Evening star., 1940-02-19
Speed, Arm Zip,
Determination
Mark Rookie
Bucky Warns FerreII
And GiuIiuni He Nav
Relegote Them
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Star Sta6 Correspondent.

BY FRANCIS E. STAN,
Star stah Correspondent.
ORLANDO, Fla, Feb. 19.-When
Clark Grifith reorganized the Jake
Early. Chowder and Marching Club
on the opening day of the Nationals
spring training the old gentleman's
hip, hip, hooray about the rookie
catcher from Kings Mountain, N. c.,
wasn't taken seriously for q couple
of reasons.
In the first place Rick Ferrell
hadn't signed his 1910 contract and
the tip was out that Grin was only
trying to scare Rick into line. In the
second place, Griff said the same
thing about Early last year.
But today Jacob is man of new
import around camp. Ferrell has
signed and still Griff talks of Early.
On to the same bandwagon has
hoped Manager Bucky Harris. And
taking Early under his wing is Coach
Bennie Bengough. the old Yankee
catcher.
Bennie Takes Jake Over.
Bengough was given a job with
the Mats this year chiefly as pitch
ing coach. But he Is dividing his
time now and tutoring Early and Al
Evans, the other backstopping rookie.
Already, according to Harris, pro-
gress has been made by Early.
If Bengough doesn't do any
thing else" Bucky announced today.
he'll make a catcher out of that
kid. Rick Ferrell is a swell mechan-
ical catcher but he can't very well
help a youngster because Rick is a
stylist. He has way of catching
that is all his own. Bengough was a
cat-like type Of catcher and he can
teach that style to Early and Evans"
Early is a favorite of Griffith and
Harris because of his speed afoot,
throwing arm and determination.
He was favorite last year but when
he was given a chance to catch
Jake didn't do so well. He lacked
polish. Flaws showed up and Harris
soured on him. He even was ordered
to Chattanooga in midseason but.
just as he was about to leave, Tony
Giuliani got hurt and Jake was
called back.
Batting Practice Helped Him.
Early, though, idled for weeks. II
told him to stop worrying" recalled
Grimth, "and to catch batting prac-
tice every day. He did 1t for seven
weeks and then Bucky put him back
at the tail end of the season and
he was a different cacher. It's all
right with me If Bucky starts the
season with Jake and leaves him In
the game"
It's all right with Harris, too, If
Early picks up where he left of late
last year. AFTER those seven weeks
of catching during batting practice
I had my eyes opened" Harris add
ed. Il never saw a catcher improve
so much"
All of which sounds swell for
Jacob-so far. Harris already has
gone on record as saying that Early
and Evans will catch most of the
exhibition games. "Ferrell and
Giuliani know how to CATCH" he
explained. 80 I'm going to give the
other fellows a chance. But if
Early looks good when we start
playing ball I'm not guaranteeing
Ferrell and Giuliani they'll get in
there in hurry.
Throwing Aim Is Good.
Early batted only 1862 last year,
but he played only few games.
He won't be "a years old until May,
though, and GrifIlth and Harris still
believe that he will hit. As far as
throwing is concerned none of the
other Washington catchers are in a
class with Jake, nor have they his
speed afoot.
Another cool, cloudy morning.
with sprinkling of rain, marked
practice, but things
looked better for today, because the
Mats were scheduled to move from
their temporary lot to Tinker Field.
There, without broken glass bottles,
posts and gopher holes to bother
them, they are expected to make
more progress. Indeed Harris is
hopeful that by tomorrow some of
the pitchers will be ready to work
in batting practice.
I'm almost as anxious for that to
start as the hitters," Harris said.
"I'd like to see Gedeon, Ortiz, Early,
Wasdell and those fellows look good
at the plate this year. Besides, it
does a pitcher good to work in bat
ting practice. After all that's where
he belongs-out on the hill"