The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-18
H[LAdds
POwer TO
GriB
BY FRANK BUCK" oNEnL

Club, are considerably closer to
the first division today than they
were yesterday. A few more
trades like the one promulgated
last night by which Jimmy De-
shong and Jesse Hill come to the
Capital while Bump Hadley and
Roy johnson move to New York,
and they will move right in among
the elect.
If Griffith can make those deals
without benefit Of cash or chloro-
form he is entitled to rank among
the magic men OF baseball. He
may yet swap Fred Schultz for
Schoolboy Rowe without aid Of
mirrors.
From every angle Griffith made
a great trade. He acquired youth
and a fast ball on the one hand
for a neck crooked from looking
at the bull pen. Deshong is not
great pitcher. but on any other
club than the Yankees with
Gomez, Ruffing, Allen, Broaca
and the rest he would have won
his place. He is a good right
handler with a fast ball and all
the courage in the world. He
should be vastly superior to
Hadley
Got Youth For Age
After the trading thus far, the
Griffs have Jimmy Deshong and
Jesse Hill from the Yankees, and
Carl Reynolds from Boston. They
gave up Heinie Manush and
Bump Hadley. Neither Manush
nor Hadley was the slightest use
to the Griffs last year.
Hill is in his twenties and
Deshong is close to 80. In build
ing up young ball club men Of
this stripe are essential. The best
years of their athletic lives stretch
before them.
Il consider this trade one Of
the best I ever made" President
Griffith said to the writer this
morning. I'VE have gotten young
men with their best baseball years
before them. They'll help. And
we're not finished yet with our
deals. Just string along. We're
more anxious to win than you are
to have us win.
Without regard to the cold
type of the records, Jesse Hill is
the man this ball club needs. He
is not quite the hitter that John
son is. but he is a faster and bet
ter outfielder, with far superior
head on his shoulders.
A Fine OutfieIder
Washington, indeed, now boasts
one Of the potentially great defen-
sive outfields of baseball. With
Hill in left field, Jake Powell in
center, and Dee Miles in right,
there is speed galore and throwing
ability that will be at least aver
age. Place Johnny Stone in right
field, and while you sacrifice some
thing in pace you pick up throw.
ing ability that will halt any in
clination on the part Of the
enemy to hold a big parade.
Hill is one of the fastest men
in baseball, faster at this time
than Ben Chapman. the ghost Of
the Yankee outfield. Hill was q
220 man at University of Southern
California and half back on the
football field. His debut with the
Yankees was sensational from
defensive standpoint. Reporting
at st. Petersburg, Hill proceeded
to race back to the borders of
Crescent Lake to pull down the
mightiest drives of Babe Ruth,
Gehrig, Lazzeri and the others.
He fairly flew over the turf. II
Hill had been able to hit up to his
defensive standards he would have
been a standout from the start,
Education No Handicap
Hill has established that there
is no incompatibility between a
college education and baseball
instinct. He gets the jump on ,
ball, and after that, his developed
ability as track man keeps him
going. He has nice arm, as nine
assists from left field in fewer
than 100 games will establish. He
stole IA bases last year.
Hill hit 1893 for the Yankees
last year as compared to .315 for
johnson The difference reads
bigger than it is actually. johnson
got 3112 hits per 100 times at bat
as compared to 90 $40 hits per
100 times at bat for Hills
There is no doubt that Deshong
will be a vast improvement on
Hadley in the box. Deshong won
four games and lost one. But
those figures fail to give the right
; slant on him. He saved many a
game with his blazing speed, rush
ing into action in the closing in
nings. Jimmy is a good man to
have on a ball club.
Travis Back at Short
This trade opens interesting
j possibilities in the development OF
the Griffmen. With Hill estab-
lished in left field, the probaolll'
ties are that Cecil Travis will re,
turn to the infield. playing short
stop.
Travis, indeed. is eager for a
trial at short, the position at
which he started. There is every
reason why he should make good
there, despite his admitted in
ability to play third base. He
would have more time to start
on the balls hit to him. Once
Travis gets to the ball he is as
deadly as any man you can
name,