Evening star., 1938-08-22
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

For the fourth time in American
League history and the second within
the last four years a National Is riding
high toward a batting championship.
The Grif1s came out of Bostor with
three defeats in four games and in
fourth place by only half game, but
Shortstop Cecil Travis returned to
Washington and home stand with a
nine-point pull over Jimmy Foxx in
the race for the batting laurels.
With an even $50 batting average
and something like five weeks OF the
season remaining, Travis stands fine
chance of taking his place besides
Delahanty. Goose Goslin and Buddy
Myer as Washington batting cham
pions. So far he has done all that has
been asked of him.
Cecil came from far back to push
among the leaders. For a couple Of
weeks he stood second to Earl Averill
of the Indians, but Travis was 20-odd
points back of the Cleveland slugger
Gradually he overhauled Averill and
during the Boston series he was called
upon to stand Oh the challenge of
Foxx.
Goes Quietly on Way.
During the four-game Boston series
which ended yesterday with 5-to-4
victory for the Mats and q 7-to-2
triumph for the Sox, Travis collected
four hits in 10 tries at bat. He was
given a day OF rest one afternoon
Foxx, whose offensive record sur
passed Travis in every respect except
average, collected only three hits in
l6 times at bat and lost some points
which will be difficult to regain.
If Travis wins the title he will
become one of the least forceful men
ever to lead the sluggers. No booming
drives like those of Simmons. Gehrig,
Ruth and Heilmann come of Travis
bat. Nor Is he bunting his way to
the Championship like Myer did in
1885, nor hitting to all fields and out
running infield rollers like Cobb did
to lead for u years.
Ever since the season started Travis
picked up his hit or two q day. He
started close to the $50 mark and
remained there. We mentioned be-
fore that he overhauled the early
leaders. This statement stands cor
rected. Cecil held his own and
waited until the leaders dropped back
of him.
Delahanty First Nat Champ.
Travis returns to Washington and
resumption of the campaign tomor-
row with consecutive hitting streak
of nine games ina row. In his last
20 games. the young man has been
held hitless only once. He missed
against the Red Sox during their last
invasion of the Stadium.
There Is nothing to indicate that
Travis is not going to maintain his
steady keel. The month of August
has been good to him so far Starting
on August he has made "a hits in
68 official times at bat for 1853
average. The pace, while far below
Cobb's .4l2 IN 1912, or George Sisters
.420 in 1922, probably will be good
enough to win for the rangy boy
from Riverdale. Ga.
First of Washington's champions
was Delahanty. who won in 1902 with
376 mark. Not until Goslin batted
.379 in 1927 did another Nat win.
Myer was the third, when he hit .349
in 1885, and now Travis, with a mark
which may approximate Buddy's, i
bidding to Join the select group.
BonWa Hot Against Sox.
For all bf his lofty perch in the
standing of the hitters, Travis must
bow to Zeke Bonura at the moment
Zeke promises to finish with 300
batting average, after passing the
halfway mark OF the year with only q
.22O pace.
The burly first baseman collected
II hits in 18 times at bat during the
last Boston series. During the course
Of yesterdays double-header he COL
lected two singles. . double, q triple
and his 18th home run. In the last
two Boston, Washington series he ha.
made 18 hits in 20 times at bat, in.
cluding four doubles, a triple anc
four home runs.
Zeke was the big man Of the bat.
ting show the Mats put on TO CONF