The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-06-20
K0ENIG, 'W0P'
PAIR WELL IN
YANK LINEUP
Lazzcrri ard Fellow Player
Make Great DCuble-play
Combination, Evans Says
BY BILLY EVANS

kocnig to Lazzeri or Lazzeri to
Kocnig.
There is real double play com.
bination. if you please.
The Tcuton and the "Wop" are a
great pair around second base. In
a few years they will get similar
rating to Tinker to Evers, Barry to
Collins, Turner to Lajoic and others
of that ilk.
When Manager Miller Higgins Of
the New York Yankees started the
, 1926 season with two rockies, Mark
Kocnig at short and Tony Lazzcri at
second. the experts predicted dire
disaster for the team.
Realizing the great importance at
tachcd to the play around shortstop
and second. it seemed Impossible
that two recruits would be able to
perform in satisfactory manner
without blowing up.
Needed New Blood
The veteran Yankee team Of 1925,
conceded to be of great strength,
| had failed badly, finished seventh.
and Manager Higgins realized his
club had passed the peak Of its game
and needed new blood.
1t took nerve to bench the veteran
Scott at short and Aaron Ward at
| second. two stars who had given
good service to the Yanks, but who
had outlived, in the opinion of Hug
gins, their usefulness in New York.
However, Higgins had the courage
of his convictions and went through
with his judgment.
The action of the mite manager Of
the Yankees was all the more
drastic, when you recall that Lazzeri
had made his reputation in the Pa
cific Coast League at shOrtstop. The
intricacics Of second base play were
all new to him.
During the spring training season
of 1926 Lazzeri didn't look so well
around second base. Not being ac-
customed to the tricks of the trade
around second his chances to fill
the bill seemed none too favorable
The possessor of great natural
ability and keen mind, it didn't
take Lazzeri very long to familiarize
himself with the secrets of playing
second. Once he got the hang of the
= job, he began to show constant i'm
iprovement.
/ Lazzeri Helped
! / believe ! am conservative when
say that Tony LaZzeri did as much
to help the Yankees win the pennan
in 1926 as any other member of The
team. In making that statement
am mindful Of the all-round excel
lence of Babe Ruth's play and the
super-pitching of Herb Pennock, a:
well as the valuable contributions Of
the many other stars on the club.
This year. the wisdom of Miller
Higgins in building anew is making
itself all the more apparent. MARI
koenig and Tony Lazzeri with year
of major league experience behint
them, are much improved bal
players, would say that each is 2;
per cent better than last year ano
constantly developing.
Lazzeri hit .275 last season, Koc
mig four points less, fine Showing
for two rockies making their major
league debut. This year both are
certain to be far more dangerous al
the plate because of added conf
dence.
l know of no two great infielder.
among the younger players in the
majors than koenig and Lazzcri
They promise to go down in histor!
as one Of the stellar keystone com
binations Of all time.
In developing these two players
Miller Higgins has buildcd for tn,
future, because no team can aspir,
to a pennant without plenty Of class
around short and second.