The Washington times., 1936-04-28
Stick Aces
Oppose
Here
BY FRANK BUCK" oNELL

4AC O1Q MhSVCI VI U@UcLASA HAA
the heir apparent to the batting
throne will oppose each other at
Griffith Stadium for the next
three days as the Detroit Tigers
spearhead the invasion OF the
Western clubs.
The old master of batsmen is
Charley Gehringer, who in his
twelfth year Of major league
service stands as the master
stylist Of them all.
The heir apparent to the bat
ting throne of the American
League Is Cecil Howell Travis, the
drawlin' Georgian who is all hot
sand and ginger when he steps
to the plate to face any kind Of
pitching.
Their individual duel may mean
little in ultimate outcome Of the
game or the series, but fans who
60 to the stadium will thrill at
the sight Of two Of the sweetest
and truest swings in baseball.
Bucky Harris, who thinks that
Travis has as good q chance to
lead the American League as any
other man in the game, looks to
Gehringer as the most likely to
snatch the lsurels from the Griff
shortstop.
Blessed With Gift of Timing
Both Gehringer and Travis are
blessed with the gift Of almost
perfect timing. Both stand at the
plate loose and relaxed, but with
power ready for instant summons
to meet the ball. They do little
lunging; little whirling and fall.
ing down. This writer cannot re-
call offhand when Gehringer so
completely overswung or was
fooled that he sat down. Nor does
the picture of Travis in the dust
come to mind.
Travis is approaching his peak
as ball player. He is starting his
fourth season Of major league ball,
and a player usually reaches the
top of his form between his fourth
and seventh years. Some arrive
sooner; some later. Those who sur
vive the whirl of major league COM
bat generally are at their best dur.
ing that period.
Travis never has fallen below
the 800 notch. He hit 1902 in 10
games in 1888, nudged the ball for
.319 in 1884, hit .318 last year, and
If early season form is any indica-
ton, is in for q $40 year this sea-
son. Travis is smashing the libel
that southpaw hitters cannot hit
good left handed pitching. He
smacks them all
HARRIS VOTES CONFIDENCE
Bucky Harris cast his vote of
confidence in Travis by promoting
the kid to fourth place in the
batting order. If any strain at
tends the position-and It's re-
sponsibilities are manifest to all
baseball minded citiZens-TraviS
gives no sign. He doesn't try to
smash any fences on home run
or bust" basis. He picks out good
ball, swings smoothly and leaves
the rest to the ball. Travis has
conquered his tendency to hit to
left field. He is pulling the ball
viciously at times.
The real test of the Griffs lies
before them. They slaughtered
the hapless Athletics and made a
good start against the Yankees,
winning the opening game after
brilliant duel between Buck New.
som and Lefty Gomez. Along the
line the Griffs picked UP another
victory over the Yankees, but they
managed to lose four games to the
New Workers. The Griffs contrived
to lose three out of four to the
Red Sox. although the worst they
should have gotten out Of their
Boston battles was an even break.
Face Two Potent Clubs
With the coming of the Tigers
and Indians, the Griffs will be
called upon to face two Of the
strongest clubs of the American
League. The edge rests with the
local team in the impending bat
ties with the Browns and White
Sox.
Were it not for the fact that the
pitching staff is practically out of
commission with "flu," the Griffs
would come pretty close to rating
evens with the entire invading
host. But the pitching host is
very much out of commission. The
most that can be expected Of
them, and the ultimate In their
hopes, is that they do not slip so
far back that their chance Of
ultimate first division rating will
be hopeleSsly crushed.
Eddie Linke will do the pitching
for the GriffS today.