Evening star., 1945-03-24
Game Will GiveC
On Uncertain Limbs
OF Veteran Pair
By JOHN B. KELLER,
Star staff Correspondent,

lGeOrSe case ana Joe hunel, Key
players in Manager Os Bluege's plans
for his Mats this year, will make thei1
exhibition series debuts tomorrow
and the Washington clubs field
board will follow their play with
more than customary interest.
How Case and Kuhel shape ur
against the Boston Braves in the Red
Cross benefit at College Park well
may indicate whether the Mats have
a chance to lift themselves out OF
last place in the American League
in the l945 campaigning. Both were
left at training camp as their club
came here to meet the Curtis Bay
Coast Guard today.
For Case, the test will be particu-
larly important. 1t should give an
inkling, at least, of whether the
operation he had performed on his
left shoulder to normalize the ac-
ton of the joint has resulted sat
isfactorily. If Case now can swing
freely and regain the hitting power
that once made him a great factor
in what success the Mats enjoyed,
he might go far in helping his club
out Of the cellar. But if still handi-
capped by the tricky arm, there
wouldn't be much hope for Bluege's
Clan.
Test for KuhePs Legs.
For Kuhel, the test will concern
his legs mainly. In practice, Joe
has been looking more spry than he
did last year despite he is nearly
80 years old. But Joe's drills have
been limited to a bit of fielding
and batting practice thus far. He
has done little running.
| If Kuhels legs appear sturdy
enough to permit his play through
most of the championship season,
the Mats might benefit. But if they
break down often, it'll be too bad.
Last year when Kuhel was out of
the lineup the Mats infield was
all but helpless. There's no reason
to believe it could do without him
this year.
Washington pitching tomorrow
has been assigned to the three right
hand knuckleball veterans-Dutch
Leonard, Johnny Niggeling and
Roger Wolff. Manager Bob Cole
man of the Braves has said he will
counter with Johnny Hutchings,
Jimmy Wallace and Chuck Cozart,
the last-named lefthander.
Others in the starting Washing
ton lineup besides Case and Kuhel
will be George Myatt at second,
Jake Powell in left, George Binks
in right, Hills Layne at third,
Chuck Beihl at short and All Evans
behind the bat. The Braves will
start Wietelmann at short, Ramsey
in center, Shupe at first, Gillen-
water in right, Wentzel in left, Mast
behind the bat, Drews at second and
Shemo at third.
The Braves warmed up for the
contest yesterday in an intrasquad
game at their Georgetown camp.
The Bissonettes beat the Ben
coughs, 8-5, in eight innings. Tom
my Holmes hit a 2-run homer for
the winners.
BeihPs Arm Worries Bluege.
An indication that all is not we'll
around the shortfield for the Mats
was seen yesterday in the shifting
of Myatt, regular second sacker last
year, to shortstop in fielding prac-
tice. Beihl, rookie from West Vir-
ginia semipro ranks, and Pedro
(snrpanu r,1hoy1 Vrrhn l.
the Mats last season as utility in
fielder, had been working in the
position.
However. Beihl, while fielding well
and looking pretty good at bat, has
yet to show what he can do with his
arm. He never has put any power
behind his throws and this has
Bluege a trifle worried. Bluege has
said he would prefer to keep Myatt
at second base, but conditions may
compel him to move George to short
and play Fred Vaughn at second.
Vaughan's heel still is far from
healed, but should be right by the
time the season opens.
! The Mats went back to baseball
school for more than an hour, dur
ing which pitchers were given in
struction in the art of covering
first base and infielders were drilled
in cutting off throws from the gar
deners. The latter part of the class
work revealed that fine throwing
arms are possessed by Binks, the
outfielder bought from Milwaukee
late last year, and Walter Chipple,
the draftee from Montreal.
Binks, Chipple Good Throwers.
BinkS cut loose with several re-
markable heaves while Chipple
threw as strongly and as accurately
as Bucky Harris. former Nat man.
ager, who had seen the lanky lad
perform in the International League
for a season, said he could do. Both
were impressive in their batting
practice, too 81
The shortage of catchers is a
handicap, now that dozen pitchers
are working at camp. Evans still
remains the only regular backstop
on the scene, although there are
several warm-up catchers at hand.
Chunky Martin joined the latter
group yesterday. sHe is husky who
has won laurels in amateur boxing
and came on from ST. Louis, where
he was looked over by Manager
Bluege last year
But there's been no recent word
from Mike Guerra, fiery little Cuban
receiver. 1t may be another week
before he shows up. With him
should be Gil Torres, who may be
called on for some pitching as well
as Unfolding this time.