The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-05-30

w Hell cOihpdI dLNely HguL
hitter develops into a con-
sistent batsman and slugger
overnight, baseball fans nat
uralIy start wondering.
At the present time the Wash
ington Griffmen are bossting one
such player in the person o.,
Jumping Joe" Cronin, their bub-
bling, young shortstop.
Since making his advent in the
big show with the Pittsburgh
Pirates a few years back Cronin
has been considered an alright
defensive man but failed to click
on the offense.
Now behold the change! From
a Iackadaisical stickman he has
blosson1ed into a full fledged hit
smith occupying fifth place in his
clubs batting order, but the con-
sistgncy that used to be his ONT
the defense has suffered.
In other words there Is reason
to believe that in his eagerness to
live UP to his new role of an
offensive threat, Joe has sacrificed
some of the magic that used to
mark his rambles around the short
field.
Conscientious and a born
hustler he has kicked away
several chances i'm recent games,
apparently hurrying himself on
what normally would be easy
plays.
There is no question, though, b,I
what his hitting Is potent fact6rv
in his clubs attack at the present
time. Especially when his recent
work Is considered.
Too his versatility stands him in
good stead. Already having shown
at shortstop and second base, Man
ager Walter johnson is planning to
use him as an understudy for Capt.
Joe Judge on first base hereafter:
believing that Cronin's rangy build
will qualify him for the job.
Overshadowed by Third BasemaT I
Buddy Myer, who yesterday cloutedF
safely in his twenty-second consecu-
tive game. Jumping Joe" neverthe-
less is enjoying a little streak Of his
own, having connected in his
eleventh straight performance when
More remarkable, though, than
this streak itself Is the hot pace
that he has hit since launching
this firade, having gathered il
hits i'm Al tries for grand aver
age of .439.
BY banging away in this fashion
he has boosted his percentage more
than 100 points since getting away
to his present stride. Batting around
.165 prior to inaugurating his hitting
splurge in the second game of a.
double header with the Philadelphia
Athletics, May 10, he has since
climbed to .2S1, his present mark
Among the Is wallops corraiied
during this sensational stand he has
included four doubles and home
run, for a total Of IS bases.
Cronin evidenced signs OF his
n, WHY found power in spring train
ing at Tampa this spring but not
until he blazed out with his recent
display of fireworks did he make
good on this promise.
Whereas he formerly put 4
IHLlAe D0WeE DGBlAWu nAS S"AhS
he now follows through with his
body, taking q mean cut at the
ball and generally flashing it out
on the line.
Had he not hits in tough luck
| on his teams recent Western in
yasion Jumping joe today proba-
bly, would be mingling with MEM
bers of the elite 800 circle, many
| of his line drives out there in the
wide open spaces being the target
for sensational catches.
This was particularly true in,
Chicago where two apparent triples
were turned into miraculous field
| ing bits before he finally came
ing less power than his two other
| drives.
Cronin'B single yesterday, how
ever. was only one Of IA bingleS
! collected by his mates when Fred
Marberry sank the Yankee ship and
brought his club up to even terms
with the champions in their current
series, to 3.
After George Pipgras had been
knocked around for five runs in
two and one-third rounds Sherid
succeeded him and was picked for
three more while finishing.
Sam West had a field day with
| the bat, slamminE a double and
three. singles while Bill Dickey
harvested two twoJbaggers for. the
losers.
Lou Gehrig delivered his eleventh
home run of the season in the sixth,
lining the ball over the right field
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