The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-03-26
Nat Owner Will
Buy 81 Pei.
OF Stock
By FRANK BUCK" O'NE1LL

ORLANDO, tlap March rs.
President Clark Griffith stands
ready to purchase a controlling
interest in the Orlando baseball
club Of the Florida State League,
assist financially in moving the
grandstand from Tinker Field to
Exposition Park, and sign a five.
year contract to train the Wash
ington Nationals in Orlando. F,
M. Coffey, Washington mer-
chant, who is president of the
Orlando club, is ready to. sell a
81 per cent interest to Griffith.
These interesting facts were
learned today from a thoroughly
reliable Suorce. No announcement
has been made, and none will he
made before Monday or Tuesday.
Barring a complete about face on
the part of President Griffith be.
cause OF lack of local cooperation.
the deal will be made.
Griffith conferred with officials
OF the Florida State League last
night. Members of the Orlando
baseball committee and Mr., Cot.
icy, who is in Orlando to super.
wise the conditioning of his team,
also attended the meeting,
PERMANENT SITE
If Orlando city officials will do
their share in moving the sec
t1onal wooden grandstand from
Tinker Field, located on the out
skirts of Orlando, to Exposition
Park, which is in the heart of
town, there is a strong possibil.
lty that Griff will establish a
permanent training base in this
city. The Yankees have done that
very same thing in st. Petersburg
and found it satisfactory. The
Cubs have their base at Catalina
Islands. Detroit is contemplating
a long-term contract with Lake
land.
The Florida State League is a
Glass D organization, now enter
ing its second year. It was sue
ceSSful last year. Joe Tinker, "a
nous Cub shortstop, was manager
Of the Orlando team until his
health broke down and forced him
to resign.
1t is well known that Griffith is
strongly in favor of Orlando as a
training site.
"This city is the finest for
training ball club of all that
ever visited" Griffith said this
morning. II would like to con-
tinue training here"
BOUND BY AGREEMENT
Bound by agreement with city
officials, Florida State League of.
ficials and others, Griff tried to
dismiss discussion of his contem.
plated action.
Joe Krakauskas is going to pitch
nine innings the next time he
starts. This will be on next Tues.
day when the Griffs invade Win.
ter Haven to tackle the Columbus
Red Wings. KrakauSkaS crowned
his disappointing performances of
this camp with an exhibition yes
terday that was fearful and won.
derful. He gave nine bases on
balls in three innings against Co.
lumbus, and the saving grace of his
game was that when he did get
the ball over the plate, it was so
loaded with stuff that the minor
league club was almost helpless,
Against major league compe.
tition Krakauskas would have
been knocked out of the box in
short order. In any event, he
would have been yanked out of
the box, for Bucky Harris never
would have countenanctd antics
such as those in which he in.
dulged. Krakauskas allowed only
two runs, which establishes him
as being very lucky.
ChaSe's inability to control the
ball in recent starts, and the
wildness of the brawny Crack
ers," casts a shadow over the
pitching hopes of Bucky Harris.
These young left handlers were the
chief hopes of Bucky Harris. The
hope of Harris and Griff, but
now they can only be regarded as
prospects sadly in need of devel-
opment.
Griff intends to urge Harris to
work KrakauSkas a full nine in.
nings for the reason that the boy
is in condition to go the route,
and working a complete game
will help him rather than hurt
him.