The Washington times., 1924-09-30

Nationals has been the man who
played his first game with them
in Chicago on Saturday, August
9. Wild Curry Matthews, McNeely's
immediate predecessor as the Wash
ington center fielder. was win.
ming center fielder, and 80 was
Harry Memo Leibold. Sam Rice,
strange to say. wasn't winning
center fielder, being needed in
right.
The day McNeely broke in with
the Harrisn1en they possessed 3
percentage Of ,542. The day they
completed their twenty second
week IL play the Washingtonians
bOasted IN average Of $50. They
had tackled 40 points on their per-
centage and risen from third to a
tie for first with the Yankees.
: McNeely, from August 9 to Sep
tenber 49, inclusive, has been
lutely and exclusively in twenty
SIX games. Nineteen Of these were
victories for the Harrismen, seven
give percentages to center fielders
mark down for g. Earl McNeely,
from Sacramento, Cals, mark Of
731.
In four other games. two Of
which the Nationals won and two
OF which they lost, McNeely was in
center field and 50 was somebody
else. G. Earl's companion in three
Of these scraps was Memo Leibold,
in the other he WAS Sam Rice.
So. all told, McNeely has been in
the spot iris Speaker helped to
make famous in thirty engage.
ments, Of which Washington won
81.
While Spark Plug Matthews was
looking after the center field for
the challengers Of the Yankees the
Harrisrnen won twenty-three games
and lest fifteen, playing brand Of
sos ball.
with Leibold in center, washing.
ton won twenty-five games and lost
seventeen, moving along at 1854
clip.
Strange to relate, when Sam Rice
was center.fielding for the Mats
they moved slowly along PenHant
pike. The Morocco n1auler occupied
@. Earl McNeely's present berth III
thirty conflicts, washington win.
ming thirteen, losing sixteen and
tieing one Of these and playing .4SS
ball. 5ss%
The other center iielders Wash.
ingtOn has had this year were
? Tom Taylor, infielder, and Bert
Griffith, . reformed pitcher, who
reformed before he got into fast
company. The game in which
Taylor covered center for the
Griffs they won, the game in
which Griffith was on the Job
they tied.
Here is the dope on the Washing.
ton center fielders for the first
twenty-five weeks Of the season.
LOCO Center FieIders.
TayloF-One game, victory.
McNeely and Rice-One game, 1
victory.
Matthews and LeibOId-One game,
victory.
Rice and LeibOld-One game,
victory.
.2 ..731 Center Fielder.
McNee1y- Twenty.six games. 10
victories, ! defeats. ~,
sos Center Fielder. @
Matthew'S Thirty eight games, %
victories ~ ase
.564 Center Fielder. i,
Leib0ld-Thirty-nine games, %
victories, II defeats.
500 Feptn~ FiaIdars.
Leib0ld and McNeeIy-TwO games.
victory, 1 defeat.
.44S Center Fielder.
Rice-ThiTty games, 10 victories.
10 defeats, ] tie.
900 Cente" Tie;d r"s
McNeely and LeibOld--One game,
l defeat.
LeibO'd and Matthews--One game,
defeat.
Matthews and Gliff;tll--One game,
defect.
Griffith-One g.n1e, tie,
Before the Washington club pur.
chased It's present winning center
fielder President Clark Griffith and
Scout Joe Engel looked over the
International League for lan D
play between Goose Goslin and SAM
Nice. They Ike " re.
fielder and Infieldei Bill z. imam,
of the Newark club. who was 4
pete fnr ierriS Va 1919.
zitzmann was held at $50 900, and
this price Washington refused to
pay. Just after Griff had refused