Evening star., 1940-04-27
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

Shhh . don't s,read it around
but THE first baseman of our Ma
tionals-the fellow who is going to
be playing the bag until all of us are
a great deal older-is apprenticing
at Jersey City yet.
In the wake of Clark Griffith re-
purchase of Henry j. (Zeke) Bonura
all sorts of things are happening.
For instance, Manager Bucky Har-
ris has revised his batting order for
the third time this infant season.
President Clark Griffith has thrown
out hints that Jimmy Wasdell, de-
NOTED predecessor to Zeke, will
stick as an outfielder and part-time
first baseman. And all the time. up
where the Jersey City club is play
ing and probably unaware of the
heavy drama, our Mats real first
baseman is blithely playing ball.
That, at least, is Griffith,s story.
He is James Mickey Vernon, the
fancy-f1elding youngster who served
a stretch here last year. James is
being polished under the auspices
of the New York Giants farm across
the river. The story behind the ac-
QUESTION of Bonura is a touching
tale of patience. or Zeekus Peekus
Is a Senator again because Griff
wants a stop-gap pending the day
when Vernon really is ready for the
majors.
C. C. Griff Raids Again.
Even Griffith admitted as much
today as he awaited the arrival of
big zeke from New York. "I don't
want to call in Vernon" he said,
because Mickey really needs a
year or two IN fast minor league
ball. He's going great for Jersey
City and he ought to develop. He's
major league first baseman right
now but he needs little brushing
up on his hitting"
The purchase of Bonura came as
a surprise to nobody. Something
has been in the air ever since the
Mats first two or three games. The
Washington club failed to hit and,
alarmed, Griffith and Harris, be-
gan to look around. Wasdell, who
with two hits in 30 times at bat
shows only an .066 average, was
picked to be replaced and Griffith,
who ruthlessly raided the National
League to form the American in
1901, continued his raiding.
In short, Griff added to a grow
ing little band of eX-National
Leaguers, including Dutch Leonard
and AL Hollingsworth, the person
OF Bonura for a price which was
unannounced but believed to be
$4,000.
S15,0O0 Rental for Zeekus.
Even from a financial viewpoint
1t was an interesting negotiation
which went on between Grifith and
Horace Stoneham, young owner of
the Giants. In the winter Of 1898
Grill sold Bonura to the New York
ers for SIS, 900 in cash and two bush
leaguers. Thus, the Giants paid the
equivalent of $4,000 in American
money for one seasons rental on big
Zeekus Peekus.
Now that Zeke Is back, raising
hopes for q big inning because he
can hit long ball and clapping his
flippers together, seal-style, Man.
ager Harris today changed his bat
ting order. Zeke is going to hit in
the cleanup post. Gerry Walker,
who has been batting fourth since
he joined the team in March, will be
showed up to the third slot and
Buddy Lewis, who emerged from
batting slump when placed back
in the No. 2 position, will con-
tinue where he is.
Griffth and Harris are not posing
Bonura as part of the building for
the-future scheme, which is some
thing we hope to live through. They
are high on Vernon, but they want
zeke for q year or two, and as for
Wasdell, it will depend upon circum-
stances. Jimmy can hit better than
.o66 and he can play the outfield.
II he gets q break he may step In
the garden and do all right.
Wasdell's fate was sealed d-some-
body had to be the goat-when the
Griffmen lost their first four games.
Three Of the pitchers who won