lost faith in myself and couldn't get
1t back.
'I learned something last year,
though" Joe went on earnestly,
mental condition had lot to do
with my bad season. think the
dope this year is for me to bat lower
down. in the batting order, but if I
were placed at lead-on again I be-
lieve could do good job.
Really, though, I'm glad to think
I'll bat fifth or sixth, because I be-
lieve I instinctively play better when
something depends on me. Batting
down in the order means more chances
to come to bat with runners on base.
and without appearing egotistical
think can show fair record for
batting in runs. 4
my job was to straighten myself
out mentally and I know that did.
I'm ready to go and, so help me, I'll
be q better ball player this year."