The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-05-20
BEHIND
HOME PLATE
Baseball
By DOUG STEWART


team just needed a few breaks to
get going But it seems pretty APP
parent now that if the club is to be
a contender in the league, they will
have to get help, and get it quickly.
Both Mr.. Sterling and Mgr. Ram
bert have done, and are doing, every
they can to strengthen the club, and
now it remains to be seen whether
the Detroit Office, with whom the
club has working agreement, will
come through with the players
In fairness to Mr.. Sterling, let me
say right here that there isn't play
er on the Hagerstown Roster receiv-
ing less than $225 month, and some
of them are getting over $500. For
that sort of money they certainly
ought to be playing better ball than
they are.
OF course, the team is in bad
slump, and its hitting is away off,
but that hasn't got anything to do
with the defensive play of the team,
which is certainly not up to par.
AS I see it, the team needs at least
three new starting pitchers and a
third baSeman. AS far as second
base is concerned, I still think that
Bobby Martin is one of the best de-
fensive players in the league, and the
club should have enough hitting
strength to be able to carry Bobby
for his fielding ability. l happen to
know that Martin feels very bitter
ly about his own failure at the
plate, and probably his biggest
trouble now is that he's just press
ing too hard.
l have no criticism whatsoever of
Rambert's management of the club
The men on his team at the present
time are all experienced ball play
ers, and while Pep" can give them
plenty of good advice, he can't make
ball players out of them if they
just haven't got it.
l understand that Detroit has
promised some help Immediately,
and there is some talk of Dresser
coming back, providing waivers can
be obtained on him in the Eastern
League. And there is also POSSIBLE
ity that some pitching help might
arrive before the club returns home
on the oath
Detroit has made working agree
ment with the Hagerstown Club, and
it's up 20 them to produce It's all
right to say, Why doesn't Mr.. Ster-
ling go out and buy ball players,
but you mustn't forget that it's not
always possible to find the type of
ball players we need who are free
agents. And l might also point out
that Mr.. Sterling has bought three
ball players in the last couple of
weeks. He signed Solomon, but he
wasn't any good, and he had to let
him go. He also signed Arakelian,
the present right fielder, and he al
so bought Bolton, "a left handler.
I'm still for the Hagerstown Owls
one hundred per cent, and I'm hop
ing that by the time the team gets
home on Monday, we will see a
much improved ball club.
Basketball
The 1948-49 season of the Junior
Basketball League was brought to
an official close last week when the
twelve teams were given a picnic at
Pangborn Park, and the various
awards were presented to the Win
nerS.
The winning team (Funkstown)
and the runners-up independent A.
c. were awarded beautiful trophies,
presented by Thomas w. Pangborn.
In addition, the individual players
of the winning teams were presented
with gold basketballs donated by
the Loyal order of Moose; the sec
ond team received silver balls do
mated by the Knights of Columbus,
and the third-place Optimist Club
team members were given bronze
miniature medals, donated by Mont
gomery Ward.
A special award donated by Radio
Station WARK for the team display
ing the best craftsmanship was won
by the Washington Square Methodist
Church team. This team, although
in the cellar all through the season
kept fighting week after week as
though the pennant depended on
every game they played. and if that
isn't craftsmanship, l don't know
what is.
The individual award for the play
er in the league showing the best
craftsmanship throughout the sea-
son, was won by Spence of the
Funkstown team, who received the
trophy donated by James Dudley