Evening star., 1940-02-16
Williams Rated
Finest Of New
Slab Talent
Gehrmon Is Regarded
Highly; Hudson Made
Bengough's S Charge

"SO~Su ~usSS
BY star Correspondent of The Star.
ORLANDO, Fla, Feb. 16.-Bucky
Harris marked" three pitchers
today as spring training for the
Nationals opened on the frozen
grass surface of Exposition Park.
If at least two of them don't
come through" the Mats manager
declared. Il don't know if our
pitching will be any better than it
was last year"
Most experienced of the three
some is Almon Williams, who
formerly pitched for the Athletics
and who faced the Mats. and lost,
in the opening game in Washing
ton in 1888. Williams was waived
out of the American League and
last year pitched for Chattanooga
For l6 days during one stretch
and % days during another. Will
liams was forced to idle due to
elbow trouble. Still he managed to
win IA games while losing only
nine in the Southern Association
and Joe Engel touted him so highly
that the Mats bought him.
Paid $500 for Gehrman.
The Number marked man" Is
Paul Gehrman. A stocky. black
haired youngster obtained last
fall from Albany In the draft.
Gehrman, formerly the prop
erty of the Cincinnati Reds,
was sent by the National League
champions to Birmingham. When
the Barons shifted him to Albany
to plug pitching gap there, he fell
into the draft. Griffith was tipped
off to Gehrman, a Highlander,
and acquired him for cash outlay
of $500.
The Number 3 lad is Sydney
Hudson, tall, slim Highlander.
who pitched so well last year that
he was responsible for a Southern
Association team changing its train
ing site.
The story goes like this: with
Sanford of the Florida State
League, the 6-foot, 4-inch boy from
Rossville, Ca. won "a games and
only lost 4. He finished every game
he started. President Engel of
Chattanooga, who had been train
ing his Lookouts at nearby Sanford,
took steps to acquire right to
Hudson.
The Mats, however, came up with
Hudson late last summer and Engel
screamed bloody murder, accusing
the Sanford owner of selling him
out. So enraged was Engel that he
shifted Chattanooga's training site
from Sanford.
Bengough Takes Him Over.
Against Hudson, who is %, seems
to be his lack of experience. It is
a big Jump from a Glass B circuit
to the majors. The feat rarely is
accomplished, but Harris intends to
turn sgd over to Pitching Coach
Bennie Bengough Immediately. with
orders to Bennie to make Hudson
his prize pupil.
Williams and Gehrman are exper-
fenced, especially the former. Gehr-
man only won IA games while losing
13 last year in the Eastern League,
but he was playing with a weak club.
A fast ball is his forte.
Williams lack of control and a
change Of pace cost him the Job
with the Athletics, but the big fell
low, who stands 6 feet inches and
weighs 200 pounds, claims that he
has acquired both.
clyde Barfoot took me in tow at
Chattanooga" Williams told Griffith,
"and really worked on me. He got
me to throwing slow curve for a
change-and he worked on my con-
troll. I think I'll stick this time"
Thirteen Here, More Expected.
Few of the other pitchers now in
camp. with the exception of Joe
Krakauskas. are conceded much
chance Of sticking with the Mats,
According to Harris present plans,
subject, of course, to quick change.
Dutch Leonard, Ken Chase, Joe
Haynes and Krakauskas will be his
starters, with Gehrman and Will
hams to back them up.
For little Bucky Jacobs, the for
mer University of Richmond hurler
with 81 varieties of pitches, he has
relief plans. The others, Alex Car
rasquel, Walt Masterson, Lou Thu
man, Early Wynne, Gilberto Torres,
ct al, are on the doubtful list.
Thirteen players were on hand
this morning when Harris counted
noses, and more were expected. First
arrivals were Williams, Hudson,
Jimmy Wasdell, first baseman-out-
fielder, and Catcher Jake Early. On
the train with Harris came Out
fielder Elmer Gedeon. First Base
man Jack Sanford Catcher AL Evans
and Pitchers Truman, Gehrman,
Krakauskas, Masterson. Bill Ken
nedy, the latter, Washington,
D c., boy, who performed last year
with the Orlando team, and Fred
Byram. q rookie from the Sanford
club of the Florida State League.