The Washington times., 1935-03-20

y
M;S#S b e n repre-.
4-s:.ss*: -: :ss:.-z. sented so far
Lefty Grove by the biggest
gates Fenway Park has known
since those roaring, roistering
days when Mayor Curley wore a
Second-Story hat and sang 'TeS-
sie' in tremulo with the band,
and championships were a COM
monplace.
It also is represented by plenty
Of runs-on both sides; fourth
place in the American League
last year-and no ball club. At
least, in my vague, nonessential
reasoning, I would say that any
body who had one-Quarter Of q
pitching staff, one-half an infield
and two-thirds of an outfield has
almost no ball club. That, in a
few, ill-chosen words, is the Bos.
ton Red Sox of 1885.
Having made that crack, sup
pose they'll go out and win the
American League pennant, just
to be unreasonable. AS matter
OF fact, almost anybody can.
GROVE HOLDS ANSWER
'Tf Grove can come back"
That's what they all say on
this club, meaning that if this
gentleman can have one of his
good years, he'll make up for
all the other liabilities the Boston
management has carefully pur-
chased.
These are general observations,
not especially directed at the
spend-your-way-into money policy
of Tom Yawkey and Eddie Col
lins. AS a matter of fact, their
trouble is that they've not spent
too much but not quite enough.
After all, they started with moth
ing except the right idea and a
second mortgage.
Mr.. Joe Cronin is the new
manager and thinks well of the
clubs chances. He probably
thinks better of the clubs short
stop who happens to be Mr.. Joe
Cronin. There is a distinct i'm
provement here, owing to the
fact that the Sox formerly had
nothing at shortstop and are now
playing one of the best in both
leagueS-at what seems to be a
fabulous price.
The third baseman, Bill Werber,
Is good, very good and a great
base stealer. The rest of the in
field, meaning the right side, is
something that ought to be kept
under glass. Max Bishop will
probably be the second baseman.
He has been a probable second
baSeman for years. The first
haseman is Ellsworth Dahlgren,
from the San Francisco missions.
Wants to See More
I don't want to condemn the
young man in ten easy lessons
but I'd like to see more of him,
Just as 1 would wish to be con-
vinced about recruit pitchers like
Roger Hanlon, a right handler
from Reading; Bill Hickle. an
other from Joplin; John Merena
a left handler from Syracuse, and
Hillary hummer, right handler
from Joplin.
Hanlon won five and lost five
for, Reading; Hickle twelve and
twelve for Joplin: Merena seven
and ten for Syracuse, and Zum.
mer three and two FOR Joplin.
The only exception is Byron
Humphreys, right handler, who
won 18 and lost is for Joplin.
I'd say, on the basis of these
performances, that Cronin is pre-.
pared to stand on his 1884 staff
of Wesley Ferrell, Grove, Oster-
mueller, PipgraS, Rhodes, Walberg
and Welch. They sound impreS.
sive but aren't. Farrell is the
only pitcher who showed a win
ming average with a fourth place
club. Rhodes is good but not
quite enough. Ostermuel1er and
Pipgras can be as good as they
want to be, for different reasons
OStermueller In and Out
Pipgras was out last year with
q bad arm, wherein he differed
from Ostermueller, who was merel!
in and out. The pitching, barring
q miracle with Grove, just can
get above fourth place.
Neither can that right side O.
the infield. Rick Ferrell keep
the catching in the major leagues
The others? Gordon Hinkle, whC
hit .173; Louis Leggett, who ha
something to learn about han
ding pitchers, and George Savin
from Reading.
The outfield, as it quit last year
was Allen Cooke, pa; Roy John
son, a good man, 1922; Carl Rey
nolds, a fair man, .3O4, and Juliu
solters, .29s. who hits for distance