Evening star., 1927-05-20

that the Nationals had pro
H. cured from the Red SoX the
30-year-old Emory Elmo Rig
ney in exchange for the 23-year-old
Charles Solomon Myer it was thought
generally that Manager Bucky Harris
had taken on a shortstop pretty good
defensively. but no great shucks as an
attacking factor. And statistics for
the 13 games in which Emory, or Top
per. has taken part as a National
seem 10 show this to he so. Topper
has fielded around $50. but at hat his
average to date is less than .240.
Recently, though. Topper has been
crossing the dope. He has slipped a
tZ'ihe in his work around the short
field. but just about offset his fielding
shortcomings with his improvement
in offensive, Only Yesterday Topper
helped to add to the Nationals sIen-
der lot Of victories by crashing a
triple to deep center field while two
Of his teammates were on the run
way, thereby shattering a deadlock
that had existed for six innings in
game that intimately went against
the Tigers. 3 to Q.
IT can better be realized that Ton
ner's attacking power was of cousid-
cradle help to his club when it is
added his three-h -hagger put him in po-
sirion to register the third and last
run of the day after the roly-poly Bob
Fothergill clutched a long drive from
the bat of Ossie Bluege.
Maybe Griff Was Right.
Maybe President Clark Griffith of
the Nationals was right when. in dis
cussng the acquisition of Rigney not
so long ago. he declared that batting
figures do not always reveal the worth
of the batter. 'Rigney is not a player
to hit for a high average" the preXy
remarked at the time, but he is q
fairly long hitter and an especially
timely one. He's more apt to break
up ball game than many others who
can boast of bigger batting averages"
Topper certainly is no slouch afield.
even If he did make two of the three
errors charged against the Nationals
in yesterdays engagement. Those
two miScues raised to four the total
against Rigney's name in the official
nelding records thus far. He made his
first fielding slip in the ninth game he
played for the Washington club then
waited until he came to Detroit to
commit the others.
Veteran that he is, Topper appears
to play his position with more judg-
ment than did Myer, which is no more
than natural. Rigney was a corking
good shortfielder during the years he
performed for Ty Cobb in this town.
JIe goes about his work in an easy
manner and is quite proficient at dou-
Dle-play making, a department of de.
fense that baffled Myer considerably.
So far Topper has participated in five
two-ply killings with the Nationals,
starting three of them
Thurston Shares HonOrs.
Rigney. though. had to share the
laurels yesterday with Hollis Thurs
ton. In scoring his second shutout
victory of the season and incidentally
handing the Tigers their first string
OF goose eggs in this campaign, the
hurler who came to the Nationals
from the White SoX in a trade last
winter gave nervy exhibition.
George Moriartys athletes were on
the runway in all innings but two, yet
Thursto1 never was fiurried.
Hollis was nicked for six hits-just
one more than We're granted by his |
slab opponent. Owen Carroll--and in |
two rounds the Tigers got them in |
clusters of two. He also franked two |
IIgers to first base and in three in |
nlngs his support gave way, letting |
enemy runners get on the paths. But |
Hollis never faltered in a pinch.
l-u Blue opened the Tiger attack |
with single and after he was forced |
out Red Wingo also singled, but all |
the hard-hitting F'othergill could do |
was drill into a double play. Heinh !
Manushs walk and theft and Rig |
ney's wild throw that gave Jack Tav. |
ener life came in the second session. |
Then Hollis famed Irving Shea and
q m do
Another error by Rigney let Blue
reach first base at the outset of tthe
third frame. Jack Warner sacrificed, |
but Wingo swung for a third strike
and again Fothergill was an easy
mark for Thurston. The Tigers went
out in order in the fourth, Hollis
making Marty McManus a strikeout
victim. Shea began the fifth with a
surprising double, his fourth hit of
the season. But when Carroll tried to
sacrifice Thurston pounced on the ball |
and heaved 1t to Bluege to retire
Shea. After Blue rolled out Warner |
singled, then Harris took good care of
Wingo.
Manush's Single Wasted.
Manush singled with one gone in
the sixth and never left first base. and
In the seventh it was one, two, three
and out for the Tigers for the second
time in the afternoon. A single by
Warner at the start of the eighth and
Bluege's miss of Fothergill's grounder
after Wingo had forced out Jack did
not annoy Hollis. lie grabbed Ma.
nush's tap 10 force out Wingo at
third and McManus' best was q pop
to Harris.
Moriarity sent up three pinch bat.
ters in succession in the ninth. Ar