Evening star., 1950-03-08
Little Lefty Declares
He Did Better in '49
Than He Expected
By Burton Hawkins
Sfor StoH Correspondent

ORLANDO, Fla, Mar. 8.-Lloyd
Hittle. who represents a $65.O0O
investment for, President Clark
Griffith. won five games for Wash
ington last season and confesses,
"It's better than thought I'd do"
The trim little left-handed
pitcher. on reporting to the Mats
last June, said,"I don't think I'm
ready for the big leagues" Now,
however, he's convinced he's more
prepared to withstand the rigors
of facing Joe Di Maggie, Ted Will
liams, etc.
Griffith says Hittle must develop
a sharper curve to win. There's
nothing wrong with his fast ball"
Griffith declares, "but he'll have to
work on that dinky wrinkle. He
can't get by unless he improves
that curve"
Hittle agrees. 1--WE started
working on my curve" said Lloyd,
who compiled ST record last
year after joining the Mats in mid
June. I'm not worried about my
straight ball. If I can get a re-
spectacle curve I'll get by. I had
a good curve before went in. the
Army. but L haven't gotten it
back yet" -
Didn't Last as Baker.
He had little chance to play
baseball in the service. On Quad
alcanal in 1g43 e,.was working in
a mess hail when a sergeant ap-
preached him and snorted, "Whad-
dya wanta be-a baker or a
butcher?" The choice was rath-
er restricted, so Hittle became a
baker. The sergeant tossed him
a book on baking, told him to di-
gest it and report back for work.
II worked from Z at night to 6
the next morning for Is months
until they sent me to the hos
pital. T was allergic to flour and
got a skin infection. so my baking
career didn't last long"
Hittle was shifted to operating
a 10-wheeled vehicle with the Air
Force. He later got to Japan and
1t wasn't until 1946 that he in
vaded organized baseball. He
played for a semi-pro team in
Stockton, Calf, and the Stockton
club of the California League
picked him up for the last two
months of the season.
Then he started the sort of
pitching that led Griffith to loosen
the purse strings. He won 20
games and lost only 6 with Stock
ton in 1947, leading the California
League in earned-run average. In
1948 he won II games and lost 8
with Bremerton, Wash. pacing the
Western international League in
earned-run average and strike
outs.
Proves His Class.
A few weeks of classy pitching
in the Pacific Coast League with
Oakland last year prompted Grit
fifth to shell out $4,000 cash and
Pitcher Milo Candini for Hittle's S
services at the end of the season.
Griffith later dispatched Pitcher
Forrest Thompson on option to the
Oaks, obtaining immediate deliv-
cry on Hittle. Still later. Pitcher
AL Gettel was sent to Oakland,
presumably ending payment on
the expensive Mr.. Hittle.
The classiest of Hittle's per-
formances with the Mats last year
were a pair of 10 victories at the
expense of the Chicago White
Sox. Otherwise he wasn't spec
tacular, but Lloyd reasons, II
didn't know anything about any
Of the hitters in the league. Every
body was new to me. This year /
think I'll do better"
He sees more alcoholic beverage
in year than all other ball
players combined. He works in a
winery at Lodi, Calf, and he's
convinced the Government isn't
going broke. Every "a hours that
winery operates the Government
gets SITS 900 in taxes" says Lloyd.
Griffith an Opportunist.
NAT NOTES-Don Haynes, a
character who has locked himself
In an automobile for IA months
to win $4,000 bet, watched the
Mats practice yesterday He
has six weeks to 60 in order to win
the bet and by that time will have
visited all 48 Governors. . Grif-
fifth has invited him to Washington
on the day he'll be released and
will ask President Truman to un-
lock the door.
If Outf1elder Irv Noren doesn't
hit well in exhibition games it