The Washington times., 1922-08-10


This transaction threw the fans
and critics OF rival cities into a
frenzy of rage against the Yankees
and the Red Sox. who were accuscd
of everything from poor sportman'
ship to syndicate baseball and may
result in legislation intended to pre-
vent all interleague trading In play.
ers after the opening o. the season
except via waiver. The protests
which followed the latest Giants
Braves deal was mild compared with
that which was aimed at the New
York and Boston American League
clubs.
Doubtless. there is much to be
said against the condition which per-
mits such trades. At the same time
there Is no denying .;,at the Yanke %
pulled a master stroke when they
captured Jumping" Joe and Elmer
Smith, the only player who ever
made home run with all the bases
filled in a world series game.
Dugan had just about made"
the Yankees by filing the infield
gap created by Frank Bakers In
to hit at oppOrtuno moments, and
any one who questions this state
ment II privileged to inspect the
records Of games won and lost by
the Yankees before the deal was
made and those won and lost since
Dugan Joined the club.
Prior to the acquisition OF Dugon
| and Smith, the Yankees were just a
4 bah club. They were a club of tre-
mendous hidden strength. II is true.
but they weren't realizing on u.
They were just drifting along, win.
ming rather more than half their
games and not getting anywhere in
| particular.
They had frittered away the lead
they held throughout the earlier
part of the season, and while they
were hanging close to the pace.mak,
ing Browns. they weren't gaining
any.
Then they made the Dugan Smith
trade, and at once there was a nota
BILE Improvement in their work
They began to play with more dash
and vigor than at any other time al
season and knocked the Browns out
of the lead by winning three"out oi
four games at st. Louis. where the
Fohl combination seldom loses 9
series.
They lost the lead again by drop
ping two out OF three games at Chi
cago. but quickly regained their
stride and launched another winning
streak by grabbing four consecutive
games at Cleveland.
i, OF course, IL Ia possible that they
hs.Sl
McNally or Baker at third instead
of Dugan, but the fact remains
DuEan and not McNaIly or Baker
? covered the position for them, and
that ne was . conspicuous factor
IN most OF their Western successes.
The acquisition Of this one player
seemed to give them the dash and
confidence they previously had
lacked, and this Improvement I'm
their morale was speedily reflected
In their won and lost percentages.
Thus far, have noted only one
weakness in Dugan's play and under
other circumstances this would be q
strong point in his favor. This 4:
the speed with which he gets the bal
away from his hand after making a
pickup. This In a wonderful asset
when Joe Is hurrying a play TO first
on q fleet-footed runner, but may bt
a liability when he Is trying for q
double play, by way of second base
Aaron Ward, a great ball player iT
other respects, is not especially fast
in covering the bag on such plays
and one of the games lost by tn,
Yankees at Chicago was due to tn,
fact that Dugan threw the ball pas
second on an attempted double play
before Ward was In position to catch
Il. -
Copyright. 1871, by christy walsh
/ Syndicate.b