The Washington herald., 1913-01-20

The dawn Of 1913. among numerous
in to the baseball world, as one of our
police chiefs was wont to remark. will
mark Sam Crawford's fourteenth year
in the major leagues. zen years of that
time Wahoo sam spent aiding the de-
truit team in pennant chases, and when
Owner Navin looks over the big slug
gers record perhaps he may he induced
to give him a boost in salary. for II
is one OF which the Tiger star can point
to with pride.
Just how valuable Crawford is on the
ball field cannot he fully estimated by 4
mere glance at the figures which record
his batting and fielding averages, but II
does show that he 10 a high-cIass star.
The fact that he has been long and close
| ly associated with such a brilliant player
as Ty Cobb may have robbed him of his
/ full share of credit. The brilliancy of
many a bright star is often dimmed by
the glare Of other luminaries nearby.
The big bat OF Barber Sam has times
without number sent Cobb across the
pan. His position behind the Georgia
Peach in the batting order gives the
pitcher little advantage in passing
Cobb, for Crawford is almost as dan
gerOus with the willow.
Great Combination.
With Cobb he has formed a combina-
ton that has for years been terror to
opposing pitchers, and Detroit fans. II
not those of other cities. realize that
Wahoo Sam deserves much consideration
for the success of the team.
During the greater part Of the decade
he has been with the Tigers Crawford
has been honored with the cleanup"
position in the batting array. II is not
necessary to state that he proved an
ideal man for the job. excepting for the
enlightenment OF those entirely unfa-
miliar with the history of the game.
There are not records on hand to show
how many runs he has driven in during
his major league career. but there IS
little doubt that 1t would not suffer by
comparison with those of the best clean
up hitters of the day.
Last season Crawford hit for an av-
eTage of IS, which was fifty-three points
less than he had to his credit in 1871.
That, however. was his banner year, and
one could hardly expect him to maintain
such a lofty percentage. There is no
doubt that he is as good to-day as ever,
and If his work did not stand out as
brilliantly last year as formerly 1t may
be attributed to the Tigers poor team
work.
Grand Batting Average .311.
Since donning a Tiger uniform Craw-
ford has accumulated a grand batting
average OF .311. which is regarded as
consistent stickwork. Six Of the ten
years he was rated among the $40 hit
tiers, and in three of the other four sea-
sons he was frozen out OF the charmed
circle by a scant few points. He was
rated below $50 only once in his big
league career-that in 1904, when he
batted .2E.
Crawford bats and throws left-handed.
Unlike most left-handed batters, he is
not bothered to any extent by southpaw
pitching.
In the fielding line he ranks with the
best of them, too, having accepted some
2,211 chances and made about so miscues,
which gives him a grand fielding average
of .972 2-5.
Wahoo Sam played his first profess
sional game in 1873, with the Chatham
club OF the Canadian League, of which
he was a member only a year. taking
part in forty-three contests and slugging
the pellet for 20 average. The fol-
lowing season he was promoted to the
Columbus club Of the Western League,
but did not remain there very long, be-
Ing shifted to the Grand Rapids team
OF the same league, where he continued
TO develop the habit that tended to in
crease the demand for horsehide in the
manufacture of pills.
At the end of the season the Grand
Rapids magnates decided wahoo~ Sam
was too expensive for their limited
means. The cost of balls was high, and
fence repairing also costly. So they
turned him over to the Reds, with which
he made his big league debut in 1900.
After being a Rhinelander for three
summers. he Jumped the team and Joined
the Tigers. From then on he has done
little outside of knocking boards Off
fences and breaking the seams on per-
fectly good baseballs.
In his first year with the Reds he
batted 30. and in 1901 and 1902 came
through with .23i and .333, respectively.