The Washington times., 1929-03-05
80 POUNDS
! SHY 1928
HEET
By r. D. Thomas

By r. D. Thomas
TAMPA, Fla, March 81
"Whadda you weigh this
year, Braxtoni" and the skin
niest mortal in baseball, star
southpaw of the Griffmen, re-
piled with a grins "Why, 80
pounds less than I weighed
last year" But that were
hardly possible and Braxton
be alive.
The weight Of Garland Braxton,
who led the American League in
effectiveness last year, hasn't been
determined in two years, at least.
He never bothers to find out him
self and he hasn't been ordered by
any Griff executive to step on the
scales since he Joined the club in
1927.
Speaking seriously" said he,
''I'm quite sure my weight is about
145."
We'd thought Bob Burke to
be the sIenderest chap on the
Griffs roster. He weighs $50 and
is 6 feet l inch high. BraxtOn is
the same height but weighs five
pounds less.
He is regarded as one Of the freaks
of baseball, but also one Of its smart
est FINGERS. On the strength of his
record last year Manager Walter
johnson banks on him to be a con-
spicuous winner in the coming cam
paign.
The human string had his first
real opportunity in the big show
last season. With the Yankees IN
1926 he was considered too frail to
be starting pitcher and was used
for relief work.
The same estimate Of him was
made by Bucky Harris and 1t was
not until May 80 before Sam Jones
had reached top pitching FORM.
when Irving Hadley was recovering
from appendicitis; when Lisenbee
and CASTOR were showing little
and Lloyd Brown had a sore arm
In short, when the pitching staff
was shot-that Braxton was called
upon to start game.
And as Fate would have 1t, the
enemy that day was the club which
had discarded him-those slaughter
ing Yanks. Braxton set 'em down
with three hits and scored a shut
cut.
That opened the eyes Of BucIy
Harris. Braxton thereafter was
used i'm turn. His record for
the year shows 13 victories and
ii losses, but the story Of his
effectiveness Is told best by
Garland's earned run average,
which was 2.52.
Trailing him were two famous
soithpaWs, Herb Pennock and Bob
Grove. It Is true that Braxton
was relieved more often than these
five more times than Pennock
and two more than Grove. But he
pitched Is complete games after
Memorial Day and some of them
were pips. There were two three
hit performances and a couple of
the four-hit variety.
That he will be. winner this
year is taken almost for granted
by Manager johnson and President
Griffith. He was given a raise in
pay by the Old Fox without asking
for it. Bfaxton says he pitched
three years in one minor league
without being yanked. His rival
for string bean distinction, Young
Burke, who has accepted some
pointers from our hero, gives an
interesting sidelight on Braxton.
"Garland had a lot Of stuff
at one time, / mean a variety
of it, which he lost through
sore ARM says Bob, "and he
tells me he had to change his
style i'm order to keep going.
He gave up some Of his stuff,
developed screw ball and
began pitching his head
''That screw ball was his saliva
tion. The same sort of ball was
thrown by Christy Mathewson, only
1t was called a fadeaway. Mathew
sons ball broke in toward right
handed hitter and dipped. Brax-
tons dips to the left. "The ball is
hell about the same as in throw
ing curve but it is released diff
ferently The curve goes off the
4orefinger side. The screw ball
goes off the middle finger"
Burke probably finds encourage
r1ent in the showing of Braxton.
1t Is probable that the youngster-
he's 22-is regarded by some less
seriously than warranted because
of his lack of heft.
IIowever, the big train is keeping
a sharp eve on all his pitchers
and Bob will have his chance along
with the others to demonstrate
worth.
Johnson is confident he'll de.
velop q winner or two among the
recruits. Hadley, Jones, Braxton
and Marberry are his seasoned
campaigners.
The new material Is prOmis.
ing, at the least, says Barney,
who has spotted the charac-
teristics of real pitchers in
some OF the youngsters.
Johnson is persuaded by per.
:sonal experience to pay more at
hention at this time to his pitch
eRs' legs than their arms.
''AGore often than not, it's not
the arm but the legs that get tired
and cause the loss of control and
iother pitching weaknesses" said
Walter today. and added: IF my
legs were as good as they used
Ito he. guess could pitch a.
good hall as ever"
Every finger ha1 standing e.