Evening star., 1940-02-24
Terms Highest
Ever Offered
Nat Rookie
Nothing Heard From
Jimmy in Month,
Says Club Boss

By q Staff Correspondent Of the Star.
ORLANDO, Fla, Feb. 24.-n any.
body knows the whereabouts of one
James Pofahl, blond, In his early
twenties, standing feet, 8 inches
and weighing about ITO pounds, will
he please tell the young man that
he belongs to the Washington base
ball club and Mr.. CLARK Grifith, his
new and unseen boss, would ike
to hear from him?
The Old Fox, who has witnessed
just about everything except the
laying out of the first diamond by
Abner Doubleday, admits that young
Pofahl Is a new one on him. Last
summer Griffith announced that he
had paid $4,000 in cash and players
for the Minneapolis shortstop, who
batted 1902. This is the third high
est price Griff has ever spent on q
ball player, with only First Baseman
Joe Kuhel and Outfielder Earl Nc.
Nicely costing more.
But never have seen Pofahl, nor
have heard from him in month";"
Griffith admitted today. I've writ
ten to him couple of times. I've
sent him contracts. The last one
called for more money than I've
ever paid rookie"
One of Three Holdouts.
Pofahl is not scheduled to report
here at training camp until March
/. Thus he has full week to show.
But Griffith is beginning to get
little worried. His sense of frugality
is rebeling. It is no fun to pay
$4,000 for ball player, let alone
snot see or hear from him.
Pofahl is one of the three major
holdouts of the Nationals, the others
being Pitcher Dutch Leonard and
Infielder Cecil Travis. All want
more money. Leonard thinks that
he is entitled to fatter raise than
he was offered because he won 20
games and lost only last year.
Travis was asked to take a cut be-
cause he fell below the 300 bat
ting mark in 1899. Cecil also has
read in the papers where he may
be traded. There is no way of his
knowing to what club he will go,
if any other than Washington's, but
apparently Mr.. Travis wants to be
assured of the right kind of a
stipend in any event.
But Pofahl, to Griff's way of
thinking, is real mystery. He batted
1902 for Minneapolis, which is not
standout average. He proved to
be valuable, hustling fielder and
base-runner and, on the strength
of scouting reports. Griffith pur-
chased him and bequeathed him
Travis old job at shortstop. He
intends to shift Cecil to third base
unless he trades the Georgian.
Lewis to Start Slowly.
Meanwhile, Buddy Lewis is on
the job and ready to attempt the
switch from third base to right field.
The young hitting ace worked out
for the first time yesterday, but did
not venture into the outfield. He
confined his work to light running
and participation in the hitting
drill.
Lewis has orders this spring to
condition himself more slowly.
Every year the Gastonia IN. CO
boy comes up with pulled muscles in
his thighs, the result of starting
too strenuously. This year Griffith.
Manager Bucky Harris and Trainer
Mike Martin are keeping watch over
him.
Not until next week will Lewis
60 into the outfield to concentrate
on learning the art of fy-chasing
But when he does. Buddy intends
to do it on a large scale. He is
enthusiastic over the shift, although
frankly admitting that neat in
crease in pay--intended to COM
pensate him for possible early en-
barrassments and the necessity of
starting all over again-is the chief
reason.