Evening star., 1945-03-11
Binks,AceRook,
Signs 10 Bring
q Into Line
BIuege Counting on 30
Men to Participate
In Practice Soon
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

Other major league clubs are hav-
ing trouble signing their talent, but
the Mats are getting along right we'll.
Of 80 players on the Washington
roster. % either have signed or ac-
cepted terms, with only the fifth day
of training reached. and by the end
of this week squad of around 80
probably will be reporting daily to
Manager Os Bluege at the College
Park camp.
Twenty-eighth of the Mats to get
himself in good standing is George
BinkS, stalwart slugger purchased
from Milwaukee late last season and
the clubs ace rookie His signed
contract reached the Washington
clubs headquarters yesterday. An
outf1elder last season, but before that
a first baseman, Binks rolled up a
.374 batting average with the Brew
ers In 1914. He both swings and
throws from the left side.
While Binks' signing assures the
Mats of three outfielders at least, the
clubs bosses are more interested at
present in his capabilities as first
baseman. They are hoping to groom
him as an understudy to Joe Kuhel,
veteran initial-sack guardian whose
aging legs probably won't stand the
strain of steady play this year.
First Cuban Checks In.
An arrival at camp yesterday was
Jose Luis Redondo first of the Mats
Cuban contingent to show up this
season Joe,, as he was promptly
dubbed by Coach Clyde Milan,
doesn't belong to the Washington
club yet, but with the manpower
situation as it is, he may be switched
over from Williamsport at any time.
He's an outfielder and a good one,
says Scout Joe Cambria, who found
him playing ball at the University
Of Havana. Joe Is a handsome g.
footer and looks strong enough to
swing a wicked bat. He got at camp
too late to get on the field, but Just
in time for lunch-and he didn't
pull away from the plate.
Joe brought word that eight more
Cubans, three the property of the
Mats, are pulling out of Havana
Monday for Washington. In the
group under contract to the Mats
are Augustine Delaville and Jose
Sanchez, outfielders, and Manuel
Hidalgo, the Spanish Chinese in
fielder. Others in the party belong
either to Chattanooga or Williams
port, but will get their early train
ing at the Washington camp. Re-
dondo also said that Luis Aloma,
highly touted Cuban pitcher, left the
island March S for College Park
He must be making the trip the
hard way.
More Latins on Way.
Another Cuban band due in this
week includes Santiago Ullrich,
pitcher; Mike Fermin and Rogelio
Valdes, catchers, and Inf1elders
Angel Fleitas, Pedro Gomez, Luis
Suarez and Gilberto Torres. All but
Fleitas were around the Mats last
year.
Manager Bluege was pleasantly
surprised to find that Redondo could
speak and understand English to
moderate extent. Os also was told
by Scout Cambria that most of the
other Cubans coming in have a
working knowledge of the language.
Looks as though Bluege won't have
to call on Torres, one of the better
Engllsh-speaking Cuban players, as
an interpreter this year.
George Case, f1eet-footed out
fielder and for years base-stealing
champion of the big leagues before
George Stirnweiss of New York's
Yankees lifted his laurels last sea-
son, will be first of the Nat gar
deners to reach camp. In a tele-
phone conversation with Dutch
Leonard, one of the three veteran
pitchers who has been at camp
since it opened last Wednesday.
Case said he would check in Tues
day, day ahead of scheduled re-
porting time.
| Case said he had been working
out at his Morrisville, Pa, home
and that he believes the popping
left shoulder he had repaired during
the winter won't handicap him this
year.
Infield Drill Scheduled.
Inf1eld practice will get under way
before the end of the week, Bluege
has announced. What probably
will be the Mats regular inner cor
don should be at hand Wednesday
to start working out between season
kinks and by Saturday First Base
man Kuhel, Second Baseman Fred
Vaughn, Shortstop George Myatt
and Third Baseman Harlond Cliff
should be in trim for really brisk
drills.
A reserve infield of Jim Langley
and Binks for first base, Hills
Layne at second, Charley Beihl,
former University of Pittsburgh
star at shortstop, and Torres, the
Mats regular at third base last
year, also will get a deal of at
| fnr{inr,