The Washington times., 1937-03-16
Cecil Travis
Improved
At Short
BY FRANK BUCK oNEILL

ORLANDO, Fla. March Is.
With two full weeks behind them
in the development Of the team
finesse, the Griffs begin to assume
definite form. The arts and de-
finements of the ball player mark
the efforts Of those men who are
to be ranked in that elastic cate
CORY. On all sides, before a real
game has been played, the opinion
is voiced: washington will be
tough to beat"
Not the least Of the causes for
optimism in the ability of the club
Is the truly remarkable improve
ment in Cecil Travis at ShortStop
The ganglin' Georgia boy has
come along in giant strides. He
has shown more in two weeks
down here than he had all last
season. Certainly he looks better
today at shortstop than he ever
did at third base, a position where
he definitely did not belong.
Now just what does Travis do
now that he could not do in pre-
vious seasons with the club?
He Throws Fast
Let's start with those short,
fast throws that ShortStopS feed
to second baSemen in making
double plays. He can rush in on
q ball, sway over and dip his right
shoulder to the ground, get the
ball and snap it to the second
baSeman.
Baseball fans are inclined to
take that play for granted. AS q
matter of fact, it is one Of the
most important plays in baseball,
and certainly not the least dIftl'
cult. Travis can shoot side arms
throws to first base, pegging the
ball from the point at which he
fields it. He never could do that
before with any consistency.
One more improvement is
marked as Travis rushes to cover
second base in making double
plays, the winning percentage Of
a ball club rises or dips.
Now do not think for one minute
that this caSe-hardened veteran
Of Q score Of training camps is
painting the picture Of a super
Wagner. However, Travis def
nitely is a far better ball player
today than he has been. He has
yet to show that he can break on
balls as after the fashion Of great
Shortstops. He is gathering head
way in the right direction, and
that stretch Of territory which
yawned at times last season, will
be closely guarded in 1897.
Travis is a natural hitter, as all
the world knows. The question
has been asked many times why
he q left-handed hitter, so con-
sistently cracks ball into left
field. The answer is found in
Travis batting style.
Travis crowds the plate and hits
out of a crouch with his hands
three inches or thereaboutS from
the end Of the bat. AS the ball
comes up, Travis waits until it is
almost on him, and then swings
with a wicked flick Of the wrists.
He does not chit out in front" as
you hear that all good hitters
must hit. But, after the fashion
Of Joe Sewell, who was the hard
est man in baseball to deceive at
the plate, Travis waits until he
almost can see the stitches of the
ball. Then he snaps at it. and
base hits find the grass.
Let Him Alone
Travis will be fooled most easily
when he tries to pull a ball: that
is, to hit to right field. 5ucky
Harris tried to get Travis to pull
the ball for two years, and the
Georgia squirrel hunter suffered
no little. This year Travis will
be left to his own devices in hit
ting. a..
Discuss his case with Harris and
the leader shrugs and says:
'SWhy try to improve on ma
ture?"
There is a definite plan under
way to make Jack Salveson mas
ter major league pitching prob
lens. From all sides Bucky Har-
ris and Clark Griffith have gath
cred reports on Salveson. They III
agree upon one point: ..
"Just as good as is SaIvesOn'S
fast ball, so good is he"
Wherefore, SalveSon will be or.
dered to forget for the time being
his knuckle ball, his "herrings and
mackerels," which is the patois Of
baseball for slow stuff. and con-
centrate on blazing that No. ball
over the edges and past the cor
nerS.
The basis of all pitching is the
fast ball. If Salveson can develop
a screamer, he will win. If he can't
develop that screamer. then Wash
ington gave up a good, left-handed
veteran in Whitehill for a poten.
tial star who flickered and passed
from" the firmaments.