The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-26
BY ERsKINE JOHNSON

HollyWOOd-A S1D,UUO platinum
blon dgoes up to the major leagues
from Movietown this season. Not
the film kind Ii the blond, but an
enthusiastic kid who has quite a
baseball record hereabouts. He is
21-year-old George Tucker Stain
back, a decidedly handsome gen.
tleman who may see lot of ac-
ton this year in the Chicago Cubs
outfield.
Purchased last season by the
Cubs in q deal with the Los An
geles Angels for $4,000 cash and
three players, Stainback was left
with the latter club In 1893 for ex-
perience. Now he's ripe for his
major league Sebut, Cub officials
think, and big things are expected
of him.
Pacific coast fans, at least, ex-
pect young Stainback to be a sem
sation.
"Tuck" CHATS his nickname)
always could be depended upon to
hit safely in a pinch in the Pacific
Coast league. His 1893. batting av-
erage of 1895 speaks for itself, But
that's not his only asset.
He can run the 100 in 10 fiat.
He can burn 'em in to home plate
from the outfeld with little effort.
His 1888 fielding average of $50
doesn't do him Justice, as many
Coast league games are played at
night and the lighting in some Of
the parks isn't what it should be.
oddly enough, this youngster
didn't start playing baseball until
his last term in high school. Pre-
viously, he had done almost every
thing else in the field of sports.
He played prep football on the
same team with Homer Griffith
and Rosy Rosenberg, last years
Trojan grid greats. He performed
on the track team and spent his
vacation rescuing fair damsels as
a Los Angeles county lifeguard.
But baseball finally got him in
his senior year and he wound up
as an all-city high school outfielder
after trying out as a pitcher.
The Angels got wind of his base
ball ability, and he was sent to the
now defunct Bisbee club of the Ari-
zona-Texas League in the spring of
1881. The season OF 1882 found him
playing right field for the Angels
and hitting at 1856 clip.
His sale to the Cubs climaxed
that season. and last year saw him
preparing for his major league
debut by becoming the pride Of
the Pacific coast.
Naturally, "Tuck" is almost 60
ing daffy waiting for the season to
start. "The Cubs expect much of
me and l hope / can make good"
says he. 1--WE been playing golf,
handball, and some baseball since
the season closed, and am in top
shape.
"Of course, my greatest ambition
has been to play in the majors. I'm
going to hustle my head Off, now
that my big chance has arrived,
and l only hope 1 can make the
grade"
With Chuck Klein slated to do q
lot OF playing in center field for
the Cubs, and Babe Herman in
right, Stanback expects that he will
alternate with Riggs Stephenson or
Xxi Cuyler in the other outfieId
post. although my regular post
with the Angels has been in the
right field" he says, II like center
field best of ALL"
Stinback, born and raised in Hol-
lywood. spends his spare time
plunking away on guitar and
swapping photographs when he
isn't't playing golf or swimming.
He has a "best girl" but they are
not engaged.
An 81-year-old grandmother.
Mrs Mary NJ. Minnick of Los
Angeles, will miss him lot when
he goes east. Despit her age,
"Tuck's" grandma is an ardent
baseball fan and has seen all of
his local games.