Evening star., 1946-02-21
Recruit Lefty Shows
BIuege Fine Control;
Curtis Joins Squad
By Denmon Thompson
Sior Sports Editor

ORLANDO, Fla, Feb 21.-One of
the most ticklish operations Man
ager Ossie Bluege will be required
to perform this year will consist of
cutting his pitching squad to proper
proportions and promising to COM
plicate the scalpel welding is
Chunky Larry (Bing) Brunke, Is
game winner with Chattanooga last
season.
Brunke, 22-year southpaw
who distributes 178-pounds over a
5-foot, 915 Inch frame, produced one
of baseballs more remarkable rec
ords last year. In wining IS games
against Southern Association oppo-
sition he lost only one, a 80 de-
cision to Atlanta.
"He has control. fine control for
a left-hander," says Bluege. "I had
him up with us for two or three
weeks toward the end of the season
last year and while he only pitched
batting practice he showed me a
good curve. I plan to give him a
lot Of attention down here"
Plagued by a sore arm at the out
set last year, Brunke didn't pitch
until June %. Meanwhile he played
the outfield and compiled PTS av-
erage. His 213 earned-run average
with the Lookouts enraptures
Bluege, who is happy the White Sox
turned him down as being too
short" when he worked out at
Comiskey Park. 1t was there he was
signed by the Mats after he had
worked out with the White Sox.
Curtis 10th Hurler in Camp.
Vernon Curtis. a right-hander
who escaped from the Navy's
clutches only two weeks ago, re-
ported here yesterday. A seaman
who saw service at Okinawa while
in the Navy. Curtis also is highly
regarded after obtaining seasoning
at Atlanta and Minneapolis. Curtis
represents $4,000 investment to
the Mats, who paid that sum to
lure him from the Crackers.
The arrival of Curtis boosted to
Is the number Of pitchers in camp,
with Rae Scarborough and Marino
Pieretti due to arrive shortly. Presi-
dent Clark Griffith hasn't heard
from Phil Mccullough, towering
right handler, and assumes that he,
plus Santiago Ullrich and Gaspar
Del Monte, won't report. Jake Early,
Al Evans, Danny Reagan and Ted
Madjeski comprise the Mats catch
ing corps at the moment, with
Fermin Guerra due to be picked up
on the Cuba excursion.
Bluege is conceding second base
to Gerald Priddy and will toss
George Myatt into third sack bat
tie with Sherry Robertson. With
Priddy's insertion, the Mats will be
assured of one righthanded hitter
among swarm of southpaw swing
ers.
Goolsby Impressive at Bat.
DANCED if he don't look good, -
says Grifith of Ray Goolsby, rookie
outfielder. Goolsby has been the
one impressive figure against Wash
ington's pitching machine, thump-
ing sizzling liners over the infield
Pitcher Horace Lovelace has no
love for the automatic hurler, toss
ing his bat aside in disgust yester-
day after failing to touch a pitch
in five attempts.
When the Mats second squad ar
rives here next week that machine
will see little, if any service. The
premises are cluttered with pitchers
who will be ready to start tossing
'em up to the hitters.
Earlys infield antics are supply
ing the training camp comedy in
the present absence of coach Nick
Altrock. Jake, most energetic of
the Mats, spices workouts with his
hollering.
Favorable weather continues to
bless the Mats, incidentally, with
predicted showers yesterday failing
to materialiZe.