The Washington times., 1931-08-11
LEAGUE
IN 7 TEA N
HITTING
BY GARRETT WATERS
Times staff Correspondent

Times Staff Correspondent
CHICAGO. ILL.,. Aug. 1.-THE
Griffmen may be pretty far away
from the top rung in this years
pennant race, but there is one
thing they can crow about at
this time that the powerful AS
can't.
Looking over the averages Of
last Sunday. it is revealed that
Manager Johnson's team is the
leader in many things, if not the
leader in the current flag
scramble.
First of all, our Griffmen top
every other team in the league
not to mention the AS in the
matter of hitting, with the
goodly mark of .296. The AS
trail fourth with an average of
.289.
Also said Griffmen lead the
AS by 35 points in the number of
hits, top them by 81 points in
the number of three base hits.
one point in the number of runs
batted in, and 33 points in the
matter of stolen bases.
The AS are better in batting
out two-baSe drives and home
runs, however. They hold an 49,
point advantage in the former
instance and 33-point advantage
in home runs.
Pitching Weak
But leading in the things they
do brings out a contention of
Clark Griffith, who has said all
along that the Griffmen are as
good a team extensively and
defensively, if not better, than
the AS.
Also it brings out that pitch
ing has been the chief thing
which has kept Connie Mack's
men on top, and finally it
brings out why the Griffmen
have not done as, well as they
might this year-their pitching,
alongside of that turned in by
the AS, has been weak.
The actual figures might help
illustrate the above comparisons.
Here they are:
Hits 2BH sBH HR RBI sB Av.
AS. 1000 234 10 80 5sS II .2SS
This comparison business is not
finished by any means. Just
scan an eye through the follow
ing. The Griffs' two first base
men, Judge and Kuhel lead the
AS duo of initial guardians, FoXx
and Todt, in the matter of hit
ting. Although Judge has played
but 81 games this season, his
average of .406 is better than any
of the four to be compared.
Kuhels batting mark is .29l.
while Foxx, who is playing third
base for Manager Mack at this
time, has an average of .285.
Phil Todt's average is .224. The
Griffs lead at first base by a
big margin.
BIuege Way Up
At second base Max Bishop
leads Buddy Myer with plenty
to spare, but Williams the sub
stitute infielder is far down the
list, Hayes is under Williams.
The averages of the quartet read
Bishop, .292; Myer, .280; Will
liams, .245 and Hayes, .221.
Ossie BIuege has third base
hitting hOnOrS all locked up as
his average Of 1903 tops Jimmie
Dykes by some % points.
Dykes average is PTS. Bluege.
incidentally, Is the second best
hitting third baSeman of the
league, being led only by Ralph
KresS. of the st. Louis Browns
who has an average of .SO5.
Frisco Joe Cronin is the short
stop leader by far. His average
Of 800 not only leads Boley ard
McNair Of the AS by many points,
but every other shortstop in the
league. McNair is hitting .280 for
the AS while Boley's mark is .242,
Roy Spencer is not in the run
ming in the catchers' department.
But this is to be expected with
Mickey Cochrane hanging around
for the AS. Cochrane's average
is 1886; Spencer's, .292. Incl
dentally, Mickey has the best BAT,
ting average of the catchers in
the league.
Simmons and Haas lead the
Griffmen in the outfield depart
ment, although Dave Harris. in
40 games, holds an imposing
average Of .351. Sammy West is
the best outfielding batsman Of
the Griffs. His average is .359.
Simmons mark is .379 and Haas,
1926. Manush, with 1902, and
Rice, with ,296. lead Bing Miller,
uyboca ounraOo &c 0,oI1y DOT