rnm B—6 WASHINGTON, D. C., FEBRUARY 5, 1939. Nats Probably Still Fifth-Place Team, Harris Admits, but Concedes Nothing tgr Win, Lose or Draw Club's Progress By FRANCIS E. STAN, Star Staff Correspondent. Appears Up to Nats' First Base Is Something to Consider ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 4.—Sooner or later, Mr. Clark Griffith is com- face-to-face with his in camp. Chase, ing first-basing problem spring training Krakky At the moment Mr. Griffith is chasing a golf ball in Belleair, leaving Lt. Stanley Harris in charge of his baseball forces. Lt. Harris is loath to dis- Pilot Can't Get True cuss Washington's first-basing, too. But, if he must .. “As far as I can see,” Bucky was saying tonight, “it’s Jimmy Was- Gauge Now Because dell—or get somebody else. Listen, right now this pitching has got me Of So Ifs worried. I've got to dig up a couple of fellows who can throw hard and Many the ball over.” get By FRANCIS E. STAN, * Mr. who wins the of Harris, annually spade-calling championship Star Staff Correspondent. major league managers, gained no new laurels on his first statement on ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 4.—Manager the first-base problem when he said it would be Wasdell or somebody else. Harris and in- That is like saying it will rain unless it doesn't. Ah, there, Mr. Harris, Stanley peered long at his rookie in you can do something better. tently pitching crop “Well, it's like this,” he explained. “We have three first basemen. spring training today and confessed Besides Wasdell there are Pritchard and Vernon. Don’t ask me anything that his Washington Nationals, a3 are for about the last two. All I know is that I doubt if they ready big they now stand, “probably still are Wasdell.” league ball. So that leaves a fifth-place team.” That is what Mr. Griffith said when he sold Zeke Bonura precisely Harris, however, is jumping to no to the Giants, Mr. Harris. It was an interesting assertion, too, but not double-quick conclusions. Today entirely complete. What if young Master Wasdell flops? After all, Jimmy was only the third official day of has been playing pro ball for a few years now, and out of them all he had training for the Nats, or embryo only one good season. Nats. “I am talking about the club He Wouldn't Mind Having Babe Dahlgren as it now stands, you understand, he impressed. “Personally, I think “Really, it s the pitching that has me worried,” protested Mr. Harris. we have a good chance of develop- “First base is a bridge I’ll meet later. But 111 say this—if Wasdell doesn’t into a better team before the make it this year he never will.” ing Interesting, Stanley Raymond, but the question hasn’t been answered season is over.” yet. Suppose he flops; you know', suppose it develops he isn’t a major Joe McCarthy’s recent statement, leaguer? in which he called his 1939 Yankees else. We even “Well, in that case we'll have to get somebody might the best of all his great clubs, was make a deal, you know.” START OF A DAY’S WORK—In the picture on the left the gang of National with those who faced the camera here being only a few of those who figured not missed by Harris, who isn't How now, Mr. Harris? There was a first baseman up in Boston last rookies at the Orlando training camp is tossing the medicine ball around to get in this phase of training. This stuff removes the kinks for the real schooling ready to agree completely with the Foxx. He would year who had a pretty good year. Fellow named Jimmy New York manager. limbered up. A little later, as shown on the right, a pepper drill was staged, that follows. —Photos by Ellwood Baker, Star Staff. look good in a Washington uniform. But if you gave the players Boston "The Yanks may not be as good, would demand in exchange Washington wouldn't have enough men either,” said Harris, “but I can't do much with He left to put a team on the field. arguing McCarthy. still figures to have the classiest “Naturally we can't get a regular first baseman,” hissed Mr. Harris, First, Victor 2 Yards Davis Final Set Hoyas Terps 68$ Bulla, Nelson team in the league. Detroit ought staring grimly. “We can’t get Foxx or Gehrig, Trosky or Greenberg Cunningham by Cup by to be better. Cleveland has a swell But we could scare one some Last in or McQuinn. maybe up place.” Relay outfield in Averill and the Ileath, Chap- has a of first basemen. The Sox have a hard- By