The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-08-30
PUNCH
Bis AID To
/ Vl|NI)IJP
BY Bob Thayer

NEW YORK, Aug. 30
Though the 1929 Washington
Griffmen will not get any
where from the fans view
point, a belated exhibition of
power is playing its part in
leading them to a respectable
finish.
Earlier in the year when this
punch might have placed them in
the championship running 1t was
missing. Now, with Goose Goslin
and Joe Cronin showing the way.
extra base drives are being ratified
OFF consistently.
sGosIin and Cronin. the home run
suns, have teamed up to win
several games with their circuit
specialties, while Joe Judge. Sammy
Rice and Buddy Myer, among
others, have been coming through
with timely doubles and triples.
It Is Goslin and Cronin. hOw-
s ever, who have proved power
boys Of late. with Sunny doe
sprOving the most gratifying sur.
prise Of the lot.
when Cronln Joined the Wash.
lngton Club q year ego he was
considered O. deplorably weak hits
man. Yet he has slashed out seven
home runs this season, five Of these
being recorded during the current
month. s
Without exception Cronin's fOnr-
base knocks have been well hit and
timely. They have broken up
several ball games and played an
important part in unbalancihg the
opposing pitcher in others.
g Not only has Joe blossomed out
as round trip clouter, however. He
also has been getting more than
bis share of doubles and triples and
Is making them count.
Crohin unhesitRttngly attributes
his marked Improvement to the tut
tipn Of Muddy Ruel. who this spring
tAught Joe a follow through swing
which enables him TO get his entire
body behind his cut.
Where's the Kansas City re.
cruit formerly got little power
behind his WallOps hea IL now
cutting loose with plenty Of mus
ssCle and his club is prOfiting &C.
c0rdingly.
sGoslin, who has experienced his
worst year in orga nized baseball, also
has been hitting a hot home run
stride recently, his seventeenth slam
az the year yesterday representing his
&ARf.,9 hnNOn6oV.Ny halt In a q dave
AFTER being woefully off-color for
the greater part Of the campaign,
Goose seems to have finally mas.
tered his timing and consequently is
setting eleventh hour results.
I've hit more lire drives this year
than ever before" the Goose com.
planned, but / can't seem to get
seim safe. / don't know what's
Nrong-its beyond me"
Since that time, however, he
seems to have gotten back into
stride and is delivering and since
home runs and not line drives
are considered in the pay.off,
these circuit knocks probably
Il will figure In minimizing the
e salary cut which the big fellow
figures to draw in 1880,
1t Is generally thought that Cos
FMS desire to kill the ball while in
MS protracted slump has. played its
part in his downfall. Losing his
sense of timing he was swinging
helplessly-cutting naturally he Is
getting results.
The same applies for many Of his
mates who are coming through with
men on the paths now whereas
earlier in the year they seemed hand,
cpffed at the tee.
Had these players started out at
their present burst of speed their
distance wallops would have meant
Something and the Athletics and
Yankees would have had plenty to
think about.
81 As 1t Is, the best they can hope
10 do is to leave more pleasant
uavor in the mouths of the home
town followers and to boost their In
dividual averages ere the 1929
american League curtain falls.