Evening star., 1940-03-03
Rock S Batting Punch,
Smooth Fielding
Impress Harris
Joe Like Yunks' Gordon,
Says BIuese;; Leonard
Gets Brief Drill

Says Blueee; Leonard
Gets Brief Drill
~ . star Correspondent Of The star.
ORLANDO, Fla, March 2. -
Rookie Jimmy Pofahl, $4,000 short
stop from Minneapolis and highest
salaried recruit in the history of the
Washington ball club, passed his
first inspection today in the Ma
tionals' training camp.
The 22-year-old infielder from
Faribault, MINI, stole the show as
Manager Bucky Harris, with So ball
players at his command and at least
more due, began program
calling for two workouts daily.
Pofahl was placed in the morning
squad, together with most of the
other regulars, and at bat and in
the field he looked the part of an
expensive piece of baseball mer-
chandise.
A right-handed hitter whose spe-
cialty is hitting behind a teammate
on the hit-and-run play, Pofahl
solidly smacked the batting practice
pitching of half dozen hurlers and
In the field he roamed all over short
stop in a fungo workout.
Must Wait to Judge Arm.
Only one question remains in the
minds of Manager Bucky Harris and
his aides and it is: Can he throw?"
Because it was his first drill, Pofahl
did not attempt to cut loose with
heaves to first base. Instead, he
merely lobbed the ball across the
diamond.
I'm satisfied with his looks so
far" Harris commented. Hes got
a good batting stroke and he's got
great pair of hands. He isn't any
George Case on the bases, but he
moves pretty well and now if he just
can show us real arm I'm sure
we'll be all set"
Even Ossie Bluege, the old infield-
ing master whose own defensive
standard is the highest in baseball,
put his okay on young Pofahl. HE
looks like Joe Gordon of the
Yankees" said Ossie. He looks like
him, walks like him and has the
same kind of hands"
Carrasquel Still Missing.
AS dusk settled over Orlando to-
night and the Mats busiest training
camp day ended, only one player
who is the outright property of the
Washington club was missing. He
was Pitcher Alexandra Carrasquel,
the Venezuelan, whose tardiness sup
posedly is due to the European war.
Unable to get boat from his
home in Caracas, Carrasquel, it is
understood, arranged to fly to Flor
ida on a clipper ship. But after
the second workout ended late this
afternoon there was no sign of the
ancient Alexandra.
Harris and the clubhouse, already
with more players on their hands
than they can take care of, received
news tonight that at least seven
others, besides Carrasquel. are due
in camp within the next few hours.
Observers here are convinced that
If the Nationals are as well con-
ditioned as possible when they break
camp, 1t won't be because of Scout
Joe Cambria, who also owns three
minor league teams, and others who
primarily are interested in the
Washington farm clubs.
Farm Hands Crowd Field.
More than half of the players
working out on the crowded Tinker
Field have no more chance of stick
ing with the Mats than Cambria.
They are headed for Shelby, Sails
bury, Greenville and other way sta
tions and it is better than a $3.50
bet that next year, unless President
Clark Griffith likes the current con-
fusion, the farm recruits will be Or
dered to train elsewhere in this city.
While Pofahl stole today's show.
interest also was centered around
Buddy Myer, Eddie Leip and Jimmy
Bloodworth, the three candidates
for the second-base job. Myer ard
Bloodworth worked in the morning,
teaming with Pofahl in the infield
during batting practice. Leip, who
Seems to be the pet of Harris and
Grif1th, drilled in the afternoon.
Myer, who is being allowed to COLI
dition himself, Is the dark horse
in the race, but those who have
watched Buddy since he first came
to Washington in 1925 have an idea
the veteran is ready to put up
great fight against his young, right
handed hitting rivals.
Leonard Gets First Workout.
AS practice wound up today and
the stragglers were headed for the
clubhouse, Pitcher Dutch Leonard
arrived at the field, shook hands
all around and climbed into a uni
form. To fellow who won 20 games
and lost only 8 last year performed
on an empty field and before an
empty grandstand, running around
the park several times and doing
bending exercises. Leonard, inclined
toward portliness, looked trim and
well conditioned. He explained that
he had worked out during the win
ter in gymnasium in Auburn, ILL.,
Scout Cambria's own private mys-
terry man, Gilberto Torres, was
among the nine Nationals who
worked out for the first time today.
Torres, who is listed as pitcher,
but who is rated, in his native
Cuba, as far superior third base
man, was ordered to pitch and
nothing else and, by way of en-
phasizing the ultimatum. Harris
pressed him into service as a batting
practice pitcher the first day. The
same fate was met by Rene Mon