The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-05-16
GRIFFIN { N
81 JUMP
At Dat
By Louis A. Dougher

CLEVELAND, May 16.-With
Sam Rice. Oslo Bluege and Topper
Rigney doing practically nothing at
bat and Joe Judge fast dropping
back to them since leaving home,
the Griffmen are in a most serious
Batting slump. Unless they can
snap out of it before arriving home,
they are quite likely to be almost In
the cellar when they battle the Yam.
kess' next Monday in the Griffith
Stadium. They are not far out of
that place right now.
Two weeks ago today Sam Rice
played his final game before going
to a physician for sinus trouble.
On the following Saturday he re-
turned to the lineup, playing In the
first game in st. Louis In the six
games on this trip so far Rice has
a batting average of exactly Jas
He has been to bat 81 times. He
has scored two runs on four hits,
totaling six bases.
Rice says he has recovered from
his sinus ailrnent but not till Sat
urday when he made q fine run.
ming one-handed catch of a drive
headed for the wall has he looked
like his old self. He has been SO
much deadwood for the team to
carry, especially in the field where
Speaker and Harris have been
capturing many fly balls for which
he did not even start.
Ossie Bluege wrenched his knee
on Tuesday, May 3, and had to
rest. In the opening game at st.
Louis he played four innings and
rested till the second game in Chi
cago. Since leaving home Ossie
has gone to bat IL times for one
hit and has scored one run. His
batting average is 80 since re.
Olming activities at the hot corner.
Goose GOsIin has played In
but one game since his illness.
Four times he failed to hit
safely against Uhle here Satur-
day. He will do better the
longer he plays, or at least that
IS the suppOSitiOn. But Sam
Rice and Bluege have not
shown any signs Of picking up
In their hitting.
On the other hand, Bucky Harris,
the most cruelty unfortunate player
on the team this spring, has Teen
doing nobly since injecting himself
into the lineup. He went to second
base with the first game in Chi
nago and in his four games since
then has hit for 1888. He has five
singles out Of Is trips to the plate
and has scored one run.
Harris still is in poor condition.
His fractured finger still throbs at
times. The nail on the great toe
OF his left foot is only beginning to
grow and he carries q large blood
clot on the calf Of his right leg.
This latter injury would keep most
players on the bench, but not so
! with Harris. He limps to the plate
and does his best on the bases and
in the field, but the fact il he IL
playing through sheer courage and
O. belief that the team needs him.
Furthermore, he seems to be max.
ing good where Rice and Bluege
are falling down badly.
Joe Judge is, sporting the fancy
mark OF 1853 for the season, but he
has slumped considerably since COM
Ing West. In his six games on
this trip he has hit for 1850. He
has been to bat "a times. scored
four runs and hit safely six times
for q total Of Is bases. He grabbed
himself two home runs in Chicago.
Muddy Ruel's mark for the season
1s 1906 but his six games on this
trip he has hit for q lowly .227.
Ruel has been to bat, az times.
He has scored 2 runs on tive
singles.
Iris Speaker is evidently
marching upwards and EDWARDS.
For the season he Is hitting
FOR .SI2 after q slow start,
but i'm his last six games his
batting average Is .S1S. He has
gone % bet - timass scored