Evening star., 1938-03-05
SLAB CORPS READY
T0PR|ME BATTERS
Hogsett, Appleton in Fine
FettIe-Leonard Is Only
Overweight Curver.
BY FRANCIS e. STAN.
Stan CorreSpondent of The Star,

ORLANDO, Fla. March 5.-Bucky
Harris was forced to put q checkrein
on his Nationals today to keep them
from overtraining.
In their sixth day Of conditioning,
Bucky's pitchers are almost ready for
brief tenures in the pitching box. Not
a day of training has been missed and
under clear skies and a burning sun
Harris pitchers and catchers have
rounded toward top shape in amazing
fashion.
They'll be way ahead of the seven
other fellows who are due in camp
next week" said Bucky. When
Myer and Almada and those fellows
get bat in their hands for the first
time they'll have to look at some
pretty good pitching. These men here
are in good shape" he added, nodding
toward his athletes.
Elon Hogsett, the 34-year-old left
handed pitcher from St. Louis, has
worked so hard that Harris took him
aside and cautioned him. Il guess
it's force Of habit, Bucky." grinned
the big chief. You see when I was
with the Browns We worked twice a
day and never got out Of uniform from
morning till dusk. The two hours we
work here seem to fly by"
Nick Has Something There.
Pete Appleton, who quietly has been
conditioning, looks ready to open the
season. too Pete is concentrating on
playing center field. The pitcher pa
trolls the beat every day in batting
practice and f1ercely chases down the
line drives hit by Al Simmons, George
Case, Joe Kuhel and others.
Wes Ferrell, never a hard man to
get into shape, Is thinned down and
apparently as advanced as can be ex-
pected. In fact only Dutch Leonard
the veteran procured In the draft, has
any weight to lose.
Coach Clyde Milan took good care
Of Leonard yesterday. Clyde and Nick
Altrock singled him out and started
to hit fungoes. They finally made
Dutch retire to the cool of the club
house, washed up for the afternoon.
Then it was that Clyde and Nick took
inventory and were painfully remind
ed what q beating they had taken,
too. Both had blisters on their paws.
"Gawsh," moaned Altrock, perspira-
ton pouring down his face. you know
what I'd like to do? I'd like to take
q high dive into vat of beer and see
how long I could stay under"
Kuhel Is Battling Cold.
Only missing members are Infielders
Cecil Travis, Buddy Lewis, Johnny
Mihalic and Buddy Myer, and Out
fielders Melo Almada, Johnny Stone
and Taft Wright. They are expected
to arrive early next week.
OF this group Myer probably will
require the longest time to get into
shape. Myer, Mihalic and Bluege
probably will share duty at second
base during the early part Of the ex-
hibition campaigning. So rapidly Is
Rookie Jimmy Wasdell pairing down
that he may start at first base. Joe
Kuhel, the veteran, Is trying to shake
OF q cold. Travis and Lewis, Of course,
have no competitors for their jobs.
Rookie George Case, who is sup
posed to be battling Simmons for the
right field job, also may start the ex-
hibition schedule. Case probably will
be placed in right field and Simmons
In left until Wright and Stone catch
up with them in condition. Almada
Is a cinch starter in center field.
Behind the bat the veteran, Rick
Ferrell, and the rookie, Mickey Liv-
inRston, will divide early work. Jake
Early seems to be the only other re-
cruit backstop standing chance to
break into the games, which will not
start until March IS. A game be-
tween two squads Of Mats, however
is listed for q week from tomorrow in
Tinker Field.