Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-05-21
'Cubdns Star
On Toronto 9
BY VERN DIGGER

ildc IlNNCi OtNh NiOSNi W SdDd
than Cuban sandwich at a
Florida baseball training camp
promises 10 come up with a def
mite Spanish accent as he points
his Toronto Leafs TO the defense
of an international League pen
nant.
Boily's current raves are TO-
cused on two Cuban-born in
fielders added 10 the 1914 Toronto
roster to plug gaps by the de-
parture of second baseman Charley
Letchas TO Philadelphia and little
shortstop frankie Yak TO Pitts
burgh.
President Pete Campbell of the
Toronto club reached into the
Piedmont League to grab off Tony
Castano a faSt-moving article
that looks at home either at sec
ond or the outfield. Next he made
a deal for Antonio Ordenana with
the Portsmouth Truckers, via
| Pittsburgh Pirates.
ALA GEHRINGER
After three weeks of the season
gone, mostly written off 10 the
Weather Man, Castano is hitting
| 343 and roaming second base like
Charley Gehringer's ghost. Or
| denana. a more recent addition,
spent three games trying TO get
| the ball out of the infield, finally
broke out in a hitting and fielding
rash-with emphasis on the field
ing. In recent game against
Baltimore he had 13 chances, ate
up II of them and booted the
easiest play of the bundle.
Ordenana is just two years out
of University of Havana campus
baseball.
Cuban-born Castano has been
around base ball considerably
longer. He is a Marista College
product In Cuban country that has
become fertile hunting ground for
baseball men in the last couple
/ seasons.
Toronto's Tony Ordenana didn't
realize he was making life easier
for international League Stats
ticians and box score keepers by
electing his own special label" "
He was christened Antonio Or
denana Rodriguez. but decided on
"Ordenana" for the wind-up.
It's Tony's top gesture to date.
for Syracuse Chiefs have veteran
third baSeman Antonio Rodriguez.
When Ordenana reported, word
got around that Grimes was spend
ing his afternoons at University of
Toronto attending lectures in
Spanish. But Boily denies il all.
Points out his Cuban shortstop is
okay in the language league.
The story. no doubt. was a
throwback to the ludicrous situa-
ton that developed at Maple Leaf
Stadium last summer when Gabby
Hartnett moved in with his Jersey
City Giants.
GET SIGNS MIXED
Hartnett was breaking in new
catcher, Andres Fleitas (sull with
the club, by the way. Fresh from
Cuba, Fleitas was strictly a Span
ish dispenser. Fortunately, for a
SPELL Hartnett had the matter
under control. Cuban-born Nap
Reyes, his third baseman, acted as
interpreter and was schooling his
countryman in English. But Reyes
was recalled by New York Giants
while the Jerseys were in Toronto.
Trouble developed in a flood
light game, with Fleitas catching
and temperamental Jersey
pitcher opposing the Leafs The
pitcher claimed he couldn't see
Fletias' signs and called him TO
the mound for a conference. II
was a standoff Spanish-American
style. The pitcher knew no Span
ish. the Cuban no American.
They took their positions after
the humble conference. Again the
pitcher claimed he couldn't see
the signs and hollered for Hart
nett, Gabby quit the Jersey dug
out, and then ensued the greatest
arm wagging pow-wow in baseball
history. Half the Jersey club sur
rounded Fleitas. the pitcher and
/ Hartnett.
It was mo dice" in both Span
ish and English. not TO mention
sign language, Fleitas thought his
mates were either crazy or stag
ing an initiation party.
THROWS DOWN GLOVE
He went back behind the plate
and the umpires hollered play
ball" The Jersey pitcher deliv-
cred one pitch, SPUR I e d and
squirmed looking for the next
sign, and threw down his glove
in disgust. Hartnett re-appeared
and there was another pow-wow.
BY this time the big crowd,
sensing an attempt by the pitcher
10 embarrass the rookie Cuban
catcher, howled disapproval. The
pitcher was subjected to pro-
longed razzberry chorus that con-
tinued until Hartnett derricked
him, sent in another finger. This
one managed 10 cooperate with
the haplesS Fleitas. who had made
a couple Of errors, two passed
balls by this time.