Evening star., 1939-01-01
.46 10 Be Tested
In Big Effort
To Rebuild
No. | Squad in Novel
Camp Arrangements
Averages 20 Years
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

Year eve President Clark Griffith
Of the washington ball club today
releases plans for the most expen-
sive and pretentious spring training
program in major league baseball
history.
Smashing all precedent, Griffith
officially will open camp on February
l, more than two and one-half
months before the start of the
season, and will include on his
squad the staggering number of 46
ball players.
Not until this announcement has
it been realized generally to what
extent Griflth's promise of a re-
building program was to be carried
out. For months the Old Fox has
been working quietly ON improving
and rebuilding his ball park, al
though there is nothing to the re-
port that he will increase the seat
ing capacity this year or in the
near future.
Most publicized this winter was
Grif11th's selling program. The
Nationals sold Pitcher Elon Hogsett
to Minneapolis and followed by
sending First Baseman Zeke Bonura
to the New York Giants in exchange
for two rockies and $4,000 in cash.
Last week he sold Outfelder Al
Simmons to the Boston Bees.
Pours Cash Back Into Club.
But this cash, plus plenty more,
has been poured back into the
ball club and park. In starting
spring training on February /, as
against the conventional date of
approximately February 20 or 25,
Griffith has undertaken an expen-
sive experiment. And his squad Of
46 players, more than dozen more
than is usual for even a team in the
process of being rebuilt, is another
large item on the financial ledger.
1t followed that Griffith is deadly
serious about starting all over again.
He is doing about what Connie Mack
has been trying to do since 1884, ex-
cept that Griff is proceeding on a
larger scale. He is junking as many
veterans as possible and taking a
chance on youngsters making the
grade. In place of Bonura he will
string along with young Jimmy Was
dell, a 22-year-old. In place of the
36-year-old Simmons he will gamble
on Bobby Estalella, 24-year
The only veterans among the reg
ularS,' says Griffith, will be Rick
Ferren and Buddy Myer. look for
Myer to have an exceptional year.
He had good one in 1888. AS for
Ferrell, he still is a fine catcher and
a good hitter. What I am hoping
for is to dig up young fellow who
can take the load of Rick some Of
the time"
Divides Squad Four Times.
Grifhth's training program prob
ably is the most unusual Of all time.
He will divide his squad into four
divisions and each will report at a
different time. The first squad, due
on February l, will consist of 16
young pitchers and two kid catchers.
This squad, instead of being housed
in the hotel, will live together in
private boarding house run by Grif-
fifth. Manager Bucky Harris and
Trainer Mike Martin will have sole
command of this group.
The Nat squadron will be aug
mented on February Is by five more
players-First Basemen Jimmy Was
dell and James Vernon, Second Base
man Morris Aderholt, Outfielder
Bobby Estalella and Pitcher Rene
Monteagudo. The latter, a tiny
southpaw who showed we'll at times
last season, has been excused from
the first squad because he has been
pitching of and on this winter in
the Cuban League.
On March another small squad
will report. This group will embrace
the five veteran pitchers, Jimmy
De Shong, Harry Kelley, Pete Apple
ton, Dutch Leonard and Monte
Weaver and Catcher Rick Ferrell.
On March the remainder of the
team-Myer. Buddy Lewis, Cecil
Travis, George Case. etc.-will re-
port. The exhibition season will
start on March 18 with the Detroit
Tigers invading Orlando.
Grifdth, without doubt, will have
the youngest ball club in big league
history. His No. l squad will aver
age well under 20 years of age.
Closer to 18 would make it. The No.
2 squad will be slightly over 20 and
thereafter the limit goes up, but not
much. Outside of a handful of
pitchers, the only players over 30
will be Myer and Ferrell.
Development Is Only Way.
'"The idea behind this program"
explained Griffith, "is to develop
players instead of trying to trade
them or buy. 1t is easy to talk about
going out and buying a couple Of
pitchers, but it isn't easy to do. There
simply aren't any ready-made pitch
ers for sale.
"The only way, as see it," he
went on, "is to develop young play
ers. That's what we're trying to do
by starting training so early. look
for three or four of those first 16
youngsters to come around and make
the team"
Many new names appear on the
washington roster, particularly
among the first squad. The No.
group presents two newcomers, one
in Aderholt. a 22-year-old lad who
graduated from Wake Forest Col
lege last June and worked out with
the Mats. He is regarded as good
enough, even at this stage, to stick
with the Mats in a utility capacity.
The other is Vernon, young first
baseman from St. Augustine. He
hasn't the experience of Wasdell, but
he is being counted upon to develop.
The No. / squad Is as follows:
Arnold Anderson, 22-year-old
| right -handpd nitcher Who won IA