Evening star., 1938-08-30
SHORTSTOP REELS
UNDER BIG LOAD
Trying to Garry Weak Men
at Second, Third Saps
New York's Star.
By GRANTLAND RICE,
Special Correspondent Of The Star

Special Correspondent of The Star.
NEW YORK, Aug. 30.-This hasn't
been one of Dick Bartells best sea-
sons, but he hasn't slumped for lack
of trying. The real answer is that,
while he tries hard all the time, he
has tried harder-maybe too hard
this year.
Dick has been attempting what no
one has been able to do so far-play
three positions at once. 1t wasn't
vanity, but necessity, that prompted
him to try it. The loss of Burgess
Whitehead left second base prac-
tically open when the Giants were in
the field, and Mel OFT was no third
baseman. So for most of the season
Bartell was charging back and forth
trying to protect OFT on one side of
him or Lou Chiozza, Mickey Haslin
or Alex Kampouris on the other.
That's lot of territory for any
one man to take in but, as Dick saw
1t, there was nothing else for him
to do. Nor was there-not for player
of his type. Some shortstops would
have been out there merely to pro-
tect themselves and let the second and
third basemen shift for themselves
and the team muddle through as best
1t could. But not little quarrelsome
Dick. So he wore himself and his
averages down and even then the
Giants couldn't win often enough to
stay in first place
Cissell, Myatt Help.
Lately Dick has had some relief
Bill Cissell at second base and George
Myatt at third aren't precisely world
oeaters. Cissell has been around a
long while and Myatt hasn't been
around long enough, but at least they
are not out of position and they know
pretty well what to do.
The thing that worried Bartell so
much was the inability of his second
baseman-any second baseman he
had-to help in making double plays
He and Whitehead had been able to
turn them off. That was one of the
factors that made the Giants cham
plons. For while it looked as though
ne had found his man in Kampouris.
but Alex couldn't stand up under the
Polo Grounds pressure and the un-
completed double play again became
a part OF the Giants daily exercises
NO Wonder-being high-strung, any
Way-he became irritable,
Travis Jackson, peering out of the
Giants dugout and watching the Sec
ond basemen blowing double plays
knew exactly what Bartell was IN
against and could sympathize VII,
MIN to a greater extent than any one
else because he had similar ex-
perience.
Jackson Had His Problems.
jackson broke in alongside Frank
Frisch and, when Frisch was traded
for Rogers Hornsby. jackson had
another great sidekick. But Hornsbv
lasted only one year in New York and
when he had taken his departure,
jackson was strictly up against it.
For four years, or until Hughie Critz
was obtained from the Reds, every
body had a shot at second base-or so
1t must have seemed to Jackson.
Andy Cohen was first. ANDY was
smart, willing and game-but slow.
After him came Bill Hunnefeld, Eddie
Farrell and few others, including
OFT, who never was and never will be
an lnflelder, but always is ready to try
1t II no one else is available.
Meanwhile, Jackson was getting leg
weary and arm weary and his nerves
were frayed around the edges For
him they were four years of torment
and the surest sign that he was one
OF the greatest shortstops the Giants
ever had was that he stood up under
them.
OF course, he had begun to slow
down when Critz arrived on the scene.
The wonder was that he hadn't slowed
down to walk. But having Critz to
work with fired him with new life and
he was a good shortstop for two or
three years more.
Giants Shortstop Flashy.
The Giants-on Bill Terry's admis-
sion, by way of making it virtually
ofhcial-have blown the pennant. But
they didn't blow it at shortstop in
spite of Bartelrs falling of. AS a
matter of fact, in the Giants losing
years, over a long span, the blame
seldom, If ever, has been the short
stops.
A backward glance shows that, no
matter what other failings they have
had, the Giants have had a great
string Of shortstops beginning with
John McGraw's early days in New
York.
Bill Dahlen was at short on Nc
GraW's first pennant winning team
and, as the years rolled along, Bill
was followed by AL Bridwell, Arthur
Fletcher, Dave Bancroft, jackson and
now Bartell.
Dick isn't the best of the lot, but
he is a typical Giant shortstop-a
hustling. aggressive, conscientious
player and great team player. If he
were not. he wouldn't have worn him.
self down to such an extent this wear