San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-17
That's What Harry Davis
Is Doing in Salt Lake,
IT'S Said.
Ex-HURLER HITS EN-
Former Boston Brave
Rookie Pitcher Clout-
ing at 400 Clip.
By JOHN b. FOSTER.

Copyright, by The San Antonio !ght.
New York. Aug. 17.-"We've got to
have q better outfield punch" said
1 Connie Mack when he looked over the
|Aremnants of the Athletics, team that
doomed along in second place for eight
straight weeks and then Topped.
Maybe that is why Harry Davis,
the lieutenant Of the Athletics, has
heen rolling around Salt Lake City
in a Limousine. Very likely he has
been looking over Paul Strand, the
fence buster.
I'VE line up average well in pitch
ers, excellent in catchers, fast on the
infield, not so good in the outfield. ;"
said Connie. "We need an outfield
punch. We've got good man TO
lead off, but we've got to have a good
man to follow up with. We want I
IMAM who can smash 'em, dependable
better than 800 man. We have got
to have a batter who can go better
than 800 in these days when all OF
them can hit"
Fans in the East may have forgot
ten this Strand. He has been long
way from home for long time. but
he has been in the big show before.
When the Athletics got that rib
breaking thrashing from the Boston
Braves in 1914 Strand was with tile
Bostons. He did not do much then.
He was only II years old and pitch
er and Stallings did not need pitchers
much then with Dick Rudolph, George
Tyler and Bill james going great
guns.
Had Good Record.
Strand pitched in only one complete
game. but he finished up in 16 and
hanged If the kid did not tie for
ninth place in the earned run average
and he batted 1888. leading Jake Dau-
bert who was the batter that year.
Of course, it wasn't league lead. be-
cause he had not played in enough
games. D.
Boston sent Strand out for expert
ence, but the batting knack is born
~anU experience only cultivates 1t.
Straud has been down in the minors
long time, but folks need not think
90, mas been idle. Last year he made
"a Nbits9in the Pacific Coast League
n NJ hit safely in 80 consecutive
. :. This season he has been swat
.WD better than 400 all the time and
f4Eeague owners have begun to look
IN a.. N.-t showing as he has al
ways aiowAvthat he can hit. and he
can field n lot better than when he
first begaR to play the outfield.
SsmGpne VIII Grab Him.
10 CoFnie Mack does not TAKE
Strand q supply the punch his team
needs, it is pretty certain someone. else
will. He is as good as there is. of
what there is. An experienced writer
in Salt Lake City says Strand has
mastered the art of outfielding. Some
body had better grab him for there
are lots needed in both leagues to .pur
/ fourteen clubs on a winning footing.
Only four scouts thus far have Wis
tied the Pacific Coast. Out that way
they, wonder whether they are being
boycotted. Not for minute. III there
is an owner who thinks there is any
thing on the coast that he wants and
can pay for when the pinch comes,
he will 20 after it.
San Francisco may let Waner 20.
Waner is that sensational kid who
went out of Oklahoma and stirred up
three states by his batting. He has
NOT shown any intention 10 stop bat
ting. But he has not been PLAYED
regularly because he is not a polished
PLAYER. San Francisco may hold on
to him until he has the polish. The
longer they stay in San Francisco the
higher they come. >,
Waner has been plugging the. ball
for .424. Strand has been hitting
around .419. Shade them both %
noints. and even then they are both
the kind of players that would sit in
we'll with some of the eastern majors
which lack the punch.