The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-07-31

Cfosetti this season has taken ms place among the great ShortStopS of the game.
 Crosetti may not have quite the arm that was Stony Jaclgson's when the Giant luminary 90 Ilonchalantiy threw out runners after fielding balls back of third base.
 The San Francisco Italian may not be able to handle bad hops with quite the easy grace of Roger Peck inpaugh, or toss the ball as light aS Q feather and chest high in starting double plays as did the old star of the Tanks and Senator's.
 He may lack some of the fielding flash of Leo Durocher.
 But Frankie Crosetu combines enough of everything to be a stand' out.
 Tn these days of the lively ball, infielders seldom get their hands on one hit more than two or three steps to either side of them. But Croset- u beats the jackrabbit pellet with lncanny anticipation. No Shortstop ever turned in Q better job of call- ing the batters' shots. Where there's . ball there's Frankie.
 OutsmaFts Base Hits
 HltterS generally hit different pitchers and deliveries in different directions. Crosetti has made . close study of the possibilities with the result that he has put a dent in the old axiom that you can't out- smart base hit.
 Crosetti throws out runners from deep short, getting the ball away fast enough to beat out even the Sprinters. When he first broke into the American League in 1032, he went much farther to his left than his riht, but now goes both ways equally well.
 Crosetti, Q right-handed hitter, swatS Q long ball and does 1t often. His average right now is .306, and he drives in Q surprising number of runs for a leadoff man. He seldom swings ct Q bad ball, consequently draws Q high number of passes.
 Young Joe DiMaggio may be the inBpirational force behind the Yan- kees who continue to show unrnis- takable signs that they have shaken their second place complex, but CroSetti iS the balance wheel of the machine. The Tanks would struggle along much more successfully with. out DiMaggio than sans either CTosetti or his capable second baS. ing partner, Tony Lazzeri.
 Rupperts Tumble as CrOsett
 Goes Out
 Any doubt in this regard was dispelled last season when the array fell completely out of the race for the pennant after Crosetti slipped Q cartilage in his knee in n1id.August.
 Peculiarly enough, the knee in Juries of both Crosetu and DiMags gio were incurred of the ball field. DiA1aggio hurt his while sitting in 6 crampcd position in Q crowded jitney bus in San Francisco. Croset. ti's went on the blink while he was untying 6 Shoelace in a Pullman berth. Happily, operations returned both satellites to the wars. |
 There was time in the spring Of 1883 when only one word prevented Crosetti from going to the Boston Red Box. Eddie Collins said no when the price was named, and Tom Yawkey wound up paying $25, 900 for Lyn Lary.
 The Yankees last winter offered the Washington club $i00y000 and Lazzeri for Buddy Myer, who has been III since June s.
 The New York club kept DiMaggio on the Pacific coast for an extra season to make certain that his knee had mended.
 The uncertainty of baseball once more Is demonstrated by San Fran ciScoB North Beach triumvirate, now indispensable after two of them were on the point of being shipped and the third was . crippled minor leaguer.