Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-29

natural talent, but that
q player can learn to field. In
Buddy Myer, the Washington
club has a player who makes the
wiseheads right both ways. Buddy
is a natural hitter, but he had to
do a deal of grinding to become
the WITHHOLDING second Sacker he
Is today.
when Myer first came up to the Ma
tionals from New Orleans of the South
ern Association in 1925 he was supposed
to be the last word among the short
Htons of the Dixie circuit. Twas re-
ported to the Washington club owner
ship that Buddy could cover ground
like a tent, grab scorching graSs-cutters,
spear the hottest of lirfSrs and get
under the ball descending from a dizzy
height.
Buddy turned out to be the last
word, all right. The very last. He
was far from being big league short
He stuck with the Nationals, though.
until early In the season Of 1927, when
he was sent to the Red Sox In trade.
The next year the Boston club used
him at third base. At times he did
right well at the hot corner, but he
was an in-and-outer there. When
walter johnson took over the man
agement of the Nationals he thought
Myer might be used at third, so that
OSsie Bluege could return to his original
berth at short Back came Buddy to
Washington in exchange for a young
ball club, and again he couldn't make
the grade.
Finally when injury forced Bluege
from the lineup last year, Jack Hayes
shifted from second to third base and
Myer was assigned to the middle sack.
What a time he had there for weeks.
He seemed unable to find his way
around, letting chances to his left that
should have been cared for go sliding
10 the outfield for hits and rarely near
ing chances to his right. AS to pivot
ing in double-plays, he was all but
helpless. He moved as though wearing
enowShoes.
IND Buddy quit? Not at all. He
- realized he had been given fine
opportunities to make good at short
and third and that he had Topped.
BUT he determined to make good at
che middle post. 1t was no easy task
for him, though. He floundered about
for weeks before making any showing
at all, and it was not until near the
olose of last season that any Roadway
IN Second-basing by Myer was notice.
able.
Suddy stuck to the job gamely.
Enough, and in training down South
6his year he attacked it vigorously once
more. Slowly but steadily he improved
IN the exhibition engagements, and
about q week before the championship
campaign started Myer was rated
right fair second-Sacker. Only right falr.
LOW he has developed since the flag
i l. race started. He showed in the
FIRST game he had about mastered the
art of pivoting in double play, for his
first chance had him in the middle OF
one of these fielding feats. And the
next day at Boston he demonstrated
several times he could go to his right
for plays in satisfactory manner. Since
Buddy has made startling stops to the
right and remarkable ones TO the lett.
He has covered ground in an amazing
manner and today fills the bill cleverly
ut second.
That Myer is a natural hitter nobody
doubts. He has batted well in the big
show, and for the IL games to date this
season shows an average of 800. 1t is
as a fielder, though, that he has been
such a pleasant surprise this year. In
all, SO chances have come his way.
Many of them quite difficult to handle,
too. Buddy has cared for all.
A player can learn to field. Buddy
proves It. He had to struggle, though,
and only through sheer pluck did he
win his spurs as a middle-sack guardian
CEvEN wins in row and still in first
- place. Beating the Yankees yester-
day in the opener of a three-game series
wasn't SO easy as beating the AS. The
Yanks fought back plenty and the Ma
tionals had all they could do to bag
6-to-6 victory.
They were in front early and healthily
~ tkNa nf 11A Taft ~ dnd
Wells, who once wore a Washington
uniform, but Fred Marberry dropped
after four rounds to such an extent
that the Yanks got to him for enough
runs to make them dangerous. In fact,
all that saved the Nationals bacon was
q tally cleaned off the rookie Lew Nc
Evoy, who toiled two innings after Wells
had hurled four. Henry johnson, who
hurled the last two innings for the
visitors, had the Nationals eating out
of his hand. The home side got but
seven hits of the first two Yankee
pitchers, but it made all count.
It was Garland BraXton who rushed
20 Marberry'S relief in the seventh, and
his unsteady start made the cold Shlvers
down the backs of the several thousand
fans present colder, but after Babe Ruth
nicked him for a triple, the Yanks'
eleventh hit, he frightened and yielded
nothing more.
IA RUN was chalked up by the Yanks
n in the second when Gehrig crossed
from third while LaZzeri was being
gun down to complete a double-play,
but with a pass to Myer, Cronin's dou-
pie and Judges single the Nationals
countered with 2 before the inning
ended They got 3 more off Wells in
the fourth Myers single, Cronin's
third homer of the season, a drive to
She far reaches of right-center field,
Judges single, Bluege's pinking by the
pitcher and two sacrifice flies accounted
tor the tallying.
The big run off McEvoy was due to
Rice's single, his theft of second and
Cronin's third extra base blow, triple,
IN the fifth. Not until the seventh
snning did they stop Cronin. Then he
Souled to Dickey, bLt three hits for nine
bases was good days work anyway.
Marberry carried a 6-to-3 advantage
into the seventh, but Dickey, first up,
smashed a homer over the scoreboard
and Larry picked up McEvoy's bat TO
whack a single. This brought in Brax-
ton. He passed Combs, but double
play helped. Then Ruth tripled over
the last run of the game.
DON SAVIDGE, young right-hand
~ pitcher, is to leave the Nationals
soon says President Griffith. Don
NAV 90 to the New Haven club of the
Eastern League, for George Weiss, who
owns it, is dickering with the Wash
4ngton prexy for the pitchers services
If negotiations with Weiss fall through
another minor outfit will get the blonde
twirler.