Evening star., 1932-10-08

been the only occupant of the post ex-
cepting a few games he missed while Ill
or nursing injuries.
Native of San Francisco.
Cronin, a native of San Francisco,
which has sent so many stellar players
to the major leagues, jumped out of
his high school days right into big
time base ball. Before he was 10 years
old he had baen picked up py the Pitts
burgh Pirates of the National League
and he was on the home bench at
Forbes Field in Pittsburgh when the
Nationals were beaten for the world
championship in 1925
The Pirates clung to Cronin for some
time, for they believed they had in
him most promising young ball play
er. He was wizard afield while with
them, but he failed to measure up to
big league requirements as a hitter and
the Pirates, after efforts to groom him,
let him get away from them.
Pittsburgh farmed Grimm to Johns
town of the Middle Atlantic League
part of the 1925 season and the first
part of the 1926 season they had him
with New Haven of the Eastern League.
Joe batted so well in the minors that
the Pirates recalled him before the 1926
season ended and they retained him
throughout the following year. In
April. 1928, though, they sold him to
Kansas City and it was not long be-
fore he came to the Nationals.
Regarded as Find.
With Kansas City, Cronin was dis
covery' Of Joe Engels. The Washing
ton clubs scout, going through the
Midwest in search of pitchers for the
Nationals, saw Cronin work in a few
games at third base for the Blues and
knowing the youngster wouldn't cost
much, advised Griffith to make the
purchase.
HE doesn't look like hitter, but he
sure can field" said Engel at the time
land perhaps you'll find the boy handy
to have around"
The year of Cronin's purchase was
the year in which Goose Goslin. left
fielder of the Nationals, was suffering
with an arm ailment that made him
virtually unable to throw ball. How
ever, the Goose was clubbing his way to
an American League batting crown and
was kept in the lineup despite the weak
limb So Bobby Reaves, at that time
playing shortstop for the Washington
club, had to dash deep into left field
whenever a ball was driven to Goslin's
territory that he might act as the all
ing pastmeman's throwing arm.
By midSeason ReaveS was quite low
physically as a result of this extra ef-
fort, so when the young Cronin reported
in July. the regular shortstop was i'm
mediately relieved of duty that he might
have well deserved rest. 1t proved a
permanent rest for Reeves, so far as the
Nationals were concerned.
Develops as Hitter.
Cronin hit but 243 in the 63 games
he played with the Nationals in 1928,
but so brilliant was his performance
afleld that Walter johnson, who was
at the helm at the start of the next
campaign, determined to install the
youngster as regular at shortstop. In
1929 Cronin continued his sterling
fielding and rose to .282 as batter.
He developed into long hitter, TOO,
and timely one, for he drove over
many of his clubs runs that year.
Since Cronin has been a CONSISTENT
.300-class batter In 1880 he scared to
an average of .346, his peak year, and
in 1881 he batted for .306. The past
season, one in which many batters
slumped to marked degree. Joe swung
against the opposition pitching Tor
highly creditable rating OF .32l. These
figures made him really second only to
Heinie Manush, the Nationals best bat
ter in the 1882 campaign.
On Disabled List.
This year. for the first time in three
seasons. Cronin failed to play in all OF
his clubs games. A throat affection
kept him out of action for week at
the outset of the campaign and In June
he had a thumb broken during game
in Boston and had to idle two weeks.
However, in the 142 games in which he
PLAYED, Cronin batted SO well he led his
club at hitting doubles and triples ana
at driving runs home.
In the past campaign Joe cracked out
43 two-baggerS, l8 three-baggers and
his hitting was responsible for the scor-
ing of 120 Washington tallieS-a re-
markable record in a season In which
SO many hitherto stellar batters fell far
below their career averages. Cronln pet-
tered his major league career average IN
batting 321 He now boasts for his fVe
campaigns with the Nationals a bat
ting average of .3o8.
Will Go Home for Winter.
Cronin was at the ball park this
morning for conference with President
Griffith and will remain in washington
several days before heading for his
home in San Francisco, where he will
spend the Winter Since the season
ended last month Joe has had his ton
sils removed and now fears no recur-
renee of the illness that incapacitated
him last Spring.
The "sparkplug" Of the Nationals. as
he was dubbed several years ago be-
cause of his ability to inspire the other
members of the team at critical mo,
ments of contests, naturally is elated
by his appointment to so responsible
q position with the ball club.
"It's simply great to have Mr.. Grifntn
do this" he said And I hope to get
the club on its toes and keep 1t there
all next season. I can't do TOO mucn
for Mr. Griffith and the fellows who
have played alongside me-