The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-12-04


might get a big kick out Of some
Of the great musical productions
on Broadway. He yawned his
way through them and remarked
they were not much better, II
any, than the shows he saw in
SnohomiSh, out in washington
where the tall trees grow.
They wanted to show him the
Woolworth Building, but he said
he had seen a picture Of it on
postal card. They sought to take
him through the Capitol at Wash
ington. but he demurred, saying
he would rather go through the
Botanical Gardens, as flowers Che
having been a florist) would in
terest him more than q group
Of Senator's. 7
The average rookie, in max
ing his major league debut,
has buck fever and shakes
like . leaf In the breeze when
he first goes to bat.
Not so with Earl Averill, Of
Snohomish, when he stepped tC
the plate in Cleveland on Aprt II
with two out and no one on, 9
left-hand batter to face another
Earl. Earl Whitehill, the crafty
Detroit southpaw.
All he did was to send the bal
sailing high over the right fielC
wall for q home run. Incidentally
it was q run that saved the day
for Cleveland, as the score was
tied In the ninth, the Indians
winning in the eleventh.
And to show his initial effort
was no fluke, Averill, the follow
ing day, hit George Uhle for two
singles and another home run.
When the season ended the
records showed that the non
chalant florist had made Is home
runs, the largest number evel
compiled by any Cleveland player
0or, you know, it is no easy
trick to make homerS in thu
Cleveland park, collected 19E
hits, including II doubles, Il
triples, scored ITO runs and hac
driven in 95.
Averill weighs but 100 pounds
or so, but, nevertheless, when he
joined the Indians he was swing
ing q bat that weighed a ounces
or four ounces more than the
one used by Babe Ruth, who car
ries so pounds more Of flesh thar
Averin.
The boy from Washington
StaIl carries the 44-Ounce bat
up to the plate occasionally,
but more often he uses the
41-Ounce bludgeOn.
Although only O middleweight
according to fiStic classification
Averill has the arms and Shout
ders Of a heavyweight.
Billy Evans, general manager
OF the Indians, who was forced
to go to the Pacific Coast to in
duce Averill to sign. with Cleve
land, was worried trifle for fear
the player. would not be able to
hit left-hand pitching. He wor.
r1eS no longer.
Herb Pennock does not seem
to be able to get me out" says
Averill in his matter-of-fact way,
while I generally have been able
to break UP every game that
RUDE Walberg has pitched against
US. Walberg has a home-run ball
he pitches to me. Perhaps it's
because he comes from my part
Of the country. It's different
when Bob Groye pitches to me
I made only two hits off him
all season and one Of them was q
scratch. Figure it's q pretty good
day for me when I get O foul of
Grove"
It % mot only at hat that
Averfn n making the CIevO-
hand fans forget all about
iris Speaker, since whose de-
paFtuFW Cleveland has tried
out nearly 16 center HieIderS.
The Washington youth also has
himself as q fly
grabber, thus providing Manager
Roger Peckingpaugh with a most
appreciated surprise.
Baseball parks on the Coast
are not as large as those in the
major leagues" said Averill when
he reported, "and an outfielder
does not have the chance to go
and get them. but if you will give
me plenty Of practice Shagging
flies in morning practice, I guess
I'll learn to go back farther than
I did in Frisco"
Baseball writer's wrote columns
about Averill's sensational catches
before the season was ended,
while the Cleveland enthusiasts
well, they believe Speakers shoes
have been most capably filled In
every way. Averill may lack
Speakers color, but he does not
lack his confidence.