Evening star., 1945-03-21
Three knuckIeba|Iers
Are ePicked 10 Pitch
Red Cross Benefit

Dutch Leonard, Johnny Niggeling
and Roger Wolff will show their
knuckleball pitching wares for three
innings apiece when the Mats face
Boston's Braves in the Prince
Georges County Red Cross benefit at
College Park next Sunday.
At other positions, excepting third
base and one spot in the outfield,
Manager Os Bluege will present the
ball club that likely will open the
championship campaign against the
New York Yankees in Griffith Sta
dium next month.
He'll have Joe Kuhel at first base,
George Myatt at second, Chuck
Beihl at short, George Case and
Jake Powell in the outfleld and Al
Evans behind the bat. Unless Har-
lond Cliff shows up in time to fit
himself for the game, Hills Layne
and Pedro Gomez will alternate at
third base and Jim Langley and
George Binks win share an outfeld
Job.
While Bluege has settled on Case
and Powell for two of the garden
posts, the third outf1eld position is
wide open. Although Binks hit that
healthy .374 for Milwaukee in 100
games last year, Langley has looked
strong at bat in practice and there s
still Walter Chipple, the draftee
from Montreal. to be considered.
Hot Fight for Post Looms.
Until Chips shows up-and he is
expected at camp at any time-the
Washington pilot won't make any
decision. The tip is out that Chipple
not only is good flyhawk and pos
sesses sturdy arm, but that he also
can do a nifty bit of hitting. Bluege
wants to look him over carefully. II
Chips plays up to advance informa-
ton, the scrap for the third outfeld
post among Binks, Langley and the
draftee should be torrid.
Third base tentatively has been
given Cliff, but the veteran bought
two years ago from the st. Louis
Browns still must show he is in bet
ter trim than he was after reporting
late last season. Then sore arm
handicapped Harlond both aield and
at bat and by August he was out of
the game. If treatment received
during the winter hasn't benefited
him, however, Cliff will find Layne,
Gil Torres and Pedro Gomez fight
ing him for the job.
The Mats pitching staff yesterday
got shot in the arm when Mickey
Haefner checked in at the University
OF Maryland field. The stocky left
handed knuckleballer gave the club
its fourth regular starting hurler,
assuring it of capable first string
on the hill.
Haefner Ready to Pitch.
Mickey donned a uniform immedi-
ately after reaching camp and sur
prised and delighted all hands by
giving out with some mid-season
chucking. After his workout, Bluege
said Haefner is farther advanced
than any other pitcher in the squad.
Haefner said he had been working
out with the high school team at
his home in New Athens, ILL.,, for
three weeks. a
Weighing himself before he took
the field. Mickey balanced the scale
at 167. That's just two pounds over
his most effective pitching weight
last year. He probably could 60
through nine innings right now.
For the first time in the Is days
the camp at College Park has been
Open rain today curtailed the Mats
drilling. The players were outdoors
only for run around the field to
strengthen their legs. Other prac-
tice was held in Ritchie Coliseum
with pepper games taking over most
OF the program. j. B. K