The Washington times., 1935-06-29

man. If you're FRANK BUCK ONeln
half as smart as the romanticiSts
of baseball writing say you are,
you must know by this time that
you're wasting a great prospect
for outfield duty by sticking
Travis at third base, where the
boy obviously doesn't belong. He
hasn't the style of a third base
man.
Travis Just can't break on
slow hit ball, and charge in to
make plays that Joe Dugan, Os-
sic Bluege or any other good
third baseman make instinctively.
Hits have sprayed through him
on this trip which should have
been converted into outs at first
or second. or maybe turned into
double plays. It is bad for Travis
himself, and it's worse for the
team. He knows when he makes
plays as they should be made,
and he knows when he has
missed plays.
Travis Good Hitter
Travis is a good hitter. He is
young and fairly fast: fast enough
to become a good fly chaser if
he can be coached in a few of
the fundamentals Of the patrol
posts. He has good arm which
is not yet set to the infield
throw so that it could not be
changed in season.
The word has gone out in the
American League that Travis is
not sure in handling bunts. The
Yankees got four hits out of their
Thursday quota on balls that
were hit slowly along the third
base line or through Travis. One
left handed hitter on the last
Western trip told me that he
would hit any outside ball toward
Travis and gamble on getting to
first base.
Travis will hit as hard as any
outfielder you can get in the
bushes. He can hit to left field
with real power, and he can turn
and pull the ball about as well
as any man in baseball. He loves
to play ball, and he can run once
he gets under Roadway.
Natural Talents
In a word, Travis has sufficient
natural talents to be retained on
the club, An effort should be
made to get an infielder, third
hasenan. and let Travis 60 where
he belongs, which is into the out
field.
With the day of rest over, the
Griffs start their weekend cam
paign against the Yankees here
this afternoon. Bump Hadley will
do the pitching for the GriffS,
for a while at least, and it is quite
likely that Lefty Gomez will pitch
for the Yankees.
Bucky Harris was pleased with
the selection of Buddy Myer and
Ossie Bluege as reserve infielders
for the all-star team. The Selec'
ton of Bluege was something Of a
surprise to everybody except the
readers of this space. Several
weeks ago the writer contended
that Bluege rated a post with the
team, and it looks now as II
Mickey Cochrane read the Wash.
ington Times with more than
passing interest.
Obvious from Start
It was obvious from the start
of the season that Buddy Myer
would be selected for the job as
reserve to Charley Gehringer.
Out West they regard Gehringer
as another Collins and Lajoie,
man combining the strong points
of both of those old time stars,
yet lacking the weakneSSes-n
any-of either.
The skill and form of Bluege
has been the marvel and the de-
Spair of rival infielders for period
of years in the American League.
This year, after being forced to
the bench for a period, he won
back his rating as regular when
Lyn Larry and Red KreSS failed to
hold their form Of the training
camps. Bluege had a tough time
getting started with the bat, but
he accomplished that all right,
and right now he's the best short
stop in the American League.
This statement stands, despite
the selection of Cronin as starting
ShortStop.