The Washington times., 1936-09-05
BEN CHAPMAN HERO IN C1RLFFMEN'S FIRST DZ
Fielder
Knocks Out
TinneIyHitS
By FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL

by FRANK BUN ONE1LL
The smashing drive of the Griffs
for high ranking in the American
League continues apace.,
A margin of two and one-half
games separates the Washington
club from the goal of Bucky Har-
riS' 1886 ambitions.
They are just those many games
behind the Cleveland Indians, and
the competition they are to face
over Labor Day gives them every
chance to grab the Indians, If the
Western teams facing the Tribes
men buck up and play ball.
The advance of the GriffS from
deep in the second division to d
position from which they menace
second place has been a triumph
Of the team.
Cecil Travis has done his share.
Joe Kuhel and Johnny Stone
have done their work. Little Walt
Miles, now first string catcher,
has done everything expected, and
then some.
Hero Of Fortnight
II a particular hero of the past
fortnight were to be selected, how
ever, it would be Ben Chapman,
the Alabama Arrow. Chappie has
batted a cool 500 through the
series with the Western clubs and
the first game against the Ath-
letics.
In the games included above,
Chappie has been at bat A times
and has made % hits. One of
these blows was the widely dis
cusSed double that bounced off
the barbed wire entanglementS in
front of the left field bleachers.
Chapman was a leading per
former in the game that shattered
the tie for fourth place between
the Griffs and the Chicago White
Sox. He scored three runs him.
self, which matched the total Scor-
ing activities of the Griffs, but
in pounding out three hits, he just
about put the game on ice with a
triple in the fifth inning. This
blow scored Buck Newsom with
the fourth Washington run of
the game. Lewis singled and Chap
man crossed the plate.
Changed Bat Model
Chapman's batting squirt is due
IN part to the fact that he has
changed the model of bat he for
merly used. Chappie was having
some trouble in meeting the ball
squarely, and Johnny Stone
meandered over and picked up a
Chapman model bat.
"TOO heavy" said Stone in his
quiet tone.
"It's okay" argued Chapman,
and Stone kept quiet.
Chapman, however, tested the
Reynolds model and liked it. He
tried one and made hit. He liked
It better. So he ordered a dozen
and Harris okayed the bill.
He had beaten a rataplan and
sent dust flying in all fields with
the lighter bat. His first hit yes
terday was made of the first ball
pitched. He is pouring grief all
over the boys as he meets the
leather right on the trade mark.
Hit as He Wishes
New York critics are wondering
Just what happened to Chapman
down here in Washington. Moth
ing out of the ordinary. He was
always as good a ball player as he
Is now. He is allowed to hit as he
wishes, and as you shower a few
cheers over the 'Bama sensation,
just applaud Bucky Harris for
understanding Chapman's tenn
permanent and removing the in
hibitions that hampered the fiery
0elder's style in New York.
Joe Cascarella pitches for the
Griffs today. He is walking around
in circles as the team pushes to-
ward the heights. Cascarella was
denoted" by Boston's Gold Flops.
But every time Joe looks at the
standing Of the clubs he just
laughs.
VOTE AMERICAN
Home Run Hitters