The Washington times., 1930-08-20
Great" he answered. II
wish started at third In
stead Of second"

OFGAG, me- hMSWCFSus
wish 1 started at third In
stead Of second"
His one reasoon for feeling that
way, he told me. was that he
believed he could play third so
much better if he had not de-
voted all those years to second.
He thinks he has a lot to learn
about the new job and we all
think he is a star already.
The shift of Lazerri from sec
ond base to third should add sew
eral years to his stay in the
majors. Tony has been star at
second for quite a long time.
and now he is playing great ball
and able to do everything ex-
pected of him at third.
Tony's experience this year, in
being assigned to a new position
and starring there. is but one Of
a number in the two big leagues.
I have never known so many
changes, particularly infielders,
since I first began to follow the
big league dOings. Almost every
lineup viii show some player who
was shifted since last season.
Third base seems to be the favor
ite for these shifts but every in
field position has been affected
by the change.
Woody English last year
played a star role at short
stop while the Cubs were win
ming the pennant. Now he is
third baseman. And
mighty good one. too. Joe
Sewell was a shOrtStOp for
years and he was tried out
at third late last season. All
this year he has been putting
mp bang up game at third
for the Indians. ,..~e--..
Sparky Adams was always re.
garded as a second, baseman until
this year AMI he even had Frisch
sent to third at the start of the
season. Then F'risch was put
back at second. though he played
a.. great third base with the
Giants for a long time, and
Adams went to third. ..
Take Bill Cissell, of the White
Sox, as another example of a
player who was shifted and be-
came a star. CiSsell was short
stop until DOME Bush took
charge of the White Sox last
spring.
you're a second Sacker
from now on" DOME told
CisselI, and Bill is quite an
artist at second.
I like him a lot better there
than when he was at short. They
are also using him at third base.
Horace Ford, of the Reds, is
smother. AS long as Hughey
Critz was with the Reds Ford
was the shortstop, and a good
enough shortstop to be part of
the games best double play COM
bination. After Critz was sent to
the Giants, Ford was shifted to
second base and Durocher sent
to short. Ford has been putting
up q fine game in his new posi-
ton, so National League players
tell me.
Joe Strip, of the Reds, is an
other. Joe was third baSeman
when this season started, now he
is the regular first baseman OF
TIE Reds. And he : good enough
there to let Dan Howley release
George Kelly. Johnny Watwood
was an outfielder in the training
camp last spring. but now he Is
also playing first base FOR the
White Sox.
The Indians had Eddie
Morgan everywhere last year
except first base, where Lew
FOnSeCa starred. Now Nor
Can is the regular first base
man.
There has been other shifts of
players this year from the places
where they starred for years
Clyde Beck is no longer a third
baSeman, but a ShortStop. Earle
Combs was marvellous center
fielder, but now he plays either
left or right. s.a,
There hasn't been another sea
son in the, past IS years where so
many players became stars in new
positions.
1Copyright. 1880, BY The christy
walsh, syndicate)