The Washington times., 1937-03-08


Chapman'S heart is in Wasl
ington baseball, and perhar
those who cheered for Ben, las
season when he just about lifte
the club into fourth place wit
a great late season drive, will n
joice with him in the fact tha
he is happier than he was in Ne1
York. His contract with tn
Griffs is the best he ever hac
and he is out to make every gam
a winning game.
Ready to Play
Chapman reported ready to pla
ball, except that he needs abou
a week of throwing to strengthel
his arm. Ben is football o.
ficial, and worked in some of tn
important southern games las
fall. He is also a basketball ot
ficial and officiated in more thai
20 championship contests.
II think that 1 will have the
best year / ever had on the dia-
mOnd," Chappie said this morn
ing. 1t was more of a promise
than an idle statement. "The
Washington club treated me
SplendidIy. 1 had no trouble
coming to terms with Mr.. Grif-
fifth, and 1 promised him what
I am promising the Washington
fans for 1887.
81 feel sure that the Wash
ingtOn club will be in the thick
of the fight from start to finish.
Maybe we won't win, but we'll
have a lot to do with which
club does win.
"I'm carrying no grudgeS,"
Chappie said, and of course he
referred to the Yankees.
"JOe Mccarthy had q nice
friendly chat with me before 1
left New York. But those Yank-
ees are just another ball club to
me for this year, and for every
year that I'm playing with any
other team in the league.
SINGTON WILL DO
eff Buddy Myer regainS his
form of two years ago, we'll
have a pretty fair sort of club.
Fred SingtOn will make lot of
pitchers moan. Freddie and 1
played together in high school,
and we've been friends through
the years. We work together in
the Outfield.
Johnny Stone is a good team
player over there in left field.
Combination work in the out
field will cut down a lot of runs.
Stone has a good arm. Look in
the record books at the number
of assists he has. every year and
you will appreciate his value to
q team. ........
81 guess We will be all right
from every angle. It's a question
of getting some worthwhile
pitching, and hustling every
inning of every game"
Which tells the story of tn
Griffmen about as we'll as any
one could tell it. Chapman is no
discounting any rivals. nor is h
attempting to exalt the Griffs be
yond their station in the congress
of teams. He does know baseball
values pretty we'll. Wherefore hi
opinions carry weight.
President Clark Griffith is ol
the alert as the second week O
training opens to warn youni
pitchers against the folIies of thei
strength and exuberance. He ha
warned them against putting to,
much power in their pitches.
"These pitchers are coming
up to the danger point" said
Griff this morning. For the
past couple of days it was easy
enough to keep them down, but
now we will have to watch
them.
FEEL TOO GOOD
"They are beginning to feel
good again after the first few
days when their arms tired
quickly. They are apt to say
to themselves 7 feel great to-
day; guess I'll cut loose When
they get to that stage they
hurt themselves.
"When these pitchers get to
that point where they think
that they're feeling fine, I al
ways warn them. I want them
to go along for about 10 days
before they do anything that
looks like pitching.
This spring training should
be a serious matter, and no
games should be scheduled until
a team is ready to work"
Look at the Giants" said
Griff, and his tones rose a
pitch or two. Look at them,
going over to Havana and play
ing teams before they're ready
to play. They were beaten.