The Washington times., 1929-03-26
SQUAD CUT
TO II
MEN
By Time. staff Correspondents


day swung the axe for the
second time this spring on
their 1929 aggregation, Catch
ers Cliff Bolton and Albert
Bool feeling the effects there
Of.
Previously Infielder Elmer Voter
and Catcher Ed Kenna had been re-
leased to the Minneapolis club of the
American Association.
Bolton goes on option to the New
Haven club. of the Eastern League
and reports at Norfolk Friday for
spring training. Bool Is sold out
right to the Baltimore Orioles Of the
1nterna tional League and joins that
team in practice at Augusta lmme-
6iately.
:; This latest gesture, cutting tha
.Griffmen squad to % players,
indicates the Washington club
will go through the season with
:Ruel, Tate and Spencer doing
the backstOpping.
Joe Cronin, second string short
stop of the Washington club, figures
to boost his 1929 batting average
by at least rs points over that OF
last year.
Furthermore the ambitious young
Californian. gives Muddy Ruel,
hrainv hackstop, a lions share of
the credit for his Improvement.
"When 1 first reported with the
Griffmen in 1928, l was dead
right-field hitter, Cronin admits.
Since Ruel has taken me in hand
this spring though, I've been con-
Meeting safely to all pastures.
also credit Muddy with the
power I've been putting behind
my punches. He's shown me
how to get the most out of my
swing.
A right-handed clouter, Genial
Joe until this season, was con-
sidered a comparatively light hitter.
This despite the fact that he last
year managed to break up games
that aided the Griffmen in no little
way in their drive for d place in
the money.
Being on the bench with Pitts
burgh from July, 1926. until a year
ago didn't help my batting any" he
explains. Neither did my being
played out of, position with Kansas
City before being bought by the
Washington club.
sold outright by the Pittsburgh
Pirates to Kansas City L was shifted
to third base and remained on the
hot corner until secuted by Joe
Engel and purchased by the Griff-
men in July.
"I was sold on July 13. Friday,
hut I'll always call that the
1uckiest day Of my life. 1t not
&nIy brought me back to the
big show, but also returned me
to my natural position, short
stop"
.Cronin, who had smacked around
.24O in the American Association,
finished near the .25O mark with
Bucky Harris tribe. Despite his
comparatively mediocre average he
delivered frequently in the pinches.
Hd takes a different view, however.
,"Some of the boys are kind enough
I'd. say my hitting helped in last
years rush for fourth place. but
] was by no means satisfied with my
final standing" Joe maintains.
..I resolved to improve that show
in:t another season and started out
with this end In view. The reported
trade for Buddy Myer and shifting
of Ossie Bluege to shortstop didn't
HcctA
had the makinSs of a great short
Stnp I nevertheless decided to put
Oh weight and await developments.
;*RepOrtinG early for spring train
ing / Immediately concentrated on
my batting. That's where Ruel
comes in. lone morning | was test
ing my swing at Plant Field when
Muddy approached me-" Mind a
tib Joe?" he asked cheerfully. Not
a: hit, I'd appreciate it. was my
nAtural answer" "Then instead OF
swinging from nowhere in particu
laT and getting no force behind
YOUR hlows I'd suggest you bring
that ring arm i'm closer and bring
sdme body into. that bat" he adj
Vfsed,
"Urder RueI's tuition I found
myself gaining a stance that
rinre has been compared with
That of Tcny Lazzeri, the Yam.
kee second sacker. Immedi-
etely my change brought re-
quits.
s'Not only was 1 banging the hall
more often, but my drives We're
carrying for distance. It's hard to
realize that whereas year ago l
was considered weak extensively.
my stick so far has been my strong.
eai point" Cronin declares,
Whereas Joe now is serving IN
utility capacity he can by no means
be- counted out of the running for
n regular job. The slightest slip.
up on the part of Jack Hayes. Tor
instance. might result in the shift
ing Of Bluege to second and Cronin
TO. the shortfield-a perfectly logical
mcve in such an instance.
Though only % years old, Cronin
already has been connected with the
national pastims since 1924, follow.
ing his graduation from Sacred
Heart School, San Francisco. where
H&-~y Heilmann also attended.