The Washington times., 1921-05-21


The White Sox. though made up
largely of new players, has few
worth while, according to those who
Falk. outfielder. 10 said to be the
best. He can do anything we'll,
though he lacks the speed of a ma
tor league star. Pitchers who have
faced him out in this section claim
he Is a hard man to fool. He Is now
hitting .293 in nineteen games.
Earl Sheely, the Salt Lake first
baseman. Is proving a sad disappoiut-
ment The slugging champion of the
Coast League, with thirty-three home
runs and an average of .37l, is finding
American League pitchers something
else again. He is hitting for .241 in
his first nineteen games in this cir
cult and. as soon as Kid Gleason
can fnd a capable substitute, Shsely
will be sent back to the Coast League.
ALL PRAISE BAssLER.
Detroit scribes are loud in their
praises of Johnny Bassler. the catch
er now ranked as first string re-
ceiver for the Jungle Cats. He ie-
ceived a brief trial, few years ago
with Cleveland but last year played
with Los Angeles in the Pacific Coast
in 147 games. In his first fifteen
games in the American League this
year the youngster has a mark Of
$40. which Is a fancy average for
anybody.
Bassler's headwork behind the bat
is causing him to be praised to the
skies. Handling young pitchers. he
makes them perform like veterans.
He studies all opposing hitters, rap
idly sizes them up and works his
pitchers accordingly. Ty Cobb says
Bassler is the best young catcher in
the league and that II he escapes
injuries or illness, will come pretty
near being the best catcher in the
league before the curtain falls.
Cobb has three lively twirlers with
Middleton, "Suds" Sutherland and
Carl Holling. Middleton is a minor
league veteran who is doing marvel
ously well under Cobb's management
The Giants refused to give him rea,
trial a couple of years ago, but now
he seems up to stay a while.
Sutherland, from Portland, Greg,
is a finished hurler, though up for the
first time in fast company. Cobb saw
him last fall and Immediately closed
a deal for him.
Holling is said to have more stufr
than either Middleton or Sutherland
but he lacks experience. With Bass
ler's handling. this young pitcher
appears to have bright future. He
was with Oakland in the Coast league
in 1920.
HE'S FROM WASHINGTON.
Luzerne Atwell Blue, the Tigers
new first baseman, is Washington
boy. although he got most of his
training with Portland in the Coast
league. This is his second trial with
the Detroit club and he appears to
be making good. He is a lefthand
thrower and swing hitter. working
against righthanders and vice versa.
Fast in the field, with a good arm.
Blue seems likely to remain on the
first corner for Cobb's team.
The champions of the world will
show at least two new players to
Washington fans Riggs Stephenson,
from the University of Alabama. ia a
fixture at second base, while Ted
Odenwald, a nineteen-year-o school
BOY, is a southpaw pitcher with a
brilliant future. Stephenson Is n real
batsmen, hammering terrific drives
Usually to right or right center. He
throws with a stifr arm motion that
may bother HIM on plays to his left,
but for youngster he looks like, a
million dollars in gold.
Odenwald is still growing. Right
row he is bit light, but he makes
Ip with brains on the mound and iron
lerve, Iris Speaker believes he will
D. star in another year and is now
Ising him for relief duties.
Not one Of the new Brownies. with
he possible exception of Ray Kolp, a
itcher. Is making much OF a splurge
lut this way, But two veterans,
ohnny Tobin and Walter Gerber. are
'howing new life under Lee Fohra
management. and are doing better
than ever. Gerber, hanked by rookie