Evening star., 1932-07-16
GR|FFS' GARDENER
. GREAT ON DEFENSE
Sammy Saves Day as Club
Wins Seventh in Row at
Browns Expense.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.
T@HERE may be better defen-
sive outfielders than Sammy
j West, but they are not play
ing in the American League.

Sive outfielderS than Sammy
West, but they are not play
ing in the American League.
The fleet and strong-armed
middle gardener who just about
saved the day for the Nationals
Yesterday when in the eighth in
ming he grabbed Bruce Campbell's
burning liner, then, with a mag
nifcent throw, cut down at the
plate Fred Schultz, trying to tote
across the run that would have
put the Browns ahead, is in a
class by himself in his own circuit.
When followers of the junior
major loop pick their favorite de-
fensive pastureman, West gets the
vote.
Sammys sterling exhibition yesterday
was merely another sample OF his day
in-and-day- work. He has been 60
ing great guns all season. and given
fair break the remainder of the way
WSSl Will NC AASoN "a sAAS ~S'>~>o
delders again.
West now holds the major league rec
ord for outfielding. Back in 1928 he
showed at the end Of the campaign
fielding percentage of 1896. BY far the
finest performance on the books.
In his 80 games this year-injuries
kept him out of five engagements-West
has fielded for an average OF 1886. He
has had total of 268 chances and has
made 254 putuots. 10 assists and er-
rorS
Sammy has gone through his last so
games without a slip-up. His last error
was made in the second part OF a twin
bill in New York on May 10.
Vests value to the Nationals defense
Is, indeed, great.
only one game out of second place
~ after their 8-to-7 triumph over the
Browns. the Nationals now are
three percentage points out OF the hrst
division instead of two, as they were
before yesterdays tussling. They still
are even on a game basis with the
fourth-place Tigers, though.
The johnson band has played four
more games than the Harrismen and
unfortunately has lost two more. There's
the rub
For the first time this season the Ma
tionals have a winning streak of seven
games. Also for the first time this sea-
son they have defeated the Browns in
two successive tlIssles. After that Capt.
tai fandom may look for almost anything
from its ball club.
With their pitching faltering late in
yesterdays fray, victory was almost
After piling up healthy lead in the
first two innings, the Johnson outfit
pulled up, and when the Browns finally
got the gauge of the local pitching, the
situation became acute.
AL Crowder, after hurting masterful
ball for five innings, weakened some In
the sixth and in the eighth lost all con-
troll of his game. Dick Coffman and
Monte Weaver proved everything but
relief hurlers. so AL Thomas was rushed
in. and he scored his second successive
win over the pesky st. Louis bunch.
But that great play by West was the
real game-Sayer.
TT was a hitting affair, that sec
i ond tilt of the St. Louis series, With
each side knocking out 16 safeties.
The Nationals got 10 of their hits in
the first two rounds. The Browns got
a dozen of theirs in the last four, max
ing 10 in the two sessions in which they
did their scoring.
George Blaeholder opened fire for the
visitors, and he was warmly greeted.
Six of the first seven Nationals to
step to the plate walloped, the break
coming after four had driven the ball
to safety When Ossie Bluege, seventh
up tripled, Manager Killefer decided
Blaeholder had been on the hill long
Roy Spencer Immediately found Gray
enough, so Sam Gray was trotted out
for a single, and the sixth run OF the
batting bee crossed.
Two singles and double were made
off Gray in the second inning, but only
one run resulted, for the Nationals were
retired when they had the bases full.
Thereafter the johnson band was
checked for some time. but the Browns
weren't. With doubles leaping from
the bats of the first three men up IN
the sixth, they got two runs, and after
one was out in the eighth they really
went to work on CroWder. With four
hits-one a double and another triple
in a row, they put over three tallies,
and the General left with st. Louis
runner rooSting on first base.
Coffman went to the slab to make
four pitches and pass George Fisher,
batting for Gray. Then Weaver as
sumed Dicks post, to be Whacked for a
sent Fisher to third. Burns doubled
to push over the tieing marker; out
went Weaver and to the hill marched
Thomas.
Campbell slammed liner to deep
cented and West did his stuff.
1T was the Nationals old pal, Bump
i Hadley, who took the beating in the
eighth INNING. And after he had
retired two batters, too. Bump made
the mistake of passing Sam Rice, the
first batter up. Buddy Myer, after twice
trying to sacrifice. let third strike go
by. and Heinie Manushs best was a
hoist to the right fielder. But Cronin
drove double to the left-fleld corner
and Rice romped to the plate.
Melillos single after two were out
was all the Browns could do to Thomas
in the ninth . West, in addition to
making his great play in the eighth,
had a perfect day at bat with single
and three doubles Spencer was
bowled over when he tagged out Schultz
in the eighth and had to take time out,
but he came back for the last round .
Cronin, attempting to score from Sec
ond, only to be nipped by Goslin's heave.
when Kuhel singled in the eighth, ran
over the Nationals mascot and severely
chooLy 1I0 the v0IlOpSter but the