Evening star., 1944-03-20
Vets Legs Are Sound
Following Operation;
Indoor Drill Is Held
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

BY JOHN Is. KELLER.
Complete protection for one cor
her of the Mats infield was studied
by Manager Os Bluege today as a
|snow-covered College Park field
sent his charges into Ritchie Coli
scum at the University of Mary
land for practice. Three first base
men were at hand with the veteran
Joe Kuhel the main member of the
squad and the Washington pilot is
confident that at least this infield
position will cause him no worries.
Kuhel, who got in late last night
from his Kansas City home, of
course is slated to take over the
post at which the Mats for some
seasons have been woefully weak.
In fact, the Washington club has
had little to boast about around
first base since Joe was traded from
it to the Chicago White Sox Short
ly before the 1888 campaign opened.
Legs o. X, Joe Says.
In seven years here before going
to Chicago, Joe was a master first
sacker afield and no slouch as a
batter. With the Sox, ne continued
his good work until last season when
his work fell off. He had undergone
hernia operation shortly before
the l943. campaign started and didn t
recover his strength during the sea-
son.
However, Joe says everything is
fine now. He declares he feels
stronger than he has in years and
that he should be able to step around
in good style both at the base and
the plate. While selling insurance
in Kansas City in the winter he
managed to find time to work out
in gymnasium, mainly to strength
en- his legs, and he believes it has
done him much good.
Other first sackers who checked
in yesterday are Eddie Butka, big
boy brought last year from SPRING
field of the Eastern League, and Bill
Ebranyi, who say some pro service
before entering Detroit semipro
ranks last year. Butka was impress
sive the little time he played with
the Mats in l943.
Kuhel practically is draft-free.
He will be 38 years old in June.
Butka, Is, is 4-F, but Ebranyi, 26,
is subject to call any time.
Two Outfielderss Report.
A flock of outfielders and infield-
ers and perhaps some of the Cuban
pitchers were expected to report at
training camp today, but with
transportation affected by the
weather bareback they may be held
up.
Besides the three first basemen,
arrivals at camp yesterday were
Walter Niche, "a Long Island
sefnipro, and Johnny Bucek fson1
Detroit. Both are outfielders.
Bucek surprised Bluege by report
ing as the pilot thought the 10
yearrold Detroit sandlotter had
gotfs into the Alihys anfnosssr
Shortstop Johnny Sullivan has
been given permission to delay re-
porting until Thursday. There is
fitness IN his family at Honiewood;
M.,, sfis - &>i is,alo,rl
Cold and&rain sent the squad in
doors yesterday, but it wasn't an
easy day for the talent. Bluege
took over direction, of calisthenics
in Ritchie Coliseum and sent his
charges through a strenuous drill
of more than an hour When it was
over the players were putting and
blowing more than their 43-year-old
manager. There also was some
tossing and pepper drilling.
Pepper Drills Helpful.
Pepper drills, in which the players
field short taps from a batter, are
fine for conditioning, Bluege be-
lieves. 1t gets players backs supple
and trains them to get their eyes
on the ball, he contends.
Coach Clyde Milan is an advocate
of running pitchers into condition
and a program of jogging around
the ball field when it is cleared of
snow is in store for the Mats hurlers.
Sessions twice a day are slated as
soon as the College Park field is fit
for use.