The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-02
PILLS PATHETIC BUT DR. PROTHRO NEVER GIVES UP
Loss of Mulcahy and Higbe Will Keep PhiIIies in
 N. L. Cellar
BY GEORGE KIRKsEY United Press Staff Correspondent)

NOHlteu EEeSS Stan COrreSp0nuentD
 Miami Beach, Fla, April 2.-(Up) The most remarkable thing about the Phillies is portly little man. ager Doc Prothro, @ Memphis den- list who bustleS around with a cocky step and bubbles over with talk of better days to come.
 The Phillies have finished in the cellar three years in a row. They'll be last again this season but you can't get Prothro to admit 1t. Doc sees silver lining in every cloud.
 No club in baseball has been harder hit than the Phils, and no club could less afford to suffer any loss of strength. Kirby Higbe was sold to the Dodgers for $100, ,00O and three players. Hugh Mulcahy was caught in the army draft. Frank Hoerst, e big left-hander who lock- ed like the best of the young pitch CTS, broke his ankle four days be- fore the Phils came to camp. And now Outfielder Joe Marty has re- ceived his questionnaire and may go the way of Mulcahy.
 Before we lost Higbe and Mul- cahy and everything else started happening to us," Prothro said, T thought we might have a chance to beat out the Giants and get up to about sixth place. But losing our two aces has given us quite 8 set- back.
 we've got Q fine bunch of pros- poets in camp, but they're not ready. We've got to develop 'em. On the whole, my squad is better than last year."
 Never Gives Up
 But regardless of what happens to the Phils, Doc Prothro never gives up. You can beat him 18-0 and he'll come back yelling for more. Prothro's battle cry from the bench and coaching lines is: Come on fellows, let's get some runs to- day Come on gang, let's lick 'em today" After you watch the Phils for @ while, Docs applications sound pathetic.
 The outfield Is the Phils' strong est department unless Marty is snared by the army. Stan Ben- jamin, who hit .307 for Baltimore and Danny Lithwhiler, who came up from Wilkes Barre last season and hit .345 in 36 games, are battling for the left field berth, with Marty in center and Johnny Rizzo play Ing right.
 Nick Etten, 6 big left-hander, who slugged out Q .32l average ct Balti- more last season, has been install- ed at first and Harry Marnie, @ 22- year Philadelphia boy who hit 1924 at Ottawa last season, has won the second base job. Bob Bragan, who made the jump from Glass D last season, again will play short and Merrill May at thdrd round out the infield. It's definitely Q Glass A
 Too old, Too Young
 The pitching staff is & scrambled affair and there is a crying need for more talent. Bill Crouch and Vito Tamulis, who came from the Dodgers in the Eigue deal, Ike Pearson and the veterans Walter (Boom- Boom) Beck, Si Johnson and Cy Blanton look like the cream of Q skinned milk crop. The top young- sters are Johnny Podgajny (pro- nounced P'Johnny), Rube Melton, Tommy Hughes, Dale Jones and Gene Lambert. Hoerst is expected to help when his ankle mends. All in all, the veterans seem too old and the youngsters too young.
 Ben Warren continues as the No. 1 catcher with Walter Millies in the No. 9 spot and Thompson Liv- ingston, obtained in the Higbe deal, the third man.