The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-02
Elk YANKEE.
SURPRISES
bICKY

By Louis A. Douaher

~ ANSeAS0 &As 1rV0A AASA
TAMPA. Fla. April Nick Gull
lop, the slugging rookie. Ii likely
20 betried At third, that b IL
Mysr tails to shine at the hot
corner.
Clllop was star outfielder with
Omaha in 1924. a graduate of the
st. Louis sandlots, where he played
with Muddy Ruel and Mickey
O'Neil, though younger than either
Of them. The Yankees bought HIM
and calmly overlooked him. haV.
Ing two stars in Ruth and Me1sel
and believing the Weak-arIned
Combs better player.
eIn 1925 the Yankees sent him
60 Atlanta, where he pounded the
apple vigorously. Leading the cir.
cult in home runs, for instance.
Last spring he was with the yam.
kees again. but Ben Paachal was
given the nod over him ana he
slipped back to st. Paul.
just what Cullop might have done
m st. Paul vii never be known.
dhe accidental death OF his young
Non bothered him greatly and his
batting average OF .S14 with the
Saints IS considered much below
his real ability. Eis coming to
the. Washington club was merely
luck, good luck, for him apparently
When / made the deal with
New York" explains President
Griffith, Il gave Ruether for
s Bfa1tOn and an Outnelder.
didn't have Speaker then, re.
& member. / wasn't certain To
get CulIOp, though / knew &c
was q possibility.
Furthermore. my reports on Cul.
Top were not good. Engel said he
could not hit curve bail, for In.
Stance, and ! didn't think SO much
Of him. I'm glad now for he looks
certain to make good, no matter
where. he plays. Being a right.
handed hitter, he's all the more
valuable. too
Cullop Is 4 big fellow. Reporting
here after a winter of idleness, he
weighed 21e pounds Today, trained
down, he weighs 200 pounds, but it
ID not fat. Most OF 1t Is muscle.
With Goslln, Speaker ana Rice
playing the outfield, neither Cullop
nor Tucker appeared to have much
OF a chance to show his wares.
Again comes old kid Good Luck in
arranging q game between the
yAnnigans and regulars on March
10. But for that foolish skirhnisk
Cullop might have slipped back to
the bushes for the third time in, a
row.
Needing third sacker Harris
asked for volunteers and up stepped
this same Nick Cullop. He played
brilliantly in position strange to
him since his kid days on the sand
lots of st. Louis. His terrific home
run drive off Marberry marked him
as worth Watching and Cullop was
on the road to success.
Ever since that day the big,
nearly bald giant has seen active
service. At first he worked In
the big Outfield Wher6 he showed
plenty OF speed and 4 fine arm.
Then he came In ana worked
around first base hi excellent
style. And, ali the time he was
alAnhIning the bali on the nose.
Right now Cullop tops all the
Washington batsmen with the fine
average Of 500, going to bat 15
times he has hit safely eight times
Tor a total Of IL bases.
II wish had known about Cul.
lop'e third base play when we began
training" said Bucky Harris. "de
would have been over there iii d
hurry. At that ! didn't know Buddy
Myer was going to be such q bust
IS shortstop, SO maybe Enllop
might not have been considered"
Buddy Myers future with the
Washington club is distinctly puz.
King. It IL admitted that he win
net do In the shortfield and that
Ossie Bluege viii be retained IN his
present place, 1t is up to Myer to
make good at third base or give way
to somebody else and, thinking Of
Bob Reeves light hitting, that some
body is quite likely to be Nick Cul.
lop, the saI1dy-haired giant from
Madison, 8. d.
Myer IL now considered. the
teams third sacker. He will res
main 20 unless ne fails. Many Of
his mates believe he cannot make
good there, not being active enough.
He is not as active as Cullop, who
weighs ~ pOuuuS I90FSs
Myers hitting Is his best asset.
He Is d deadly batsiiaaf, vet even
here C9llop can give him a con.
test with the added value Of /
being ) figlt.haflded hitter on &
team t0p.heAvy with s0uthpAW
StiChbtlaltliS.
Cull0p ~ only rs years old. RE
should have a long major league
career and It seems likely to be-
with the Washington club. He fits
into the team right well, having "a
cheerful temper that makes FOR
popularity.
The other day Cullop injured his
throwing arm. but he is taking care
Of his wing and il promises TO BE
al o. 4. by the time the season
opens. At present he ranks as
utility man, capable OF playing the
outfield and first base and smashing
the ball in tight places. But don't
bet anybody that he won't be the
teams regular third. sacker before
the season ends. Buddy Myer has
vet TO make good or the hot corner
and his beginning is not SO mar.
veloiie.
MEET WASHED OUT
rsfN NJ ~ d