The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-08-05
The pAYOFF::
BOSS ORDERED CECIL TRAVIS TO FIGHT
 SO WASHINGTON SHORTSTOP THIS YEAR
 IS BATTLING FOR LEAGUE BATTING TITLE

1 the Southern league early in 1033- that is that he would some day lead the American league in hitting.
 "One of the best bets can think of" said Manager Bucky Harris a year ago, risking an investigation by Judge Lands for uttering the word bet, lis that Travis will lead the league in hitting if he plays regu- larly."
 Unfortunately, Travis, shifted from third base to shortstop, wasn't quite alert enough in the field to handle the Shortstop chores and he was moved around from short to third to second to left field to right field, and his hitting suffered.
 But this season 1t has been e steed of a different hue. Playing regular ly at shortstop, young Travis is giv- ing Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio quite @ battle for hitting honorS.
 After a poor start caused by Q twisted knee, Travis has been bang ing the ball well over the 400 mark in the past month or so and his average has been boosted to around .370.
 Unlike dehrig and DiMaggio. Tra- wis is not e Slugger. Ills hits have little loft to them and seldom go for extra bases. They are sharp line drives over the infield-usually over short.
 Weak In the Field
 Travis has to hit to hold his job. He could never get by on his work in the field because he is rather clumsy and quite minimizing.
 He has none of Lyn Lary's agil- ity, none of Dick Bartell'S get-up- and-go, none of Joe Cronin's wis., dom, none of Lippy Durochers speed. Sharply hit grounders which other fielders would scoop up scoot past him. And he's 0 little slow on double plays.
 But in his defense 1t must be said that he has one of the best arms in the game and @ sure pair of hands. Once he gets hold of a ball there's no sense you running 1t out.
 He's not Q colorful player. He's so bashful that he seems to be apologizing for his presence and he never lets peep out on the field. He has never complained to an umpire and has never had words with another player.
 This is most strange because his first baseball teacher was the old Tabasco Kid himself, Norman Fiber. field. The Tabasco Kid was such c pepper box himself that he'd punch his mother in the nose If she called a wide one strike. He's Tn One Fight
 The Keed, who instructed Travis at a baseball school in Atlanta, would never have stood for Earl Whitehills ragging the way Cecil did. The Earl, you know, when with Washington, publicly abused Travis for his fielding and finally refused to pitch when the rookie was in the lineup.
 "1t;s e shame" said Manager Harris one day, "the way that Whitehill rides him. I've told Travis that any time he wants to he can have 1t out with Earl. I think Tra- wis would be e much better player if he'd bop Earl once"
 Thus 1t was this spring that Clark Griffith, Travis boss, caused con- siderable comment by suggesting that the shortstop start acting tip T wish," Griffith wrote at con- tract time to the Georgia farmer, T wish that you would get into c couple of fights this year."
 Travis, 1t A presumed, hopes that Mr. Griffith is satisfied with him getting into one hght--the fight for the American league batting cham. pionsl1ip.