Evening star., 1940-02-29
Regulars Reach
Orlando Camp
Tomorrow
Struggle for Berth
At Second Base Is
In Prospect
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Star STAT CorreSpondent.

nappy nlgn To-Day. En- route from
Auburn, ILL.,, is Pitcher Dutch Leon
ard, practically signed and sealed
for the 1910 campaign. On hand,
actually signed and sealed, is In
fielder Cecil Travis. Due tomorrow
is the main body of the Washington
ban club.
Within a few persuasive hours,
President Clark Griffith disposed of
two of his biggest holdout problems.
Travis, motoring from his Georgia
home and Is pounds heavier than
he was last season, blew into Or
lando yesterday. talked for half an
hour with Griffith, and announced
that he was satisfied with terms.
The Old Fox, exuberant, promptly
dispatched wire to Leonard and q
few hours later received second
but informal o. K, thus leaving only
Jimmy Pofahl, rookie shortstop,
Catcher Angelo Giuliani and First
Baseman Jimmy Vernon on the
unsigned list.
Second Sack Scrap Seen.
Three issues commanded the
attention and interest of the camp
today. They are %, the obvious
disinterest of Mr.. Pofahl in playing
major league baseball: (2), the
arrival in camp of the regulars and
higher-ranking rockies and, 90 the
battle for the second base job among
Veteran Buddy Myer, Semi-Veteran
Jimmy Bloodworth and Recruit Ed
die Leip.
rendered a new contract a month
ago-a paper calling for the highest
salary ever offered rookie by the
Washington club-Pofahl has yet to
acknowledge receipt. Griffith doesn't
know what to think. Buddy Lewis,
who is prepared to give up his third
base job and move to the outfield
to make room for the $4,000 rookie
from Minneapolis, doesn't know
whether. to practice in right field
or at his old station.
| Griffith says that he is uncon-
cerned about the Giuliani case. The
old gentlemane insists that either
Jake Early or AL Evans, or both,
can I'LL Tony's job. Having con-
ceded the first-base post to Jimmy
Wasdell, he also says that Vernon's
stubborness doesn't bother him. But
the Pofahl mystery has him baf11ed
rs there Jimmy Pofahl," he asked,
| "or did I buy interest in the Brook
lyn Bridge?" Griff never has seen
Pofahl.
Buddy Not Out of 1t.
Bearing down on Orlando by land
and sea, the route from Cuba, are
at least 13 of Mr. Grifhth's en-
ployes, not counting such possibih-
ties as Pofahl, Giuliani and Vernon.
Tomorrow. if all arrive on time, this
training camp will become Wash
ington's instead of the Charlotte
Springfield Greenville Salisbury
Shelby quarters.
-Four pitchers - Leonard, Rene
Monteagudo, Alexandra Carrasquel
and Gilberto Torres-are due. Rick
Ferrell, the regular catcher, also is
supposed to check in town, along
with 1nf1elders Myer, Leip, Blood
worth, Charley Colbert, Rookie
Teddy Ratenski, a shortstop from
Greenville, and Outfielders George
Case, Johnny Welaj and Sammy
West.
The arrival of Myer, Bloodworth
and Leip is expected to herald the
only job fight on the club. Blood
worth is favored in most quarters
but there is a strong we-want-Leip
club, headed by it's president and
founder. Clark Griffith.
On the other hand there is no
overlooking Myer. Time has been
taking its toll of the doughty Sec
ond sacker who in 1896 was the
American League batting champion.
Buddy was ailing in 1897 and in
1888 but he began to regain his
health last year and was on the
way. to a fine season when he COL
lided at the plate with Catcher
Rudy York of the Tigers and was
laid up.
And Then Came Leip.
1t was while Myer was on the
shelf that Bloodworth, a batting
sensation at Charlotte in the Pied
mont League, staked his claim to
the job. For a stretch Jimmy was
sensational in the field and ade-
quate at the plate. And then, called
in from Greenville of the Sally
League, for trial, came Leip.
Eddie exhibited more fielding
ability and more speed afoot than
Bloodworth. What is more, Leip
hit major league pitching, or what
passed for it toward the close of
the 1889 campaign. Whether he
can carry on is something that re-
mains to be seen, but Manager
Bucky Harris and Griffith like his
chances.
Myers chief hope may we'll lie
in whether Pofahl comes around.
# the young shortstop makes good
it may be that Harris will feel a
steadying influence alongside him
will help and lean toward Myer. An
all-rookie keystone combination, like
Pofahl-B Bloodworth or Pofahl-Leip.
may impress Bucky as sticking out
a neck and asking for headaches.
Cece Brought Both Gloves.
Travis, weighing upward of 100
pounds, said that he was satisfied
with terms and bewildered on an
] other score as he participated in
his first workout today.
1--WE been reading all winter"
he drawled, s'where I'd be moved
from shortstop to third base so as
to let Pofahl in the infield and
make room for Lewis in the outfield.
But I've corresponded with Mr..
Griffith all winter and yesterday !
talked with him for over half an
hour and DANCED If he's mentioned
yet where he intends to play me-"
Cecil winked. I'm prepared" he
SAID II brought both Of my gloves
my shortstopping glove and my
third basing glove"