Evening star., 1943-04-10
Nat Rated Best
In Baseball on
Double Plays
Jerry Now Indicates
He'll Hit; Curtis Boy
Is Easy for Griffs

Inc backbone OF washington
intleld, blond Gerald Priddy, has
captured the unwavering confidence
Of Manager Ossie Bluege, an astute
judge of infield talent. "Priddy may
develop to be better second base
man than the Yankees Joe Cor
don," says Bluege. who isn't ac-
customed to making rash state
ments.
Bluege's opinion has the solid
backing of stumpy sailor identi-
ned as Phil Rizzuto, who was the
shortstop portion of both Rizzuto-
Priddy and Rizzuto- Gordon second
base combinations. Rizzuto has
been telling chums at Norfolk Naval
Training Station that Priddy Is a
better second baseman than Gordon
and he has reason to know.
Rizzuto performed with Priddy at
Norfolk and Kansas City, but when
the highly -publicized pair moved up
to the Yankees Priddy got off to
bad start, was shifted around and
never displayed enough to warrant
wedging Gordon out of the lineup.
Sparkling Doubleday Man.
Gordon generally is regarded as
one of the greatest second basemen
of all time, but Bluege says, Right
now Priddy is a superior double
play man. Priddy Is great ball
player and he'll show it with us.
He never had chance to play his
natural position-second base-with
the Yankees, and consequently he's
never shown his true ability.
IF Jerry gets any sort Of help
from Johnny Sullivan he'll be a
terrific double-play man." estimates
Bluege. one of the most polished
flelders in baseball history when he
was performing at third base with
the Mats. Hes going to make a
better shortstop of Sullivan. Priddy
may give Washington the best sec
ond-base protection in the league. ("
Bluege's idea of Priddy,s ability
merges with Rizzuto's appraisal of
his former minor league roommate.
The sawed-od Italian shortstop also
gives the edge to Priddy over Cor
don in double-play f1nesse and since
he labored with both his opinion
carries weight.
Indicates He Is Hitter.
Certainly Priddy has been show
Ing the smattering OF fans who have
attended Washington's workouts
and local exhibition games a bril-
liant brand of second-base play. On
Thursday, for instance, he was
cheered Justify by amazed spectators
as he produced four successive
startling plays in infleld drill and
Bluege Is convinced he'll be doing
that sort OF thing all season.
Bluege has reason to suspect, too
that Priddy is better hitter than
he showed with the Yankees. In
Washington's exhibition games
Jerry has batted at 1868 clip.
The Mats returned to Griffith
Stadium today for an exhibition
tussle with the Baltimore Orioles
after spanking hapless Curtis Bay
Coast Guard team, 1871, yesterday
at College Park. The Mats will
Cangle with the Orioles tomorrow
at Baltimore and on Monday will
clash with the Philadelphia Ath-
letics at Camp Meade.
Curtis Bay Beaten Early.
Washington obtained smoo h
pitching from Early Wynn and Rae
Scarborough, who limited Curtis
Bay to five hits. with Wynn yield
ing four of those in the six innings
he toiled. With Dutch Leonard ab-
sent, due to a recent injury to his
son, and thus missing vital toll
Wynn is rated an outside chance OF
hurting for the Mats on opening day
The Mats pounced on Curtis Bay
Tor seven runs in the second in.
ming. inserting five singles amone
five errors and two bases on balls
George Case, Mickey Vernon anc
Wynn paced Washington 13-hi1
attack with two safeties each,