Evening star., 1933-05-17
PLAY OF RESERVES
SEASON SENSATION
Travis, in Debut, Is Highly
Successful, as Was Boken
on Western Tour.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

SC1 CdAAlly oOSoAA Poy VAN
opposition to cripple the Ma
tionals' infielders. Out goes
one who has been playing a
great game-and up bobs another
to give an even greater perform
ance.
While the club was out West,
Bob Boken jumped into the in
jured Buddy Myers shoes at sec
ond base to put up fashy game
afield and become a potent factor
in attack.
AS the club opened its long
home stand yesterday, Cecil
Travis stepped into handle the
crippled Ossie Bluege's job at third
base, fielded brilliantly and helped
himself to five hits.
The Nationals infield reserves are do
ing more than their share, 1t would
seem, to keep their club around the top
Of the American League.
During the Western swing Boken, IN
nine games at the middle sack, fire.
ouentiy proved stumbling block to the
enemy offensive, and by batting .324
was mixed in the making OF many OF
the Nationals runs. His hitting was
directly responsible for three OF the six
victories scored by his club during its
first invasion of the West this year.
AS the Nationals took the measure OF
the Indians, IL to 10, in yesterdays IL
inning struggle, young Travis, fresh
from the Washington farm at Chat
tanooga, cracked four of the five pitch
ers rushed into action by Manager
Peckinpaugh, and his hitting figured In
four of his clubs runs. Three OF the
tallies he toted in himself.
Travis took care of everything that
came toward the third sack, and did so
in the best of style, too He looked
veteran in handling his five chances.
Travis brilliant debut probably means
that Bluege will have plenty of time to
bring his injured leg around to proper
condition.
TRAVIS display of offensive power
i In his first appearance in Griffith
Stadium was all the more remark
able as a spike wounded finger on his
right hand made it difficult Tor him TO
grip bat firmly. 1t was right after he
had scared to the head of the Southern
Association batters with an average OF
.452 that he had the finger hurt IN a
play at third base. The injury SO handl-
capped him he fell off more than 100
points in his stick work in little more
than a week.
But the youngster went after the
Cleveland pitching with vengeance
Yesterday, though every time he swung
his bat against the ball the impact
caused severe pain in the lacerated
~ cuIY 0iY O.
spite the physical agony bound to
follow clearly revealed the recruits
gameness. ..
Travis was out there to help his
ball club as best he could. regardless
of what suffering his efforts might
tnflict upon him.
Most of Travis safeties we're well
hit His first. made in the second
inning. was grounder that Morgan,
Tribe first sacker got SO far away
from base he did not have time to
get there ahead Of the youngster and
the pitcher crossed too late to get
throw. The second and third hits,
made in the third and fourth innings.
were line drives to center. They w9re
hits in any company. The fourth hit,
made in the sixth inning, was looper
to short center. and the fifth, made
in the tenth inning. was drive TO
left field.
Travis made his first four hits the
first four times up. The first two
were cleaned off Belve Bean and the
third off George Connally. The fourth
was at Howard Craghead's expense.
The last was made off Mel Harder.
Only Clint Brown, fourth Of the hurl-
ers sent in by Cleveland, did not
yield the youngster a safety, yet
Travis got hold of one Of this hurler's
pitches and made first when the drive
was fumbled b. the second baseman.
Travis went up for the seventh and
last time in the twelfth inning to be
thrown out, but it was sturdy drive
Harder had to knock down for the re-
tirement.
4 FIELD, Travis was as clever at
n handling bunts as he was at
scooping up the harder hit ground
ers Twice the Indians attempted to
get away with short taps toward third
base, but each time the boy recalled
from the Chattanooga club tore IN Tor
lightning grabs and throws.
Evidently bent upon Imposing Travis
at the outset, the first Cleveland batter
of the game bunted Travis, though:
rushed in for Dick Porter's tap, picked
it up smoothly and threw to get MS
man with plenty to spare.
1t was in the fifth inning. though
that Travis made his finest fielding play
and again it was en- bunt. This time,
Earl Averill, one of the fastest runners
in the league. tapped the ball along the
third base line. Up came Travis ike
a flash for one-hand grab and ne
followed with a remarkable throw to
first. a strike" that got an eyelaSh de-
cision over the fleet Indian. ..
Travis has come along fast since his
training days at Biloxi in the Spring.