Evening star., 1945-04-03
Return Of Star Gives
Club Strong oman
Receiving Staff
By a Staff CORRESPONDENT of The Star

of the Mats for a better fail
American League campaign have
scared now that they know Rick
Ferrell will be behind the bat for
them again. News that the catcher
had ended his long holdout and was
in good standing again reached the
Washington club here late last night
when it returned from it's 19-to-a
victory over the Settlers at Fort
Story and all hands were cheered.
Manager Os Bluege now is conf
dent his catching problem has been
settled for good, although he won't
see Ferrell until the Mats get home
Saturday.
Mike Guerra, the Cuban who
looked so promising last season, and
much improved AL Evans, who has
been doing all the exhibition work
by himself, with Ferrell will give
the Mats three receivers on whom
they may rely. That's more than
they have had in several years.
That .277 Is Helpful.
Ferrell not only brings to the club
another catcher who can handle the
Mats group of knuckleball pitchers
ably-Evans has been quite prof.
cient with the butterfly beavers this
spring-but also may reasonably be
expected to put more punch into
the clubs attack. That PIT he hit
last year was much more helpful
than the figures appear to indicate.
The Mats were looking to better
conditioning work today in game
here with the Naval Air Station than
they got yesterday at Fort Story.
The Settlers had nothing to give the
club even fair batting practice as Is
hits. including a homer by Joe
Zardon. and IL bases on balls off
Jack Schnell, Tom Pfeiffer and
Whitley Whitehead show. Only the
Cubans got a fair workout, for
Bluege sent seven of them into ac-
ton. Walter Chipple and George
Binks were the only regulars to go
the route.
Washingtons pitching was Moth
ing to boast about until Bert Shep-
ard got to the hill for the last two
innings. Three of the Settlers hits
were made off him. but two were
scratchy. The one-legged war hero
struck out four batters, three in the
ninth inning Larry Burger, who
made his debut as Nat in four
inning term, and Santiago Ullrich,
who followed. were wild, between
them walking six And they had to
pitch themselves out to almost
every batter.
Off to Flying Start.
Five walks with two singles mixed
in got the Mats away to a four-run
start. Kuhel hit after Case was
passed and Binks hit to drive in the
first run after Chipple was franked
Layne's walk forced a tally across
and Arago's hoist was deep enough
to get the third run in. Hidalgo
drove into a forceout, but walks to
Evans and Burger showed over the
fourth score.
Pfeiffer then came on to get Case,
up for the second time, but the new
hurler took tWo-run beating In the
second session. Two walks and a
single crowded the sacks, then Kuhel
tailed as Layne rolled to the second
sacker and Arago's single got Chip
pie home.
Two Fort Story errors and pass
filled the bases in the fourth and
Binks tailed when Evans grounded
out at first. The Settlers crashed the
run column in this round, too
through errors by Hidalgo and
Arago, with a single sandwiched in
between.
Another Fort Story run was reg
istered in the fifth, thanks to the
Mats Cuban infeld Pfeiffer beat
out a drive to Gomez at third and
the next batter dropped single in
left. An infleld fly automatically re-
tired the third batter, but Hidalgo
made a two-base wild throw after
snagging Bowles' bounce and Pfeiffer
scored.
Whitehill, third Setter pitcher,
came on in the seventh to give up
a single, two doubles, walk and
three runs before getting anybody
out and in the eighth after two were
gone zardon got his homer. Came
another blast of five hits and five
more runs in the ninth-entirely too
much.
Incidents of the Game.
1t. Bert Shepard, one-legged war
hero; Manager Bluege, George
Case, Joe Kuhel and Nick Altrock
entertained convalescents in the
hospital at Fort Story before yester-
days game. Kuhel had the SOL
diers popeyed with his card tricks.
|. Many Washington boys were
among the ailing veterans, but Gen.
sorship doesn't permit publication OF
names. :. Gil Torres checked in at
the Naval Training Station and re-
ported Catcher Mike Guerra soon
would be along. . Torres had his
tonsils removed during the winter
says he feels much better than he
did last year and certainly looks it
He's about Is pounds heavier
George Myatt, his arm still sore
and Fred Vaughn, again troubled
by an ailing heel weren't taken tc
the Fort Story game. {. Both were
expected to face the Naval Air Sta.
ton nine here this afternoon.
The Mats were glad to get back tt
the Norfolk Navy's big league" bal
park today. Fort Storys field is
sand fiat and a brisk wind that
sent duststorms swirling across the
grounds frequently did neither any
good.
The Fort Story game was halted
after the second inning for the
presentation of an autographed bal
by Shepard to Pvt. Red Hickey o1
Mack Meadow, Va, a 30th Division
soldier who was wounded in the les
in action in France. That was
the big moment of the game.
1hir@nnn (nmi{inaI Route