Evening star., 1945-03-26
Much Improved, Hills
Proves Star; Braves
Nab Red Cross Tilt
BY JOHN B. KELLER,
Star Staff CORRESPONDENT.

Star STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
FORT BELVOIR, Va, Mar. 60
Hills Layne refuses to be counted
out of the fight for the third-base
job with the Mats, who came here
today for their second exhibition
tussle with Boston's Braves.
While the washington ball clubs
board of bosses were banking on
the ancient Harlond Cliff, who up
to this morning hadn't reported, to
stage comeback at the far corner
and relying on Gil Torres to un-
derstudy Cliff, the hustling Layne
was overlooked. But Hills insists
upon gaining recognition.
Layne is the most improved of the
players the Mats had around last
season. Medically discharged from
the Army after being out Of base
ball two seasons, Hills looked none
too good last year. The leg that
had thrown him out of military
service wasn't strong and the plucky
lad simply couldn't get going, either
afield or at bat.
This year it's vastly different.
Layne appears as strong in the
underpinning as any other on the
Nat squad, and what's more, he has
his eye on the ball at bat and is
hitting with vigor. His fielding in
practice and in the two exhibitions
thus far has been spectacular. Alto
gether Layne is player to be
beaten out for the job at third.
Layne Playing Flashy Game.
Against the Coast Guard at Curtis
Bay last Saturday, Layne got just
one hit in five times up. But that
hit was a triple, driving across
tie-breaking score, and twice in his
other four appearances at the plate
he hit the ball sharply. He also
handled five chances afield in big
league style.
AS the Mats took their 2-to-1
beating from the Braves yesterday
in the Red Cross benefit game at
the College Park training camp,
Layne again did well at bat. He got
two hits, one double, in three trips,
and tapped a stylish sacrifice bunt.
Again he had five chances afield,
and while he fooled one for an er-
ror it wasn't altogether his fault.
The error came in the ninth in
ming when the Braves got their
winning tally, an earned run despite
the miscue. With Jimmy Wallace
on second, Layne tore in to scoop
up Bill Wietelmann's bunt and
started to whip the ball to first.
But Hector Arago, the Cuban rookie,
was slow in covering the bag and
Layne had to check the throw. AS
a result, the ball hit the dirt in
front of first base and got by Arago.
1t still went as sacrifice by
Wietelmann advancing Wallace to
third from where the later crossed
with the big score on force-out.
Braves Runs Are Tainted.
But one of Layne's plays yesterday
was the fielding gem of the game.
In the eighth inning, Phil Mast
rifled one down the third base line
that looked a double at least. 1t
was far to Layne's right and the
kind of smash that repeatedly went
by Torres last season. Hills lunged
for a spectacular stop and without
coming up fired the ball toward Sec
ond. Had Arago been a mite faster
going after the throw Stan Wentzel
would have been forced at second.
The Braves did their scoring of
Dutch Leonard and Roger Wolff.
Two of the five hits off Dutch were
punched in the second, but the
Braves wouldn't have tailed then
had not Shortstop George Myatt
with a double-play in sight over
thrown first base. Johnny Niggeling
pitched to IL batters in the next
three rounds to give just two passes,
then Wolff came on to take the
beating-technically.
Wallace, third Of the Braves
pitchers, was first to face Wolff in
the ninth and he raised to right
fly that should have been handled
easily. Bingo Binks ran in circles
under the ball that finally dropped
for a double. Then came the sacri-
flee and infleld erasure that brought
the counter. That tainted two
bagger was the fourth hit off Wolff.
Mats Lack Scoring Punch.
The Mats collected nine hits,
clouting in every inning except the
seventh. Six hits off Johnny Hutch
ings in the first four frames were
wasted, but in the sixth, while the
eft-handed Chuck Cozart was hurl-
ing a pass to Eddie Butka, Arago's
single, Layne's sacrifice and Al
Evans long fly were good for score.
One hit was all off Wallace, an
other 1eft-hander, in the last two
rounds.
The Mats still need more batting
practice. They had 10 runners
stranded. George Case, in his first
game, got three Of the nine hits,
one a double He also looked good
afield. Apparently his doctored left
arm is greatly improved. Joe Kuhel,
at first base in the first five in
nings, f1elded well and helped him
self to two hits.
Tomorrow the Braves will be en-
countered again, with the game be-
ing played at College Park.