The Washington times., 1936-07-18
Lewiis Day
Today
BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL

GrlI1S Is AT manu-.
Capt. Buddy Myer will return
to the lineup today at second
base, and will play just as long
as his strength endures. Bucky
Harris said this morning that
he did not expect the ailing field
leader to play an entire game.
Five innings may be Myers
limit today" said Harris.
Ossie Bluege will move over to
shortstop and Red Kress will be
permitted to rest for a week.
Legion HOnors Lewis
The program does not end with
these changes. Were it not for
the fact that the erican
Legion will honor Buddy Lewis
this afternoon, the Gastonia kid
would be relieved of duty, and
Cecil Travis placed on third base.
Lewis has gone stale, Mike Mar
tin says.
Harris is convinced that the
team as constituted will not do
for the drive that lies ahead. 1t
has long been evident to him, he
revealed this morning, that
changes would be made Of sheer
necessity when the opportunity
presented. But until Myer an
nounced last night that he would
resume his place at second moth
ing could be done.
Sooner or later the time arrives
in baseball when changes must
be made. It is not pleasant for
Harris to tell a man who has con-
tributed as much to a team as
Kress has contributed to this out
fit that he must sit on the bench
for a while. KresS wants to play
ball, but he needs a rest. In a
week or so he will be back and
Bluege probably will be relieved
or maybe be shifted to third base.
Cecil Travis has become some
thing Of a problem child for the
Griffs. He was shifted from third
base to the outfield a year ago
and returned to ShortStop this
spring. After trial he went back
to the outfield, where he will re-
main until he replaces Lewis. Carl
Reynolds will play right field.
Lacks Instructive Action
Travis seems to be handicapped
by inability to break on a ball.
It was his lack of instructive &C
ton that caused him to be re-
moved from third base, and like
wise from ShortStop. That in
herent fault, or weakness, as you
will, has manifested itself lately
in his outfield work. Travis mis-
played a ball by Kreevich into a
double yesterday, and later in the
game muffed a wallop by zeke
Bonura after misjudging it. Poor
strategic throwing added to the
woes of Travis, and the fact that
his hitting has fallen off badly
fails to strengthen his position.
1t is difficult to conceive Of a
team going to the bowwows so
swiftly and completely as the
GriffS have gone in the last little
while. They hit a fine stride for
a while on the road and Harris
was genuinely hopeful, although
he whispered once or twice that
somehow or other he doubted the
figures. When they broke they
simply exploded.
Well, here's the situation today.
The Griffs are one and one-half
games ahead of the Chicago White
Sox who have won seven out of
their last eight games, and who
are going on to Philadelphia for
the weekend. The Sox have won
four consecutive series in their
drive. The Cleveland Indians roll
into our city today for three
games in two days, and the Tribes
men have won II and lost 2 games
in their drive. Considering these
facts, lead of one and one-half
games is none too robust.
The GriffS have played Just ex-
actly 500 ball since opening their
current home stand. They must
win two out of three from the
Indians in order to make the visit
with the folks a success. And lets
look at some Of the figures.
Defense Says
The Griffs have scored rs runs
in their six home games, an aver
age Of ga runs per game. The OPP
posing clubs have averaged 5 SIS
runs per nine inning game. 1t is
pleasant to consider the advantage
that an average of almost one-haf
run gives the Griffs, but the de-
fensive differences are not so pleas
ant. No team allowing the OPP
position an average of 5 runs or
more deserves ranking with the
powerful defensive outfits Of base
ball.
Establishing four runs as the
deadline in effective pitching, five
games out Of the last dozen have
been we'll pitched. The others have
run from five-run struggles to the
Totally nightmare that made yes
terday hideous.
Earl Whitehill tossed the glove
for height and kicked the water
bucket for distance before leaving
Yesterdays scenes Of action.
Neither exhibition added anything
to the afternoon. Whitehill added
to his own tribulationS by failing
to cover first base in the third in.
ming, an incident which created q
situation favorable to Chicago but
tragic to the home talent.