Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-14
BUDDY IS SUCCESS
IN LEAD-OFF ROLE
Has Hit for 400 at Top of
Batting Order for Griffmen
Thus Far.

~. LOUIS, May 14.-Buddy Myel
is coming back to the Washing
ton lineup in the series here AND
~ that may mean much to the
club, for Buddy will come back
es lead-of batter and what he has &C
compliShed as lead-oH batter is nothing
to be annoyed about.
This lead-ofT place is the fourth in
the batting order of the Nationals that
Nyer has assumed this season and it
certainly seems he is much more vaiu-
liable as batter in that place than any
other in the lineup. All he has done
IS. a lead-ofT batter is rap the ball at an
even 400 clip. 1t looks as though that
is the post for Buddy.
Perhaps this return of Myer to the
Washington lineup in this series 2b-
breviated by rain to two games may be
very helpful to the club. for this player
for whom five men were transferred
from the Nationals pay roll to the pay
roll of the Boston Club during the past
Winter apparently is on the verge of
becoming the really fine hitter he was
with the Red SoX in the season of 1928
How He Hit Elsewhere.
For instance, consider the hitting
average Myer made in other positions
in the batting order with the Nationals.
AS fourth-place batter it was but 1879
Then he was placed second in the list
and there Myer hit for a mark of 1856
Then came the shift to the lead-off po-
stion and until the time he was hurt
when pinked in the right elbow by one
of Dan Dugan'S 9eft-hand deliveries in
Chicago last Friday, this Myer person
stung the ball at 4 pace to be envied
by many batter heretofore more highly
rated in the American League.
Myer was picked as a cleanup batter
during the Nationals training season.
Then he was singing the ball savagely
and often. Naturally Manager Walter
johnson chose this young fellow with
plenty of batting power to get behind
the men who we're calculated to get on
the runway often. But Myer failed to
produce as cleanup hitter. He per-
formed in this role in the first four
games of the season, and all he accom-
plished was the seeking of hits in Is
times at bat. Not so good there.
Then he was raised to the second
place in the list and with worse results.
His best in that position in a trio of
engagements was 2 safeties in the Is
trips to the plate. That wouldn't do.
Down went Buddy to the sixth position
in the swatting list. There he picked
up trifie, but still he was not of much
value to the club as an offensive factor.
The best he shot as a Sixth-place batter
was $50 There followed the change to
the lead-off position, and how Myer
glistened as the first man in the Ma
tionals batting list! Fourteen hits in
thirty-f1ve times at bat is what the
young fellow brought back from the Red
Sox can show as a first place swinger.
That's great hitting in any batting posi-
tion. Think of it. An even 400 aver
age. Going some.
But to make it all the more worth
while, Buddy has gotten on base many
times besides batting his way there. As
a lead-off man he has gotten six bases
on balls and has been unfortunate
enough to be hit once by a pitched
ball. The hits and the bases on balls
he has gained as first-place man
make him one of the best in the game
today, not excepting the well known
three and two" Max Bishop of the
Athletics.
Speed still Unused.
The only thing the Nationals yet have
to get from Myer is full use of the
speed and base-running knowledge that
made him the leading base stealer of
the American League last year. To
date Buddy has Swiped but two bases.
He tried one other time, but was nip
ped in the act. When he finally gets
into a base-running stride common
surate with the base-hitting stride he
developed Just before he was injured
in the Chicago series he surely should
make good the claim of the Washing
ton president, Clark Griffith, that the
club was not outguesSed in the deal
that sent five players to the Red Sox
in exchange for this young third Sacker.
Postponement of yesterdays engage
ment here did not change Acting Man
ager Milan'S plans for the series.
This morning he still intended to
send Adolph Liska and Garland Brax-
ton against the st. Louis club in the
order named and TO return to the
Washington lineup that seemed func-
tioning in good style before Myer was
hurt. Milan is something of a stand
patter and it is quite certain he will
follow his original plans for this series.