The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-04-07
GnB Eye
Big Week
For Work
BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL

The Griffs, who euchred the
bowling hurricanes Of Dixie, and
cheated the roaring floods that
devastated the countryside, ar.
rived home this morning while the
city slumbered. The boys stepped
out Of their sleepers at $40 and
hied themselves off to their quar-.
tiers. They win practice this after.
noon at Griffith Stadium. weather
permitting, and tomorrow tackle
the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Buck NewSom will pitch against
Brooklyn tomorrow. Bucky Har.
ris had not decided on the pitchers
to follow the Huntsville Breeze. It
is imperative, however, that New.
som, Linke. Whitehill and De-
shong get work If possible. De.
shong's enforced absence at the
bedside Of his critically Iii father
tends to complicate the pitching
situation.
The Griffs were not scheduled
to arrive in Washington until
1920 o'clock today, but with lorna.
does ripping through Tennessee
and the contiguous territory, and
the park under water the game
had to be Cancelled. Bucky Harris
fled on fast train that left
Knoxville early yesterday after
noon.
Whether or not the team has
been set back by four consecutive
days Of rest is problematical. It
is certain that the boys were not
benefited athletically by the lay
off. And this is too bad, for they
were coming along in fine style.
IL Games Played
Seventeen games were played
in the South, and the GriftS won
IL. They lost two games to minor
league clubs, bowling to Baltimore
and Minneapolis. They lost two
games to the Reds, q game to De-
troit and a game to Boston. They
beat Detroit once and performed
the same service for the Red Sox.
In compiling this record the
Griffs scored IS runs to Al for
the opposition, and registered 1874
| hits.
The Griffs contributed two of
the real sensations Of the 1886
major league invasion Of the
South. Through these players
they rose to challenge the right
Of the New York Yankees to the
title of the prize players Of the
spring.
Buck Newsom compiled one Of
| the greatest records ever made by
q pitcher in the spring. Pitching
23 innings, the Huntsville Breeze
allowed one run and six hits. Few
pitchers strive for such o record,
and it may be said that Newsom
didn't strive for record. He took
all the opponents in stride, but
they were seven league strides and
the opposition fell before his killing
pace.
It remained for Buddy Lewis,
the cherry faced kid to hurl q
challenger at Joe De Maggie. Of
the Yankees for top ranking
among the rockies.
Lewis is hitting .413 for the trip
and has driven in IA runs, giving
him a tie for second honorS in run
production. Joe Kuhel matched
his mark. Buddy made six triples
and two home runs. He hit more
three baggers than any other two
men on the club.
Miles Bats Well
The big he coon Of the. trip so
far as batting is concerned is Dee
Miles, the wrench man from BeS"
semer's bridge foundries. Miles
cracked the ball for cool .476
and this, with his Improvement in
fielding, gives him q better than
even chance Of playing left field
at the start Of the season. It may
develop that Jess Hill will be
shifted to center field and that
Jake Powell will have q nice soft
seat on q nice hard bench.
Powell, incidentally, compiled O
batting average Of .254 in the
South. Hill and Reynolds hit an
even 800 and Stone cudgelled out
a .261.
Buddy Myer, batting champion
of 1885 had o hectic time meet
ing the ball. Swing or drag as
he would and did, the hits were
few and far between. The champ
ion shakes his head when you
mention his mark Of .229.
Cecil Travis did some fine
leather punching through Dixie.
The Georgia boy hit .389 and
led the team in driving in runs.
Travis sent 10 Of his mates over
the field.
Apparently Joe KuherS new
batting stance has solved his
worries, for base hits searched
the corners of the fields and
Joe got half q dozen doubles
among his IS hits that gave him
a mark Of .357.
Cliff Bolton did a good job in
run producing. He sent no
fewer than 10 mates over. the
plate, including three triples in
his Is hits that sent his bat
ting average up to 800.
One Of the interesting de-
velopments Of the trip was the
successful fight Of Billy Starr for
job. Stars offer to bet $500
that he can hit $50 in the
American League still stands.
Clark Griffith intends to put
Starr through a special coach
ing period to take the hitch out
Of his swing. There Is no doubt
| that Starr can catch ball with