Evening star., 1933-05-16
BURNETT |SFLASH
IN TRIBAL |NF|ELD
Swanson of Chisox, Fox of
Tigers, Levey of Browns
Standout Players.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.


HERE is a lot of "kick" in
the Western clubs of the
i American League this year
which probably will be felt
by the Nationals during the cur
rent invasion of Griffith Stadium
by the inlanders. The group
boasts some fine new talent and
some greatly improved youngsters
that hurt the East's cause no
little the past two weeks.
Four Western players in par
ticular have substantially bettered
their clubs. Johnny Burnett Of
the Indians, Evar Swanson OF the
White Sox, Erwin Fox of the
Tigers and Jim Levey of the
Browns were StandoutS as East
and West claShed for the first
time this season.
Burnett. after hanging around the
Tribe for several campaigns, finally
has rounded into splendid playing form.
Tried all the way from second base to
third base in the past. and found want
ing afield as well as at bat. the young
fellow the Indians brought up from the
University of Florida now Is proving a
corking good shortstop and dangerous
hitter in pinches if not a consistently
sturdy batter.
While the Indians were training down
in New orleans this Spring it looked as
though Burnett again would warm the
bench, for Bill Knickerbocker, brought
1nIo pn
at short, and there was no other place
Johnny could land But Burnett was in
there before the championship season
was far under way, and he has stood
up under fire He appeared to advan-
tage at second base. too, when shifted
there while Bill Cissell, the regular
middle-sack guardian. was nursing an
injured leg.
Johnny has been moving swiftly
afield and at bat recently, and now fills
in between those sterling veterans, Cis-
sell and William Kamm, better than
any other shortstop the Indians have
has helped greatly to make the Tribe
the formidable pennant contender it Is
today.
IN Evar Swanson, the White Sox have
i fit outfielding mate for the clever
defensive and dangerous offensive
pair, AL Simmons and Mule Haas. The
big Swedish boy is fleet afoot, good
f1yhawk, a strong thrower and a power
at bat
He has progressed far since last sea-
son when he was little more than
part-time performer for the Sox. Then
he was a most uncertain fielder and
only occasionally loomsd as a power IN
attack. This year, however, he Is big
time" all over and in doing plenty to
make the White Sox an ,up-and-comtng
aggregation ready to give any rival q
bitter argument.
When the Tigers get here next week
they will have with them one of the
fastest players in the American League
if not in both major circuits. Erwin
they call him Petey, Thoughts flash
in center field and on the runway. He
ranges deep and wide in the outf1eld
being something of the Sammy West
type. And he can throw that ball, too,
both accurately and for distance. Fox
a hit just when it will do most harm
to the opposition. Altogether, this
rookie grabbed from the Beaumont Club
is about the best looking youngster to
come up to the Tigers in many moons.
WASHINGTON fandom knows Jim
w Levey of the Browns right well.
1t has seen him play lot of good
base ball in Griffith Stadium. This sea-
son finds him at his peak. though. He
is playing such a sparkling game at
shortstop that most of the diamond
sports critics reckon him one of the
best fielders at that position in the
business. He covers a remarkable
amount of territory to the rear and both
sides and it is rare treat to see him
race in for slow rollers.
Jim was one Of the big reasons why
the Nationals got nothing more than
an even break in the recent four game
series with the Browns.