Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-27
NAT STAR HAS FINE
RECORD THIS YEAR
Boot Giving Gehrig Chance
to Hit Decisive Homer
Only Costly Error.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.
TOR his one disastrous error
~ of the season. WaShinetOn's

NOI Ills OIlc QlSdSCTOuS tTIOI
r. of the season. Washington's
i tickle fandom-moSt of it
that attended the ball game
yesterday, it seemed-jeered and
booed Joe Cronin.
The one tumble by the Nation
ais shortstop that paved the way
to four Yankee runs, ending a
pitching battle between Al Crowder
and Charley Ruling, caused the
majority of those in the Griffith
Stadium seats to forget all the
good Joe has done his club in the
current campaign.
Not for years had home player
been so undeservedly jeered on
the Washington lot.
Not only has Cronin been a fielding
stalwart this season, but he also has
also been one of the most sturdy at
bat OF the generally light-hitting Ma
ticnals. OF all the regulars Of Manager
Walter Johnson's lineup, only Carl
Reynolds has eXcelled Joe at bat and
only these two Washington regulars are
in the 300 hitting class.
Afield, the Nationals shortstop has
been a particularly steady performer.
He has generally been much more i'm
pressive in his work than other short
fielders when their clubs we're in ccm-
petition with the Washington outfit.
For a time his throwing was unsteady.
but day in and day out Crcnin has
been just about the finest shortstop in
the American League
That booing yesterday certainly
wasn't coming to him. Cronin is too
good in his play to be PANIED for one
disastrous slip.
Tor those who seem to forget what
i Cronin has done afleld this seas-n
a few facts are presented.
Joe has played in 80 of the Nationals
IS games-he was out of the first three
engagements of the campaign while
getting over an attack of tonsilitis. In
those SO games he has had 173 chances.
That's we'll above the number CT chances
coming the way CT an average big league
shortstop over similar stretch Of con-
tests Cronin has accepted just LEG
chances.
He had to step to do that for it
means an average of little more than
five chances accepted per game. If you
dent consider that fine shcrtstopping.
look over the fielding averages of major
league shortstops for the past three or
four campaigns That's about the NEST
the leaders have done, you will dis
cover.
Cronin's 10 errors this season have
accounted for only seven runs for tie
opposition and four OF these seven runs
came from yesterdays tumble. The
nine errors Joe had made in 80 games
had handed the Nationals rivals but
three tallies and none was responsible
for Washington loss. That wouldn' It
hurt club over a long stretch OF
tusSles
Those booing fans yesterday plainly
due him.
DOORS at yesterdays game can't
- offer Cronin's error as an alibi for
the Nationals ninth defeat in their
last dozen engagements. When club IS
licked to 0. as was JohnSon's band,
misplays afield don't beat it. The ball
game goes to the club making the most
runs One can't win with nothing.
on Ruff1ng the Nationals got but five
hits and two passes, and all Of the hits
twice did Washington runner get past
second base and but five reached that
station. Three times Yankee errors en-
abled them to make the midway point.
Can't win ball games that way.
The Nationals aren't hitting these
days, nor are they getting much good
pitching. True. Crowder did right we'll
yesterday in the opener OF the four
game series with the Yanks He limited
them to seven safeties and one pass but
one Of those safeties preceded Cronin S
error, and the pass and another safety
followed 1t Immediately. That was the
ball game, though with two hits in the
ninth the Yanks earned run.
Here's what happened after two were
out in the sixth. the four-run round.
Combs singled, then Seweu sent an
easy roller to Cronin. The shortstop
failed to check the ball cleanly for a
force play at second, and when he
finally retrieved it there was no time for
a throw to first base Crowder went to
a three -and-two count with Ruth, then
walked him to crowd the stations. Along
came Gehrig to reach twc-and-two
count then loft the ball over the right
field barrier for his seventh home run OF
the season.
Crowders slabbing was better than
most put forth by the Nationals in their
last dozen games. In them, the oppcsi-
ton has made 10 runs, So OF them
earned. That's an average OF SGT
earned runs per game of the Washing
ton pitching over the stretch. Nothing
startling in hurting way there.
T ELTY BROWN and the fast Johnny
IL Allen were expected to be pitching
rivals in the Ladies' day battle this
v1tv oil
Joe Mccarthy is i'll in bed here, and
the club is being handled by Art
Fletcher, veteran coach. .Lazzeri has
had to give way to Saltzgaver at second
for the Yanks on account Of foot hurt
during the series with the AS. the
elderly Sewell has supplanted Crosetti
at third for the Yanks, as the rookie
wasn't hitting well. .FerTell, utility in
filder, and Andrews CT the seven-star
pitching staff are among Yank casuals
:. the infielder injured leg in an eX-
hibition game in Cumberland Wednes-
day and Andrews is home in New York
suffering with sciatica. Van Graflan
and Guthrie are umpiring in a series
here for the first time this season. Joe
Engel, president of Washington's Chat
tanooga farm and the Nationals lone
scout, blew in yesterday. he is to comb
the bushes for more talent for the
Washington club. good luck, Joe.
Stars Yesterday