The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-12-24
Jimmy Fox,
MarCun1 To
Aid Team
BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL


Tom Yawkey will be sitting in
front of his fireplace tonight,
keeping a vigil through the dark
hours for Santa Claus. The youth
full owner of the Red Sox expects
nothing less than the 1885 Ameri-
can League pennant. 1t may be
that old Santa and the Yawkey
fountain pen will succeed in bring.
ing that banner to the Boston
fans.
The Red Sox trailed the De
troit Tigers by Is games last year,
but last year the Red Sox did not
have Johnny Marcum, and most
certainly. they did not have
Jimmy Foxx. Unless Shrewd base
ball r1en miss their guess, these
two players represent more than
Is games.
Just look at Marcum first.
Playing with a team that won So
games all year, Marcum turned in
II victories against a dozen de-
featS. His percentage, .586, was
1877 points higher than the aver
age Of the team. Dusty Rhodes,
who figured in the deal for Mar
cum and Foxx, won two games and
lost 10. On the pitching alone
there is gain Of 8l2 games be-
fore the bell rings.
Difficult to Estimate
It is difficult to estimate how
many games Jimmy Foxx will win
for Boston. 1t is a set certainty
that he will add materially to the
run-producing power of the team.
Last year he tied Greenberg for
the lead in hitting home runs,
and he batted in lis counters. His
batting average was .346.
Setting a conservative estimate
on Foxx's victory production. we
would say that Jimmy will put over
the Red Sox at least Is times next
season by his individual proweSS.
Add IL games to the 8 or 10 that
might be termed normal expec-
fancy from Marcum and you see
the Red Sox right in the king
row.
With Foxx hitting on a team
like the Sox, he is going to make
life easier for all pitchers. Yves
Ferrell, for instance, won Is games
last year, and with Fox in the
game, it is entirly likely that the
Carolina ace could have won at
least three more games. Terrell
lost IA games last year.
Lefty Grove won 20 games last
year and lost IL. The Athletics
beat the Red Sox six times and
Fox personally beat Grove twice
with long hits.
Ostermueller Should Improve
Fritz Ostermueller should be
O big improvement this year. Last
season the Southpaw won games
and lost 8. But he had a lot of
bad luck. He was hit in the face
with line drive that kept him
out of action for several weeks
and had other woes suffered on
the ball field. Ostermueller is a
good pitcher and should win in
any league.
Jack WEIGH still can pitch, or
that is my guess, and if he has a
chance for a pennant, it is my
guess that you will see WEIGH |
really turn on the heat. Rube
Walberg is doubtful starter. He
doesn't figure to do a great deal
Of winning next season nor any
other season.
Clark Griffith is sitting back,
wGitin' and awaitin' for the Yam
KEGS to make a bid for Buddy
Myer. It is entirely possible that
Mr.. Griffith will wait a bit too
long. There seems to be more
than a smattering Of truth in the
report that the Yankees offered
100 Grand for Myer, and that
Griff refused to take the money.
Grab That 100000!
II the Yankees were daffy
enough to offer 100000 for Myer,
who cannot be expected to have
another year such as he had in
1885, Griffith must be wool-gather.
ing if he doesn't grab the offer
while it is hot.
It is always refreshing to hear
Connie Mack talk of the future
Of baseball. The venerable Connie
still looks to the day when he
will round up another $4,000 in
field and sweep the Amer an
League. But just once in a life
time does man gather together
teams like the old Athletics. Men
have spent millions and failed to
do it. Ask Tom Yawkey about !
that.