Evening star., 1945-04-13
F. D. Hung Up Record
As First-BaI| Hurler
In Eight Seasons
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

follower of baseball as we'll as other
sports and as President the strong
est supporter of the game tottering
under the impact of war, Franklin
Delano Roosevelt we'll merited recog-
milton as "the Nations No. base
ball FAM" and foremost advocate
of sports in general. None was a
more sincere backer Of baseball
as an entertainment as we'll as
recreation.
He set Presidential record that
probably never. will be beaten by
tossing out the first ball Of eight
big league seasons-from 1888
through 1941. In 1889 Vice Presi-
dent Garner subbed for him.
AS a token of respect, baseball
generally is suspending activity un-
til the opening of the major league
championship campaigns early next
week. Will Harridge, head Of the
American League, and Ford Frick,
National League leader, requested
clubs to cancel tomorrow's games
immediately after they learned OF
the death of the President. Later
they asked that Sundays exhibitions
also be eliminated.
Clark Griffith, president of the
Mats, had called off his clubs ex-
hibitions listed with the Coast
Guard at Curtis Bay tomorrow and
the Orioles at Baltimore Sunday
before receiving President Har-
ridges request. Today the Mats are
meeting the Buffalo club of the In
ternational League at Fort Meade.
Chipple Out of Outfield.
The schedule curtailment leaves
| the Mats sending into the season
opener next week a revised outfleld
that will have been in action in
not more than two spring tests. At
Fort Meade yesterday, Manager Os
Bluege put on the field a garden
trio including Jake Powell, a vet
eran joining this years squad vlr-
tually for the first time, in left;
George Case in center and George
Binks in right 1t would be the
regular lineup, Bluege said.
Walter Chipple. draftee from
Montreal who had been expected to
fill the shoes of Stan Spence, now
in the Navy in a defensive way at
least, was dropped from the center
field job and Case shunted from
left to the middle position.
Revision of the Mats outfield sub
stitutes Powell, a .240 hitter-that
was his average at bat last year
for Chipple, who has hit only
167 in Is exhibitions this spring. In
but one game did Chipple display
any of the power that made him a
formidable batter in the minors.
Against the Norfolk Naval Training
Station he hit two home runs.
Chipple Not Up to Mark.
But Chippie hit safely in just
seven of the exhibitions. Too often
for Bluege's peace of mind, Chip
went hitless in games without even
knocking the ball beyond the infield.
He struck out 10 times and on five
of those occasions he watched the
third one 60 by.
However, it is not only his failure
to hit that has cost Chipple reg
ular job He has been too incon-
sistent in his fielding to satisfy
Bluege. At times Chip made
catches bordering on the spectacu-
lar. At other times drives in his ter
ritory that seemingly should have
been caught went by him for costly
hits. And he was not particularly
adept at handling grounders.
So Bluege feels the more expert
enced and perhaps more capable
Powell is the man to use at least for
the start of the campaign. While
Jake hasn't the speed afoot that
Chipple possesses, he is regarded
better position" player and there
is basis for belief he'll bat more
effectively.
BY shifting Case from left field to
center, the Mats get the advantage
of his speed in the most expansive
sector of the outfield. George can
range far to his right, thereby cas-
ing the burden on the less agile
Powell in left.
Zardon Next in Line.
Should Powell not measure up to
the job, therell be nothing else for
Bluege to do apparently, but employ
| Jose Zardon in left. The Cuban,
brought back from Williamsport, is
A1rL oxr,l/ ha
fairly we'll and can tear across the
ground. But he still has much base
ball to learn and his ability at the
bat is questionable.
| If there is to be trade of Catcher
Rick Ferrell for a shortstop, as has
been rumored strongly, it had better
be made quickly, for the Mats are
worse off in that position than any
other. Gil Torres still is an expert
ment at the post, although slated
to fill it at the seasons outset. Yes
terday as the Mats were beaten, 7
to 6, by Philadelphia Athletics at
Fort Meade. Fred Vaughn, erst-
while second sacker, plainly showed
he isn't qualified for the job.
Vaughn kicked in with four of the
five errors charged against the Mats
George Myatt at second made the
other-and it was his fourth error
that opened the way to two runs
in the ninth that upset the Mats.
5000 Servicemen Attend.
The game was see-Saw affair
that entertained 5000, half of them
troops ready to be shipped out, with
the Mats twice pulling up to tie
and twice holding a lead Dutch
Leonard, now all but certain of the
hill assignment in the campaign
opener next Monday, took three
inning tuner in which he was
reached for five hits, one a ground
rule homer by Frankie Hayes, and
three runs. Ullrich, also spotty in
his work, gave up six hits.
Streb Earns Rifle Trophy