Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-03-11
Keystone Rocks
From K.C.CIub
Joe's Prides
New York Pilot Says
Gordon at First Base
Won't Mar InfieId
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

ST. PETERSBURG, March IL
Joe Mccarthy is not man who en-
thuses easily about a new ball
player, because he has handled Babe
Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Joe d
Maggie and has been suEeited with
baseball success as manager Of the
New York Yankees.
So it was little short of amazing
to sit on the bench with him and
hear him rave about the two
youngsters out on the field-Short-
stop Phil Rizzuto and Second Base
man Gerald Priddy. Either Joe is
softening up or these two really are
something special AS practically
everybody knows, they came up from
Kansas City together this spring.
"If you want to see something
pretty, just watch them" he said
with something akin to parental
pride. Look at that RizZuto. How
can he miss being popular. He's
little, but he's strong as bull-great
arms and hands. Just sit here and
watch him and Priddy handle that
ball
Okays Gordon at First.
1.-THE beauty of it is that il I didn't
have either one OF them I'd still
have the same club I had last year,
and we finished third with the
poorest hitting in the American
League most of the year and with
no pitching to speak of from either
Monte Pearson or Lefty Gomez.
We'll be stronger if even one OF
these new pitchers comes through,
and never saw a greater bunch Of
prospects. There's a half dozen OF
them with great records in double A
company at Kansas City and New
ark. They've all got fast balls and
know how to pitch"
who is that playing first base
Zeke Bonura?" interrupted heck
Ter. He got a wintry stare from
Mccarthy.
That" said Joe. lis Joe Gordon,
and he is plenty Of first baseman.
too. Maybe he's got a few little
things to learn about playing first,
but it won't take him long-not that
boy. All he's got to learn is how
to handle his feet, and that's easy
for him. He used TO be an acrobat.
Infield to Be Better.
There are a lot of silly ideas
about players not being able to shift
from one position to another, any
way. Gordon was great on second
and he'll be as good on first. I told
everybody last spring that Hank
Greenberg would be a great out
fielder when they shifted him from
first and I won't be surprised if
Harry banning makes the Giants
gooG outflelder.
1T gives us a fine, tight infeld
this way and We still get the benefit
of Gordon's hitting. Red Rolfe looks
his old self at third and Bill Dickey
appears to have recovered his bat
ting form. I don't suppose Bill ever
will be quite the catcher he was, but
he's still better than most of the
others"
Even the suggestion that Rizzuto
might be lost in the draft soon failed
to dampen the Mccarthy optimism.
What if he is?" he demanded.
Il still would have as good or q
better inf1eld than I had last season.
Priddy Fixture at Second.
Either Gordon or Frankie Gro
setti can play short and Tommy
Heinrich can come in from the out
field to hold down first base. Priddy
will stay on second Nope, all I'm
worried about now is for Gordon to
learn not to cover too much ground
off first.
Joe Di Maggie ought to be here
any minute now. He must be in
hurry because he got stuck for
speeding. Joe was out a lot last
year. If he's in there all the Way
this time and one or two of these
new pitchers come through well be
better.
But watch Priddy and Rizzuto
handle that ball It's worth the
price of admission just to see them
practice"