Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-03-27
Cuban Able 10 Handle
KNOCKERS, Shows
Punch al Bat
BY JOHN b, KELLER,

| He's somewhat small as big league
catchers 60 and he hasn't had much
experience in fast company. but Fer
min Guerra looks as though he'll be
able to take lot of the backstop-
ping burden off the shoulders of the
Mats veteran Rick Terrell.
Around the College Park training
camp only a few days, the stocky
Cuban brought up from the Chatta-
nooga farm has been impressive not
only back of the bat but also with a
bat in his hands. He has handled
the knuckle-b alters who have
pitched to him in intrasquad games
deity and cracked telling hits.
Until he looked over Guerra, Man.
ager Os Bluege was wondering where
he would find a catcher to relieve
Terrell of some of the difficult task
Of receiving the offerings of the
Washington clubs four knuckle-bal
artists. Now Os isn't bothering
about this detail. He's confident
Handles Knucklers Well.
In yesterdays intrasquad game,
when the regulars found their bat
ting eyes and larruped the Yam
nigans, to 2, Guerra, behind the
bat for the winning side, gave a
fine account of himself. He took
care of the butterfly pitches of
Roger Wolff and Johnny Niggeling-
each had three-inning terms-like
master. And the pitchers were
using their speciality plentifully. At
bat, he came through with two dou-
bles-one off Early Wynn, the other
off Mickey Haefner. He drove in
two runs and took two across him.
self. A pretty good days work any
way you look at it.
Clark Griffith, president of the
Mats, isn't surprised by Guerra's
good showing in handling the
KNOCKERS. That's nothing new for
him." Griff said after watching the
Cuban leap around to grab the
fancy pitches. In Cuba, where he
does lot of catching in the win
ter, the pitchers throw everything
In the book. He's had plenty of ex-
perience with KNOCKERS and should
show everybody that he's a real
catcher"
Regs Pound Wynn, Haefner.
Blueges regulars went to town
against pair of the Mats better
pitchers in the five-and-a-half-
inning camp game. They combed
Wynn for three doubles in the first
| inning and these mixed with as
many passes were good for three
runs. Joe Kuhel's triple to the far
reaches of right field and a single
by Luis Suarez, Cuban third base
prospect, in the third round brought
another tally. Wynn simply didn't
have his stuff.
Haefner took over in the fourth to
yield a walk, double and a single
after two were out. This meant two
more markers and another was reg
istered in the fifth from Guerra's
two-bagger and Johnny Sullivan's
single.
The Yannigans got just two hits
and one run off each of the two
pitchers the Regulars used. Rogelio
ValdeS doubled and was scored by
Preston Gomez's hit in the third. In
the fifth Jose Zardon walked, moved
to third as Valdes singled and
crossed when Sullivan let Haefner's
grounder go through.
Wolff was impressive in his three
innings on the hill, but Nigeling had
his troubles in his last two turns.
Sailor Robertson Visitor.
Among visitors to camp yesterday
was Sherry Robertson, last years
Nat third sacker now sailoring at
Bainbridge He was high in his
praise of Suarez's work around the
third sack.
Casuals of last week were back on
the job. Francisco Quientis, who
dlslocated his left shoulder in in
door drilling, was out in uniform.
and Frankie Baxter, major domo of
the clubhouse, had recovered from
his fall on last Mondays ice.
Coach zeb Milan bobbed up with
stomach disorder and couldn't
take in the camp game. First time
he's been i'll in years, Zeb said.
Gil Torres says his dad, who used
to catch for the Mats in the early
'2Os, now is chief of police for the
United Fruit Co. in Cuba.
Classwork only was slated for the
Mats today, but Manager Bluege has
announced another camp game for
tomorrow.
Middletown, Akron Win