Evening star., 1941-02-19
Havana Climate
Gives Dodgers
Too Much Zip
Take 1t Easy, DurocheI
Orders After ; Duys;
Wuner Determined
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated Press Sports Writer.
HAVANA, Feb. 19. After only
three days of training in this trop-
ical hotspot, the Brooklyn Dodgers
already are so far along in their
conditioning that Manager Leo Du-
rocher is cautioning his athletes to
take it easy.
I'm having trouble getting 1t
through their heads that this is a
new kind of climate" complained
Leo, his blistered nose glinting in
the MONDAY sun. They're about
to wear themselves out in the first
week. We're further along right
now than we were after three weeks
in Clearwater last winter"
It is extremely important to the
Dodger boss that he flag his boys
down and make them respect the
Cuban sun. for they have record
breaking schedule of nearly so ex-
hibition games staring them in the
face. Durocher, however, snorts at
the suggestion that his battlers
might leave their fight in the dress
Sng room.
Will Spread Work Thin.
Nuts" he said Were playing
a lot of games. sure But we're
carrying a lot of players. too, and
by the time the season opens none
of them will have seen any more
action than he has in previous
springs. I'll spread them thin after
We get out toward Texas, maybe
three or four innings a game, and
III guarantee you well be ready on
opening day"
AS for Leo, himself, he says he's
practically through as a playing
manager The great little shortstop
is beginning to show a sprig of
white at each temple, and he says
Pee Wee Reese will play every
game this season except when he's
sick or perhaps the second half
of some double headers.
why should get out there when
I've got a great player like Reese
to take my place?" Leo asked
Maybe a few years ago I was as
good or better than Pee Wee, but
not any more. That kids really
wonderful. He's going to be the
best shortstop you ever saw-mark
my words.
With him in there every day
and Joe MedWick due to have a big
season and Kirby Higbe added to
our pitching staff, we're bound to
be stronger than we were last year.
Not only that. but just look at Paul
Waner bounding around out there.
III admit had more or less planned
on Harold Reiser playing right field,
because he can give that ball an
awful ride and would make a good
third-place hitter. But Waner is
determined that he's going to play
1t, and if he can beat out Reiser,
it's sure all right with me.
Operation Helps Lavagetto.
There's not much use of my max
ing prediction Everybody knows
we've got to beat Cincinnati, and
naturally I think we have a good
chance Cookie Lavagetto is going
to be a lot better third baseman
since he had his appendix out He's
l5 pounds heavier and says he
doesn't get tired any more. Luke
Hamlin is training harder than ever
before in his life. What if he and
Curt Davis and Whit Wyatt and
Freddie Fitzsimmons should all come
through with big years? Boy, what
pitching staff that would be-"
Right now Fitzsimmons is limp
ing around with bruised heel from
trying to turn first base like quar-
ter-horse. but the veteran says he
never felt better and is going to
make an awful stab at repeating his
remarkable record of 16 wins and
2 losses last season.
President Larry MacPhail is hav-
ing minor troubles, such as a bat
ting cage he had shipped down
from New York that is so compli-
Gated nobody can put it together
What we need around here is
somebody with sense enough to read
blue print" he complained.
Larry is unusually grim about his
holdout catcher, Mickey Owen, who
still is in Missouri. Owen has tried
to talk to MacPhail by telephone
twice, but Larry refuses to answer.
'I have a feeling he'll stay up
there a good while" he said. You
might not see him down here at
all"
The redhead apparently is through
negotiating with Owen, whom he
obtained from the St. Louis Cardi-
nails during the winter.