The Washington times., 1936-02-27
Joe Kuhel
Points For
.3OOMark
By FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL

When batting practice starts to-
day on Tinker Field in this sun
flooded city of Florida's lake
sector, Joe Kuhel will start his
climb to the higher brackets in
American League batting. Kuhel
slipped from the ranks Of 300
hitters two years ago. He missed
the charmed bracket by matter
of eight points in 1884 and last
year fell lower, ending the season
in the mediocre .260 class.
Now loss of points in the bat
ting averages bothers Kuhel full
sore, but loss of batting points
carries with it the loss Of dollars
in the contract and that bothers
Kuhel still more. Wherefore, he
is out to regain his lost station,
and with it the monetary re-
wards that may accrue in 1887.
The process of regaining batting
points is rather involved. 1t will
call for a complete change in bat
ting stance, swing, and sheer pre-
paredness to meet the delivery OF
the pitcher. Joe has a method all
figured out, and he's sure that
base hits will ring out where dank
and dismal outs sounded their hol-
low thud last year.
If you're fan you may remem-
ber that Kuhel stood erect at the
plate with his bat in perpendicu-
lar position resting on his LETT
shoulder. When the pitcher cut
loose the ball Kuhel would stride,
level the bat and swing. There
was a loss of a fraction Of a sec
ond-not much when you say 1t
quickly. but detrimental to any.
ones chances Of hitting a good
fast ball.
will Hit From Crouch
Starting today Kuhel intends
to stand at the plate in a half
crouch with the bat on his left
shoulder, levelled parallel to the
ground. He won't have to raise
the bludgeon into hitting position
when the flight Of the ball starts.
It will be there, and when the
leather comes into hitting range,
Joe can stride, pour his weight to
the right foot and swing. His
plans call for a strong wrist flick
at the finish to give the ball the
imnetus necessary to make base
hits.
1t is the correct theory. Joe
says that he has studied the bat
ting styles of masters. He cites
Cobb, who half crouched over the
plate, far enough back to give him
power to meet an inside pitch, and
close enough to guard the outside
corner. Ruth, Heilman and nu-
merous others who attained note
as batters used this style. II they
did it, Kuhel says he will.
Kuhel hit 1872 in 1888 and he is
a far better ball player than he
showed us in 1885. Last year was
one of those seasons when every
thing went exactly wrong. NO
reason for it whatever. but things
went that way with a club that
is losing.
will Watch Pitchers
Harris welcomes the opening OF
batting practice for the year, but
will exercise the greatest care IN
working the pitchers. They VIII
be called upon to run around the
field twice and get warm all over.
Then a imbering Of the arm and
five-minute pitching period. He
will use Prof. Monte Weaver, Joe
Krakauska, Russell Chase, who
right now is regarded as a cinch
to stick with the team, and Joe
Bokina, another radiant hope.
Roberto EStalella, the Cuban in
fielder who throws them like a
rifle shot and hits them a mile.
reported last night after a fiesta
season in his native Havana. The
little third Sacker was in festive
spirit as he shook hands around
the lobby of the hotel and wished
everyone good luck.
''Me ready" he said jOyOusly.
"Me ready for play. Baseball
fine when you heet. Not fine
when you don't heet. But me
heet good. Member Shibe Park?
Over fence like thees FOxx.
Ha, ha, me heet all right.
BeunO."
Clark Griffith is enthused
over the prospect of Floyd
Prettyman. This kid is . cOcky
sort Of yOungster with q burning
desire to make the major league
grade.
'ILL HIT SAYS PRETTYMAN
"'YOu teach me how the
majors CATCH" he said to Grif-
filth this morning. "YOu teach
me how to catch and I'll show
you the rest. can hit that ball
with any Of them, and I'm not
afraid"
Sounds big; just as big as they
come, but somehow or other you
catch the idea that this kid is
not just sounding off. He has
shown that he can run and throw,
What he will do under fire re-
mains to be seen. All we can
say of him at the moment is
that he moves instinctively, and
has a lot Of fire and natural
ability.
Cecil Travis continued his work
at shortstop yesterday, with a
long drill coming today. The kid
showed some faults in his second
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