Evening star., 1939-01-22

physical fitness. When PLAYERS are
launching their careers down in the
class D loops they are scratching
from scratch. Life to them is
series of blue-plate luncheons and
bus rides.
This is the type of ball player who
will help to make history as a re-
crult in the Washington training
camp next week. He is a pitcher,
let us assume. Manager Harris will
look him over and smile reminis-
Gently. Once upon a time Harris
was a skinny youngster himself,
fresh from the coal mine district of
pennsylvania. He didn't know a
carbohydrate from a protein, but he
possessed ambition and drive. The
pitcher he will look over probably
will be a full 20 pounds underweight.
For a month Harris won't be able
to tell whether he has a fast ball or
not. 1t will take the pitcher at
least that long to fatten up at the
expense of the Washington Ball
Club, and until he does so he will
not be able to establish his true
worth. If any That is why of the
training table idea.
The average spring training ses-
sion is beWildering to the sports
reader. He picks up a paper and
reads OF a lot of fellows of whom
he never heard. The chances are
that he will select favorite merely
from reading the sports columns.
The chances are even greater that
he never will see his favorite. Most
of them are Topped off. Those with
little or no ability will be given a
pat on the back and bus fare home.
Those who hold promise but who are
not ready will be placed with low
class minor league farm" Those
who are almost ready will h,
dropped by the club en- route north
ward and home and optioned with {.
class Al or class AA farm"
1t seems safe to say that neve
before has any ball club owne.
divided his squad into as MANY as
four sections. Griffith has done 50.
His first squad reports February /.
The second group will report on
February Is. Still a third batch
will turn up on March l and the
regulars and other "set" PLAYERS will
blow into camp on March 7.
Naturally, people want to know
where the new players come from.
What does fellow have to do to get
trial with big league club? Does
he have to know somebody with
pull? Does he have to flash record
such as Bob Feller compiled as a
semi-pro?
The answer is no" All he has to
do is play baseball.
A year ago a thin. wan youth
wandered into ST. Augustine. Fla.
and joined one of the baseball
schools" which are spreading like
mushrooms in the South and South
west. The boy was using his neck
tie to hold up his socks. He presented
a weird spectacle in a wen-worn
baseball uniform which was much
too small. When he wound up he
was all arms and legs.
But the professors" at the school
liked him. He threw left-handed
and they detected what they called
action" about him. Forrest Brewer
was placed on the st. Augustine
team of the Florida State League.
He won Is games and lost only II.
He pitched a no-hit, no-run game.
Since the school was Washington
promoted, he also will be among
those present in Orlando.
What are the chances of these
youngsters ever developing into
major league players? Griffith counts
upon a ratio of l in 10 making the
grade, eventually. Sometimes they
don't deliver for the team which
originally saw possibilities. Baker.
for instance, couldn't produce for
Brooklyn and the Giants. But he
has another chance.
"For every 10 rockies" says
Griffith, Il figure on spending
| $4,000. If one makes the grade and
becomes a major Lacquer am more
than rewarded for the outlay"
The average baseball training
|