Evening star., 1943-04-07
Mats Pilot Sure Bob
Will Produce Once
He Is Tuned Up
Priddy and EARLY Doing
Bulk Of Hitting Now;
Team Visits Navy

One of the less disturbing fac
tors to Manager Ossie Bluege in the
Mats exhibition appearances thus
far is the light hitting of Outhelder
Bob johnson, who is struggling along
with fewer safe socks than any
Washington regular Bluege refuses
to become perturbed, remaining
calmly confident that big Bobs big
stick will be ready for heavy duty by
the time the Mats are geared for
payof play.
Johnson. who had batted an
anemic .l43 in the Mats four exhibi-
tions before they tangled with the
Naval Academy nine today at An
napolis, isn't one of Ossie's worries.
The key man in the Washington
batting order isn't hitting his weight,
but Bluege isn't fretting.
After ALL" says Bluege, johnson
has been one of the leagues lead
ing hitters for 10 years, and he
isn't showing any signs of slowing
It's merely matter of him getting
tuned up. He'll be in there giving
us lift when We need it."
Deal with AS Completed.
The Mats have completed their
deal with the Philadelphia Ath-
letics for johnson, Incidentally, Boss
Clark Griffith making a cash set
tlement with the AS due to the fail
ure of Jimmy Pofahl, former Wash
ington infelder, to report to Connie
Mack.
Mack expressed hope OF landing
Clary in addition to Outfelder Bob
by Estalella. but Griffith refused to
part with him, and Connie accepted
cash.
Heartened is Bluege by the fact
that Washington captured three Of
four games against formidable op-
position at Norfolk without John
sons aid. for the fellows who were
doing the bulk of the Mats hitting
were Gerald Priddy and Jake Early,
two of the more lightly regarded
members of Washington's batting
department.
Priddy and Early Clouting.
Into today's Navy game Early
carried refreshing ,455 batting
average, while Priddy was going at
neat 400 clip. Of the Mats five
home runs Early had contributed
two and Priddy another, with
Johnny Sullivan and George Case
chipping in with others.
Early's slugging particularly is
encouraging to Ossie. for Jake last
season was a near total loss to the
Mats with his 204 hitting. The
catching job was rated wide open
when the Mats launched spring
training. with Early and Angelo
Giuliani slated to scrap it out. but
Jake now has the inside track with
his hitting.
The third base assignment also
was slated to provide a battle be-
tween Ellis Clary and George Myatt,
but Clary has taken command de-
spite the fact Myatt is batting 1000
with his two safe infeld hits in his
only efforts. CIary has obtained
four hits in IS attempts for a 267
mark but two of his blows have been
doubles and Bluege is relishing his
fielding.
Pyle Gets Bluege's Eye.
Bidding for Blueges esteem, too,
Is Pitcher Ewald Pyle. the slim
soutllpaw who was hurting for To-
ledo last season. Pyle's pitching
was the standout slab Job at Nor
folk. He struck out three. per-
mitted only one hit and allowed no
runs in his three-inning effort
against the crack Norfolk Naval
Training Station team.
Jim Mertz, who has been inactive
due to being struck on the left shoul-
der by line drive in batting prac-
tice last week, was to make his
debut today at Annapolis, with Alex
Carrasquel also ticketed to toll
Georgetown has Cancelled its
scheduled tiff with the Mats tomor-
row at College Park, but the Mats
will play an intra-squad game. A
final free peek at the Mats will be
afforded local fans on Friday, when
Washington battles Curtis Bay
Coast Guard at the University of
Maryland before returning to Grit
fifth Stadium on Saturday to face
the Baltimore Orioles.
Leonard's Son Injured.
Absent from the Mats. probably
Tor several days, is Pitcher Dutch
Leonard, who hurried to his Auburn,
Ill. home yesterday upon learning
his 2l2-year-old son had been in
jured in an automobile accident
Before he left Dutch reported the
hospital had informed him the
youngsters condition, at first la
L. L L