The Washington times., 1921-07-06
BAKER UNNOTICED POWER
IN YANKS' WINNING LINEUP

In the midst of all the hubbub and :
comment on the chances OF the 1927
Yankees for the American League
penant. somewhat bow-legged,
beetle -browed fellow has gone quietly
about the job of holding down third
base With characteristic lack OF
fuss, j. Franklin Baker is doing his
job in the best fashion that he knows
how and very little has been said OF
him. He is just simply the third base
man of the Yanks.
He is doing nothing wrong: hence
no attention is levelled at him. But
bit OF reflection on the record of
the Ysnks so far this season makes
IL apparent that Baker is more re-
sponsible for the fact that the fsnks
are still well UP in the race than any
other member of the team, not except
ing the redoubtable Babe. 1T may not
be entirely OF his own making. but
the fact remains.
Just before the team went South
on their spring training trips the
Yankee officials, after many mysteri-
Gus trips to Maryland. and kilograms,
etc. announced that they had sue
ceeded in obtaining the signature OF
Baker TO contract and that the for
mer home-run king would come out
Of his self-imposed retirement.
CAUSES PUZZLE.
The announcement was hailed with
delight by the teams followers at
first and speculations were entered
into as to what effect his playing
would have on the performance of the
Babe. Then, as the training period
progressed and II was seen that the
fanks were apparently equipped with
surplus amount of material. won
derment began to be expressed as to
just why the management had signed
the Trappe farmer and as to what
Huggins was going to do with him.
Huggins himself was puzzled. His
inheld, composed then of Fewster.
Ward, Peck and Pipp. was running
like well-oiled machine. and it was
out of the question to break il up,
Then there was young Johnny
Mitchell. who looked more like
world beater in every game that he
played. Bake" was slow and old,
and perhaps it had been mistake
10 sign him. Higgins started the
season with his Hrst inheld. and
then Fewster. giving way under the
strain imposed on him as result
of his injury of the past season.
strain that would have made many
man give over even trying
cracked. and Huggins was forced TO
take him out.
BAKER STICKS.
Baker went in at third and Ward
was shifted 20 second base, Baker
has been in the game ever since.
with the exception OF a brief period
que to injuries. II was during this
brief period that the answer as to
why he was signed was written.
Young Mitchell was put into the
lineup when Baker went out and ne
failed to measure up to the big
league standard. Two games, and
possible third. slipped through
his fingers. and il was with genu-
inc relief that Huggins vas able
to send Baker back to third. II
the Yanks had not managed to sign
Baker. 1T is not far from probable
that they would have slipped badly,
perhaps gone csreening down into
the second division. For an un-
steady inield Us about thef most
dangerous thing that big league
team can hsrbor in it's midst. Baker
is the main cause for the steadiness
that prevails in the inheld. With
Fewster and Mitchell sumping. Hug
gins would have been In a story
way without the services OF the
all Sfa