The Washington times., 1923-01-09

G0Sf1u was q plCcher IN 19zU, Dl
timely that he went to the gardt
outieider that he attracted the a
According to the recently-an
nounced official averages of the
Western League, the Griffs' youns
outfIeld candidate took part in 16S
games with ST. Joseph. He went
to bat SIS times. scoring $50 runs
on 242 hits, totaling 379 bases. His
average was .359.
Fisher doubled fifty-five times
tripled seventeen times and sixteen
home runs were credited for him
by the gentlemanIy scorers. He
got six sacrifice hits and nine
stolen bases. which would indicate
he is not such a much on the
paths.
OF those outfielders playing at
least half the season Fisher ranked
sixteenth out of twenty-three, with
q fielding average of .956. In his
169 games Fisher had 269 putouts
thirty-two assists and fourteen er.
kors. Fisher was the right fielder
for St. Joe, which is the farm
Of the Minneapolis club.
al don't say Fisher is ready
right now" says Clark Griffith,
discussing his rookie OutfieIder,
sbut l saw him playing and he
looks worthy Of q trial right now.
He has q wonderful throwing
ar1n, knows something about
covering ground and Is good
straight away hitter"
When Joe Cantillon took a look
at Fisher. then pitcher, he de-
cided the youngster was too good
q batsn1an to be wasted in the box.
He sent him to the outfield. The
lad was too green. however, and so
was sent to st. Joe. in the Western
League.
In 1921 Fisher played 1853 games
and hit for 1852. He had 223 safe
hits totaling 333 bases. Thirty
eight of his wallops were doubles.
fifteen were triples and fourteen
were good for the circuit. He had
I've sacrifice hits and stole eight
bases.
As a fielder he was pretty bad.
finishing last among the regular
worknen in the vineyard with an
average of 1924. In $50 games he
had 944 putouts, "a assists and %
errore,
However, there is hope for the
young man. Next Tuesday he will
celebrate his twenty-fourth birth
day. He is quite young enough TO
learn all the ms and outs of big
league baseball and Clark Griffith
means he win have his opportunity.
If Fisher can but approach his
hating average of the past two
seasons, 1852 and 1853, he will make
q loud noise at Georgia avenue.
what may be the only thing to
mar his progress is the fact that
Fisher is q sOuthpaw batsman.
Clark Griffith has just obtained
Joey Evans from the Cleveland
Indians largely because he is an
orthodox sWatter. Were Fisher q
rigIlt-hand hitter, his chances OF
sticking would be much improved.
Unless future deals cut into the
supply of candidates, the Griffs at
Tampa viii have Sam Rice, Leon
GosliH, Eddie Goebel, Delos Wade
Tom MCNAMARA, Joey Evans and
George Fisher battling for berths
In the outfield.
Sam Rice and Evans, being ma
for league veterans. are not likely
TO get much work against the Ma
tionaf League clubs during the ex-
hibittun games booked for Florida.
President Griffith intends using
only rockies in those games. That
means that the whole five young
sters will have plenty of opportun-
fly tor show what they can do.
Goaiin has had a complete season
under the main tent, but clark
Griffith remembers the lads ln7and-
cut performances last year and feels
that Goose needs plenty of work in
Florida before the curtain ever rolls
up for action. On this account Cos
lin will be used against the National
Leaguers next March.
Goebel will be spending his third
spring in Florida. 1t may be his
last. This youngster suffered from
stomach trouble last year, though he
made no complaints, and may be
better than ever this coming spring.
If GOebeI can show the stuff he
showed when with the Reading
club he will land q regular job for
himself this year. He has as
much as Rice, is the best thrOwer
I'm the squad and picks up
ground ball as though he were an
infielder. In addition, he is a ball
hawk in the Outfield.
Extra efforts will be devoted at
Tampa to improving Goebel's work
around the plate. It is felt that his
hitting is not all ii should be, and
he will have lots of practice against
the pitchers. If he can develop into
a timely hitter, he is almost certain
TO play regularly. no matter what
other lad goes to the bench. He hit
for .306 with Reading in 1921. II
was this good work that gave him
another trial last season.
Goose Goslin is another youngstel
TO be worked hard this spring al
Tampa. He got away to a poor start
last spring, came back, tumbleC
again, and finally, hitting his stride
onthit everybody else on the club.
Gosiin proved, above everything
that he did not lack courage. Man,
a rookie would have caved i'm undel
the strain when he was frs
benched. Not so with Goslfn. Afte
q rest he was right in there again
and was going well enough unit
injured
Back In the lineup, he fell {,
pieces once more and, TO cap tn
climax, he suffered a broken wrist
Once more in the lineup he dug il
. with hands and feet, hit his strid
{ and soon was. killing all kinds o
pitching. He finished the season