Evening star., 1946-03-31
Eastern 5 Champions
WeIcome.Late Start
To Acquire Polish
By GEORGE Huber

A line on which teams will be
the contenders for the District
schoolboy baseball crown currently
held by Eastern will be given this
week when five of the eight in the
high school loop get their first
taste of competitive action. East
ern's defending champions won't 60
to the post until next week, how
ever, which is just as well in the
nina of Coach ROLAND Lund, be-
cause although his Ramblers are
held in high esteem, he still isn't
satisfied with the team as a whole.
Until recently he has been wor-
ried about lack of hitting, but
several of the boys began to find
their eye last week and the Ramb-
lers are improving in that de-
partment, anyway. Robert Kiser,
one of three good candidates for
second base, is beginning to pound
out hits and may break into the
starting lineup. Also finding the
range is Outfelder Johnny Pohut-
sky, veteran from the 1945 title
nine, but who, until this week, ex-
perienced trouble at the plate.
Good Stickwork may convert Joe
Graves, a pitching candidate, into
a first baseman. At least Lund is
trying him there in place of Wimpy
Gilroy. Lund is in the enviable
position of having plenty of pitch
ers, anyway, and really doesn't
need Gilroy on the mound. He's a
lefthander, but so is Dutch Schaef-
fer who tossed pair of no-hitters
last year and will carry most of
Eastern's load again, and Gilroy's
left-handed hitting will come in
handy.
Roosevelt, Tech in Limelight.
Wilson, Western, Tech, Coolidge
and Roosevelt are the teams listed
for action this week, and attention
particularly will be placed on Roose-
velt and Tech, who have indicated
in preseason drills that they are
capable of going places. This weeks
schedule of games includes: Tues
day, Wilson at Georgetown Prep,
Dewitt at Western; Wednesday, st.
Anthony'S at Tech; Thursday, Will
son at St. Adams, Coolidge at
Georgetown Prep; Friday, Roosevelt
at Friends Georgetown Prep att
Western and Gonzaga at Coolidge.
Roosevelt has a lot of green ma
terial, but the boys are fielding like
veterans and if they keep it up and
start hitting bit better they will
be formidable. So hashy are some
of these youngsters that when
Coach Herman Littman cut the
squad to Is players last week two of
last years regulars, Outfielder
George Theophilos and Second
Baseman Benny Weisman We're
among those dropped.
Jess Houston, one of Littmans
bright youngsters, gets the second
base post because of his hitting
Lou Sledge, likewise new, may get
first base because his hitting too
Is improving. So far the clubs real
hitting has been turned in by
Catcher Lou Timber, and all the
Riders need is for some of the
others to catch his spark. The
pitching Stdi1, nedQeQ Dy Bernie
Mead, appears better than average
Tech Studded With Veterans.
Tech is banking on a team heavily
studded with veteran players who
needed only a little more punch to
pull out of the second division last
year. They may have that punch
this time. In fact they have been
pounding the pill at such rate
that Coach Bob Walker is scurrying
around trying to find some new bats
to replace broken sticks.
Bob Jones, Highlander who
pitched some last year, is showing
enough stuff to earn regular start
ing role, and Lefty Keller also is
beginning to control the wildneSs
that marred his 1945 effectiveness.
Altogether Walker rates his mound
staff as at least fair and it may be
better. He's pretty well set on an in
field that lists Bob Murray at first. |
Clarence WilkerSon at second. |
Buddy Timmons at third and Ed
SsXty at short, but he still is eX-
1,erimeptipO with tho o,,t6ald