Evening star., 1943-03-14
Ambitious Taxi Pilot
Will Drill Mornings,
Get Fares Later
Ten Other Pitchers Due
To Report With Squad
Of Is at College Park
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

whistle shrllly, wave, mutter meek
"Yoo, hoo" or however you hail a
taxi, please display little more re-
spect. The fellow behind that
wheel may be a fellow who could
give you real thrill pitching for
the Mats this season.
The man you stop could be Earl
Jennings, cab driver who reports
to College Park tomorrow for spring
training with the Mats. He's a 23-
year-old right-handed pitcher who
hopes to make the tremendous leap
from local sandlot ranks to a pitch
Ing berth with the Mats and Clark
Griffith is giving him a chance.
In normal years Griffith probably
would advise Jennings to stick to
his cab, but this is no normal year
for baseball Selective service. war
jobs, etc, have cut heavily into the
Mats and Griffith isn't inclined to
overlook any bets in his search for
talent.
Jennings isn't nursing any illu-
sions about making the grade. 1t
will surprise him If he does, but he
wants the opportunity because he
-feels he never has gone as far in
baseball as he might have if he could
have devoted full time to it. Just
to play 1t safe, though. Jennings will
continue to drive that cab after
working out with the Mats.
Sandlot Hurler for Two Years.
With a wife and two little boys he
can't afford to chuck his job and
risk everything on the long-shot
gamble that he'll make good with
the Mats. He hasn't signed a con-
tract, but Griffith has listed him
with the 10 other pitchers who will
report to Manager Ossie Bluege at
the University of Maryland.
Il guess I could have gone with
Charlotte or Chattanooga last wear
II had wanted says Jennings. but
! couldn't take that gamble. pitched
batting practice for WASHINGTON
three or four times last season and
Griffith seemed to like me, so I de-
cided to ask him to let me try out
with the team this year.
washington training close to
home is great break for me-" con-
tinued the 6-foot 1-inch 195-pound-
er. i can work out in the morn
Ing and still drive my cab in the
afternoon, which always is the best
time for me. Right now cab drivers
are making plenty of money. Best
night ever had I cleared s36."
A graduate of Central High here.
Jennings didn't take his pitching Sc
riously until two years ago, when he
hurled Little Tavern into the Indus
trial League championship playoff
with Heurich Brewers, who won the
title. He won seven games and lost
two that year. Last season he hurled
for Cameo Furniture in the same
circuit for a short while, but quit to
devote his full time to cab driving.
Eager to Follow Game.
Jennings, who is buying a home
at 2025 Twentieth road north. Ar
lington, formerly worked, in the Gov
ernment as an engineering drafts
man for Social Security, Agriculture
and Interior. During that time he
pitched for the Clarendon Cards of
the Old Dominion League.
Vic Gauzza, czar of local sandlot
baseball, feels Jennings has an out
side chance of sticking with the
Mats. IF hard work and ambition
will help, he'll make the grads"
gays Vic. Hes promising. and if
he gets little luck, he could do all
right. He loves the game, and he'll
give it all he has"
The ark-complexioned. sharp
faced Jennings is taking a gamble
that's akin to plunking down two
fifty for ticket on the Irish Sweep
stakes. The odds against him win
ming job with the Mats may be
about the same, but in reality it's
no gamble at all. He still has that
cab to provide living for his wife
and those youngsters, 2l2 years and
months old.
Other pitchers who will report
tomorrow are Dewey Adkins, John
Bunnell, Aleiandro Carrasquel, Milo
Candini, Milton Haefner, Dutch
Leonard, Jim Mertz, Ewald Pyle.
Owen Sheetz and Early Wynn. Rae
Scarborough will report late, due to
a siege of pneumonia.
Two Huriers Leave Mats.
Phil Mccullough, who pitched for
Chattanooga last season after a
brief trial with the Mats, is listed
on the Washington roster, but has
been chief specialist in the Navy
for several weeks. Bill Kennedy,
an Alexandria boy who also pitched
for Chattanooga and the Mats last
season, also is listed, but has decided
to remain on his railroad job.
Gathers Jake Early, Angelo Giuli-
AMI and Don Barbary also will report
with the first batch of Mats, as will
Outf1elder Bobby Estalella and In
fielder Sherrard Robertson. Coaches
Clyde Milan and Benny Bengough
will be present.
The Mats will work out daily, start
Ing at 10 O'Clock. and if weather
permits Bluege later may shift to
two workouts day. Admission to
workouts will be free