Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-09
NAT VET ISSTORDY
AF|ELD AND At BAT
Counted Among Anoients Of
Game, Third Stacker by No
Means Through"
BY JOHN D. KELLER.

- campaign after the Ma
- tionals had been well
thumped by the Athletics
scribes around the country poked
much fun at the washington club,
dubbing it Grifnth's collection Of
cripples and crudities. Some in
timated that the washington
president must have gone to a
haven for the aged for much Of
his talent and included among
those mentioned as tottering toss
ers one Ossie Bluege.
Bluege was well past his prime as q
ball player, twas printed, and would be
fortunate If he finished the season. He
certainly could not be figured as q
major Lacquer after the campaign, any.
way. Yet Ossie carried on mighty well
for an "old" man and II he isn't still
to be regarded big timer the American
League has very few players OF class.
When the bell rings next Spring this
Bluege person, barring accident or act
Of Providence. will be seen ut the third
corner for the Nationals spearing liners
and handling hot grounders In his not
30 spectacular but nevertheless quite
effective style and stepping into the
ball neatly at the plate. There's
nothing In the washington squad right
now that threatens Blueges reign at
third base.
FOLLOWING the 1929 season in
! which he was forced to idle much
Of the time because Of q leg injury
Bluege underwent an operation that
restored his trick knee TO good condition
and never during the past campaign did
the third sacker have any trouble with
his under pinning. True, for time ct
the start Of the 1880 campaigning Ossie
nursed his mended leg to some extent
Yet he Yielded well and 'batted well
even then.
AS the season went on Bluege's play
picked UP so that not another third
sacker In the American League at least
had anything on him rs fielder and
his underpinning. True, for q time at
that done BY other guardians Of the hot
corners in the majors. How can the
position be wrested from . player Of
such class?
The dope book shows Biuege's grand
major league batting average to be only
In the 270s, but the figures do not
nearly indicate his true strength 1T the
plate. In the past three seasons Ossie
swung for averages in the zoos. His
mark for 1928 was .2o7, his 1929 rating
was 205 and IN the past campaign he
esung the ball for neat average Of
AGA. A very handler batter to have
axosind club.
How do they get this "old" stun
about Bluege anyway? He was
just 80 years old last month which
isn't aged as ball players 60, by any
means. DO you ever hear Of 6parky
Adams Of the Cardinals. Del Bissonette
Of the Dodgers, Hughey Critz Of the
BIN Regain Of the RED sox, PIE Traynor
OF the Pirates or Willie Kamm Of the
White gox being called "Olds" Yet
each Of these sterling infielders has been
on this mans earth longer than BlueRe.
Perhaps it's because Casie has been
with the Washington club 90 long that
many regard him as an "old" man.
1luege y not that Only an 'told"
player: IhAtss Al. He was bought
from pe0r1a in 1922 and farmed 70
Minneapolis OF the American Associa-
ton. Recalled at the end Of that sea-
son and since has performed brilliantly
Nationals at the outset OF the 1928 sea-
% nni1d since has performed brilliantly.
Bluege has had spells Of play ct short
stop and second base, but by far the
greater part Of his work has been at
third. and hen Go more there, too.
OTHER than Jack HAYES, the Ma
~ ticnals have little with which to
replace Bluege at third I'm an
emergency. Hayes has filled IN at the
not corner often and looks almost as
good there Is ct second base and short
stop. And Hayes Is particularly good at
second base. In fact. this young fellow
- about as fine an emergency infielder
. club could have. 30 the Nationals are
fgEnf wlrasII &nA -
forced out OF commission at any time
y was thought for time that Jimmy
Mcleod. the young iniselder brought up
from Little Rock, would make 8 par
6cular1y clever substitute ak the hot
corner. During training last Spring
Mcleod performed fiashily In exhibition
engagements. Remarkable stops and
nne throws galore were accomplished by
young Jimmy. But in action ut third
Ieod was not 50 impressive.
However, IL would not be fair to Judge
Mcleod by what he showed in his few
championship game Appearances Few
players are able to step out and show
their best after idling on the bench for
months And Jimmy did q deal Of
idling last Summer. Perhaps II used
more regularly he would play up TO the
standard set I'm the Spring exhibitions.
sTyHE Nationals have on their roster
i two other infielders, one an out
and-out third baseman supposed
", and the other q second basenan.
Ray Treadaway, bought from Chatta-
l1ooga and employed at the hot corner
the last two weeks Of the past season,
failed to handle the job very we'll Ray
had done much third-basing for the
LOokoufs and was presumably good ct
the Job But he found q great differ
ence in third-basing in the Southern
Association and the American League.
The second baseman added to the
roster Is wally Dashiell, also purchase
from Chattanooga. whether Wally
would be handy 10 have around in
event Of q third-base emergency isn't
known. He performed around the mid
die sack throughout the season with
the I.ookouts. Nevertheless, Dashiell
may show enough in training at Biloxi
next Spring 70 stamp him as likely
utility third sacker.
At present, though. 1t does not seem
President Clark Grihath and Manager
waiter johnson win have to do any
worrying about Q third baseman for the
e Ace nl.smnn A@~asx