The Washington times., 1936-06-18
Former Y Yank
Shows0|d
Speed
By FRANK "BUCK" ONElLL

DETROIT, Mich, June 18
One of the greatest values that
Ben Chapman will carry intC
action for the Griffs is his base
running ability. The public and
far too many critics are prone
to measure baSe-running ability
in terms of stolen bases. To be
sure, the ability to make off with
a base is a tremendous asset to
a ball club. With a runner on
first and two out, and a fairly
certain but not powerful hitter
at the bat, the stolen base can
be cashed at the plate for a run
on a single.
But the stolen base in itself Il
not necessarily the mark of q
great base runner. We had a
fine example Of how relatively
unimportant a stolen base can
be when the Griffs were in BoS-
ton. In the tenth inning Werber
was thrown out making a smart
aleck dash for second with the
winning run on third base. A
strategic pass was followed by a
double play and the inning was
over. The run was left on thlro
base, and eventually washington
won the game.
In contract bridge, there are
times when a pass is the best bid
of all. And paradoxical as it may
seem, there are times when stand
ing stock still is the better part
Of base running.
MOSt-Feared Man
The base runner most feared is
the man who knows exactly when
to 90 for an extra base. He is
baseball'S parallel to the climax
runner of the football field. Such
a runner would be an asset to a
team if he never stole a base.
Chapman combines the ability
to steal a base with the speed and
Judgment to go from first to third
or second to home on an outfield
single. It may be said in passing
that Chapman once beat Carl
REYNOLDS in a match race at 100
wards when Reynolds was a mem
ber of the Chicago White Sox.
In view of the fact that base
stealing is linked so closely with
superior base running, let's look
at the record. In 1881 Chapman
established what is popularity
termed the modern" record Tor
stealing bases. He copped 81
hassocks. It does not approach
Billy Hamilton's mark Of lis, nor
does it imperil the standard set
by TyruS Raymond Cobb, who
pilfered SO bases.
In 1882 and '33 Chapman led
the American League, stealing
80 and 27 bases, respectively.
Strangely enough. his flashing
speed and fearle SIS running
started a feud among the mem
bers of the Yankees, and Ruth
seemed to take greatest umbrage
at Chapman's growing popularity
with the crowds at Yankee Sta
dium. There were challenges
and all that sort Of thing, in
which Chapman held his ground.
Steals II Bases
Last year the Alabama Arrow
tempered his running with dis
cretion. He stole only II bases,
his lowest mark since 1880. But
his percentage was high. He had
a mark Of $50 in successful
steals.
Chapma1 comes to Washington
with fine spirit and a high resolve
to throw all of his resources into
the fight to bring the GriffS up
to the highest station in their
capabilities
"I'm going to play the best
ball 1 know how to play" Chap
pie said this morning. 81 had q
long talk with Bucky Harris,
and 1 like his style Of baseball.
/ had no trouble with Joe NC
Carthy but you can bet that
I'm going to do everything In
my power to beat them every
time we meet on the field. My
business is baseball, and right
now I'm in business in Washing
tom"
Chapman's fielding chores yes
terday made few demands upon
his speed and skill. In the fourth
inning he glided back to the cen
ter field fence and grabbed Ro-
CELLS bid for a triple. He made
the play look easy. He picked
ovens double off the fence on the
rebound and cut potential triple
down one base. 1t was different
matter on the attack. In the first
inning the ARROW" singled to cen
ter, but gambled too freely on Sim
mons throwing skill, with a result
that he was thrown out at second
base. In the third inning Chap
pie got an infield hit to Geh-
ringer, and not even that master
of defense could match the speed
of the erstwhile Yankee.
Chapman stole second base on
Rowe with such ease that he was