Associated Press. Well, Chicago couple In Wanamaker Mile After For Merion Courts Lead Round man, as well as Feller and some oth- NEW Feb. 4 Opening named Connors. He hit three home runs YORK, —George- hitting young rookie Mervyn er good pitchers. Boston may have town University’s mile relay team in one game last year. If Connors makes the grade maybe Jimmy Dykes a hard time doing as well as it did Duel With Fenske turned in one of the fastest times will be happy to trade Joe Kuhel back to you. Or maybe Joe Mc- Great 2-4 Of Phoenix Golf last year. But these clubs figure to By tne Associated cress. ior ne naa September in Millrose A. A. games history time umo stale star, Carthy, the old Yankee man, will be glad to ship Babe Dahlgren down be the first-division ones.” NEW Feb. back taken over the lead from Slater tonight in winning a four-team a of old bats. YORK, 4.—Beating to Washington for, say, couple race from North- Bucky Conceding Nothing. a bold by Charles (Chuck) pounding down the back stretch and D. Re-elected Pennsylvania, "I wish,” murmured Mr. Harris, wistfully, “that somebody with challenge Baker of C. Each Hits Five Birdies Harris isn't conceding anything. Fenske in the last lap, Glenn Cun- was running well when the accident eastern and Maryland in 3 min- would that in all seriousness. In calling the Nats a fifth-place club authority repeat Dahlgren proposition tonight galloped to another occurred. Slater went on to triumph Vice President; Other utes, 24 seconds and then saw As Rain-Soaked Links ningham he only is punching straight from However .. of his matchless running triumphs in 1 minute 54.7 seconds, with long its anchor man, Mortie Alnwick, Tennis Dates Fixed forced to run an extra Checks Rivals the shoulder. as he scored his sixth in John Woodruff of lap Many victory Pittsburgh, Olym- In an official error the meantime he is hoping. seven Wanamaker mile starts. His pic 800-meter titleholder, second, through in ring- Even Jack Garner, By the Associated Press. By the Associated Press. “We re tied with a lot of ifs.” Might Play Bucky time for the feature event of the and Sanford Goldberg, New York's ing for the bell lap. up Wait a Mr. Harris! will a NEW YORK. Feb. 4.—The United PHOENIX. Ariz., Feb. confessed Bucky. “A lot of minute, Suppose nobody give Washington 32d annual Millrose A. A. games at flying fireman, third. The Hoya foursome scored 4.—Johnny young “Now lookee States Lawn Tennis Association, at and fairly inexperienced fellows first baseman. Suppose all the boys get together and say, Madison Square Garden was 4 min- Herbert Thompson, dusky flyer handily, Alnwick hitting the Bulla, husky 24-year-old Chicago its annual meeting today, adopted finish line a have to make good. Right now I'm here, we have Mr. Foxy Grandpa Griffith right where we want him. utes 13 seconds. competing unattached, equaled the full 15 yards in professional, and Byron Nelson, recommendation of its Davis about a a house of world record of 6.1 sec- the Cup front of the Penn anchor man. worrying digging up couple We'll give him nothing.” Before packed 16,000, accepted veteran from Reading, Pa., carded Committee of Management that the Northeastern was third and of pitchers. I'll cross the other There came a loyal shrug from Lt. Harris. Don't worry," he said, the 29-year-old veteran from Pea- onds in winning the Anal of the of his 1939 challenge round be awarded to Maryland a bad last. 68s to lead a field of 78 storm-tossed bridges when I come to them.” "we ll find a out. We can Cecil Travis on first base. body, Kans., varied the style 60-yard dash. The New York Negro worriedly, way put the Merlon Cricket Club at Haver- Is there any chance of the other running somewhat, but didn’t change won handily over Norbert Ewell, Mortzenbecker led off for golfers at the conclusion of the first Of course, Cecil really ought to be a little tangle-footed at first." second-division clubs ahead the of finish of his recent races Penn State with Ken ford. Pa. Georgetown, followed by V. 18 holes in the Phoenix finishing ho! So it's Travis who is first base? That type freshman, $3,000 open Oh, really going to play The only change in the slate of C. and Aln- of the Nats this year? Is any of one iota. Clapp of Brown third and Eulace Zraun, Newmeyer tournament means that Gelbert will be the doesn't it? Well, was of Gordon today. them better? Charley shortstop, Cuningham.