The Washington times., 1930-12-27
WASHINGTON
CLUB MOST
IMPROVED
BY JOE HOLMAN

bHvAt HOW@D
BY JOE HOLMAN
Two outstanding thrills we're
provided in the 1880 majcr
league races.
They were:
/. The sensational second place
finish Of the Washington club
which was almost unanimously
picked to wind up seventh.
2. The uphill championship
fight Of Gabby Streets st. Louis
Cardinals.
Trades Help
True it is that the Philadelphia
Athletics beat out Washington
for the American League flag and
followed up by successfully de-
Tending their worlds title against
the Red Birds in series play, four
games to two. The fact remains,
however, that the teams men,
toned above stimulated interest
In what otherwise might have
resulted in drab competition,
The Griffmen, bOIStered by
early season trades, twice
forged ahead Of the AS.
The Grove, Earnshaw, COch-
rane, Simmons, FOxx COM
binatiOn predominated in the
stretch, though, and Connie
Mack Steered his men to their
second pennant in o row.
Washington was most active In
swapping, putting over three
deals before the trade season
closed, June is. Most important
was the deal sending Outfielder
Goose Goslin to st. Louis in ex-
change for Outfielder Heine
Manush and Pitcher Alvin
Crowder.
Barnes, Harris Shift
Another outfield transfer shifted
Red Barnes to Chicago for Dave
Harris while Catcher Benny Tate
and Pitcher Garland Braxton also
were sent to the White Sox in
return for First BaSeman Whata-
man Shires. AS if this were not
enough Clark Griffith purchased
Pitcher Carl Fischer from New
ark for the equivalent Of $4,000
and paid Kansas City sos, 900
in cash and players for First
Baseman Joe Kuhel.
ShireS, though he batted
.3()2 and tODDed the 800 mark
for his third consecutive
year, was sold outright to
Milwaukee Of the American
Association only recently.
Washington's spark-plug in its
splendid rise as a pennant con-
tender was ShortStop Joe Cronin,
voted the leagues most valuable
player. He hit .346, drove over
plenty Of runs and fielded ex-
pertly. Sammy Rice, veteran
outfielder, topped his mates Of
fensively with a .349 average.
Pitchers Sam Jones, Fred Mar
berry, Irving Hadley and Lloyd
Brown all accounted for is games,
Brown leading the pack with an
even 16.
Closely Bunched
While the Griffmen and AS
had things their own way in the
American, the National League
race was somewhat. hotter. At one
time Brooklyn, Chicago, New York
and st. Louis were all closely
punched and not until the waning
days of the campaign could st.
Louis overhaul and pass the
Robins.
The world series found the
the AS rallying behind Bob
Grove and George EarnShaw
to win the first two games
in Philadelphia. The scene
then shifted to st. Louis,
where the Cardinals set their
admirers wild by landing the
next two.
Some beautiful southpaw speed
ball singing by Wild Bill Hallat
han and the clever headwork of
old Jess Haines evened it up
for the Cardinals. Earnshaw
started the next game and de-
lvered beautifully before being
relieved by Grove, who got credit
for the verdict when his mates
rallied in the late periods.
Big George Features
Connie Mack came right back
with Earnshaw when the teams
returned to Philadelphia and big
George proved himself the out
standing series hero by again
coming through.
Individual features found
AL Simmons, Athletics, edging
out Lou Gehrig, Yankees, for
the batting championship.
Whereas Simmons clipped
1881, larruping Lou connected
for .379.
Grove won % games and lost |
8 to lead his leagues pitchers in |
percentage and also was most ef-
fective, permitting only 500
earned runs per game.
Bill Terry, Giant first Sacker,
headed the National League S
batsmen with phenomenal .401
mark, while Hack Wilson. Cubs,
supplanted Babe Ruth as the
major league home run king.