The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-07-01
HurIer Plans
ForConnebaCk
In 1887

General Crowder has not given
up. He has merely taken a leave
of absence by placing himself on
the voluntarily retired list for the
season. A costly leave of absence,
it may be, but, nevertheless, one he
could not escape. An ailing arm
and arthritis, among other things,
made him a worn and weary sol
dier.
Manager Mickey Cochrane, who
though the General would win l6
games in 1885, and then saw him
win that many, predicted he would
win 10 or more this season. The
General probably would have, at
that, if it were not for the hard
ships which forced him off the
firing line.
Crowder has gone to his home
town, WinSton-Salem, N. c., where
he will devote the rest of the year
to managing his various inter
prises. He leaves with record OF
four victories and three losses,
which is fairly good, but which does
not begin to show the trouble he
had on the mound. He did not
have much stuff and, even more
important to him, his control was
bad.
Crowder came a cropper in his
second day at the Lakeland spring
training camp. Playing second
base in a practice game, he felt a
twinge of pain while in the act
of throwing to first on a bunt he
had fielded. He was never right
thereafter. During the first month
of spring activities, the General
did not engage strenuouSly in any
workouts and when he finally
took the mound he was hit hard.
Expects to Be Back
Crowder leaves the Detroit team
with the belief that a good rest
will bring his arm back to nor
maycy and that he will be better
equipped to serve the Tiger cause
next season and the season after.
Specialists did what they could
with the arm, but it was of no
avail.
The generals last outstanding
game was pitched last october,
when he stopped the Cubs in the
fourth game of the World Series
on a wintry Saturday afternoon.
Since his arrival as a big Lacquer
with Washington in 1926, CroWder
has had three illustrious seasons.
He won 81 games and lost only
five for the Browns in 1928. He
won 26 and lost 10 for the Sena-
tors in 1882, pitching the most
innings and winning the most
games. In 1888 he wont "a and
lost IS to lead the Senators to
pennant.
The General is one of the gray
boards of baseball, or one of those
active athletes who have passed
their thirty-fifth birthday. He was
expected to be a most diSting-
uiShed veteran this season, and,
with Goose Goslin, a teammate
and fellow graybeard, it was pre-
dicted he would become the first
player in the American League
ever to be with four consecutive
pennant winners.
But now it appears neither Cos
lin nor Crowder will be with a pen
nant winner, though the season is
less than half over. GoSlin, how
ever, is one ancient who shows no
signs of weakening. In fact, he is
having one of his best seasons in
recent years
Others Have Spurted
There are other graybeards, also,
who have prospered this season.
Lefty Grove has been the most ef-
fective pitcher in his circuit. Papa
Jesse Haines hurled nine innings
to save a game for the Cardinals,
and Bob Smith of the Bees pitched
one of the seasons best games in
blanking the Cards with two hits.
Getting away from the pitchers,
Kiki Cuyler has shown himself to
be a notable graybeard by his fine
work with the Reds. Gabby Hart
nett is still among the best of the
National League receivers, while
two other back ops, Jimmy Will
son and Luke SeWell, remain as
regulars. Jimmy Dykes place
among the American League third
basemen is at the top, judging by
the all-star poll, and Bill Terry is
still the best first baSeman in the
senior loop, according to the same
poll.
Among veterans who have
slipped a peg are Ted Lyons,
leading pitcher with the White Sox
in 1885: Waite Hoyt, who was
forced to undergo an appendicitis
operation several weeks ago;
George EarnShaw, Charley Root
and three player-managers
Traynor, Charlie Grimm and Rog-
erS HornSby.