The Washington times., 1922-12-18

70 the Offer from Detroit. lie
agned with the Tigers.
1t IL possible that Gagnon might
Ave played enough games for Ty
Cobb to have remained with the
team had It not been for the pres.
snce In the lineup Of Topper
Rigney,. the young man from the
thought Of losing his Job. He dug
right In and proved to Cobb he was
OF major league caliber.
The Tiger manager. nevertheless,
knowing the weakness of many
players, decided that Gagnon should
get his chance to show his skill
He knew the youngster needed
plenty OF exercise and experience 90
Ae sent him to George Stallings'
Rochester International. That's
where Gasnorf played most of iast
season. y
Gagnon got into mine games for
1Ae Tigers last year, some times
- . pinch hitter or a. . runner
fer some lame duck. Going to
ba& four times he got one hit fsr
m average Of ESQ. That was
costly blow for tho ,Griffs, though,
Tor Il defeated George Mogridge.
lt was valuable to Gagnon. on the
ether hand. for II had much to do
With his being grabbed by Clark
Griffith.
Joining the Rochester club in mid
season. Gagnon started right in to
prove he could play ball. For a
couple Of weeks he simply slaugh-
tered the ball. but when he settled
down, his stupendous batting aver
age -dwindled until, with the close
Of the International Leagues cam
paign. he was hitting for 800 in
aixty-five games, not bad mark
for d youngster playing his first
year in professional baseball.
In those sixty.five games the Holy
Cross lad went to bat 223 times
and scored forty runs on sixty-seven
triples and eight home runs gave
him q total Of 104 bases and earned
him the praises of his manager. the
astute George Stallings.
Gagnon got seven sacrifice hits.
walked thirty times, famed twenty
four times and swfped three bases.
not q high total for an. admittedly
speedy runner. He was hit by
pitched balls six times
NPerhaps the best thing he did was
% drive In thirty-five runs, eight
Of which were his own home runs.
His batting mark was 300.
''George StsliinGs told mo at
tl,ea New York meeting that Gag
NON was q most promising young
player." says President Griffith.
"Geerge didn't have to blow any
horns, either, because GagnOn
Wa CObb'S property. not that OF
TIE Rochester club.
"C3axnon will be given all the
chance necessary to show his ability
with the Washington club. He will
have good coaching, for DOME Bush
was one of the best fielders In that
position during his heyday.
IT, don't say that look for him
20 play shortstop for my club next
season. That would be foolish. But
I do say that he promises to be q
major leag0eY some day and that, in
that ease. he win be with the Wash
ington club, Furthermore, II he
flashes to the front next season. he
may b q regular right then"
In the Rochester shortfield last
DD80Ou O8kHOhl tlho 11r RutOoNS 6Al0
q assists That he was not afraid
q euing after all kinds Of drives.
even though he failed 10 get them,
= shown by his twenty-six misplays.
His fielding average was .873.
The scrap among the infielders at
Tampa should be merry, especially
around third base. Roger Peckin-
pauSH win have an edge over them
SIl for. the shortfield, but the third
annkorn are all inexperienced, and
che Job win 60 to the lad doing the
Best under fire.
~ Canroy. u Mhmespolis;
ChSek Gagn0m, fk,usn Rochester;
\ 0oo6s Bo1cge. who finished last.
oeoaon With Minneapolis, and Bob
81 IaMotte, who edged Shsnlks of
~ ~ corner n tlhe wsnmg
Vnl - n tie chase for the Job.
Prom what we have seen Of the
~aI,r. Bauege 10 the best fielder and
ssoCf scdurate pegger. LaMotte has
4 tine arm. but 10 erratic. Gagnon
- tho best hustler and has q good
Vin8. We have never seen Conroy.
sConsoy fs handicapped only by
Glovnees on the feet" says Presi.
6enf 0riffith. who watched the Min
neApolis payer In action for more
ehai1 . week last season. This 10
not apparent in the field.- though,
fpr he has the irfielder's instinct
ana always moved into the line Of
sconroy. has good pair OF hands
as,d u 3 good thrower from any
pceition. Furthermore he can hit.
II won't b. 800 hitter. but ne
q rood ein the pinch and puts q lot
of7pOrer into his drfves.">
When the squad is divided into
tn teams ut Tampa It win Re in
forootlng to. zee which makes the
be1t showing. I.aMotte at third
FOR the first team and Conroy for
the sscond will probably be the
Hopo, with Gagnon y and Bluege
aitstpstine a. short and second for
ninlx ghaalks, lamsutably slow
sen m feet, Win probably be the
s:s,ss ns ss'''n..' = = :