The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-08-09
llills 'l.zl
On the
Lam
- with -
ELLIOTT
METCALF

The Cincinnati Reds get
not only a first rate young
catcher in Neil Clifford. the
Tiger, but a boy who has a
fighting heart and confidence
in himself s. and ambition +.
That fighting spirit. Of
course, comes TO him naturally.
You see. the blond sprout is as
Irish as Paddy's red shirt, his
parents products Of Erin /.
And from that source also
comes his love of music. his tenor
voice upon which he hopes later
to earn what we know as money,
a somewhat essential in life =.
Behind Neils mechanical catch
ing ability there is a sound base
ball mind. retentive memory. He
knows his hitters and he studies
them continually
No weakness In an enemy's
armor escapes him. He's watching
and testing them all the time.
And when he finds that dent he
keeps firing away at IL, sore as
a boil when pitcher fizzles the
asked-for delivery
News that he was going TO the
majors brought the kid high in
the clouds, more especially when
the Reds were named as the
team
Ernie Lombard, the big Red
catcher and slugger, In Neil's
buddy down Oakland way. The
two have been friends for years.
Ernie has helped Clifford no little
and now with Nell under his wing
In the big time the sun In the
Clifford life shines brightly {.
lombard isn't expected to stay
in the big leagues many more
years. He's been going to the.
baseball wars quite awhile, and
when he steps down IL Is his hope
and the wish Of Tacoma fans that
Clifford will have shown sufficient
ability to take over the job ..
It's not going to be any bar
gain for Clifford to break into
the Red lineup. In lombard and
Willard Hershberger, the Reds
have two of the best backstops
in the National league
L0mbardi, 81, probably has only
q few years to 20. Hershberger,
whose hitting has been sensational
this year, Is only "a. In addition
to these, the Reds probably viii
have q dozen catchers around try
ing for jobs =.
The secret price the Reds paid
for Clifford tseveral thousand dol
lars. anyway indicates they fig
ure him ready right now for at
least Glass IA duty. They would
not put out the money they did
II they expected to use him in
Class A or Glass B
Other Tigers are happy that
Clifford has been bought. He is
well liked by his mates. He is
fellow with lot of humor -.
Clifford plans to try for a radio
career after he's done with base
ball. Or. maybe, HEN be able to
double as a ball player and enter
tainer. He has that gift
And now Bobby Garretson,
the Tiger young first sacler. II
he IN not elevated to Double-A
hall OF given n chance at some
thing even higher. then Fate has
him marked for one of her vic
Tins >.
Garretson is the best all-around
player in the WI league, and
that goes for Christopher. the
New York Yankee outfielder with
the Wenatchee Chiefs. He has
proved his consistency. his ability
at bat and on defense. He is
sturdy and can stand the gaff
Uncle SANS stalwart sons won
the international track and
field meet in London yesterday,
scoring 30 points. Britain was
second, and Germany third. Now.
what's all that talk of late about
Germany being threat to the U.
s. in the 1910 olympics -.
So. Billy Meissner. local sports
man. Is a grandpappy :. and oh.
% proud. =.
7 have word Of authority that 40
hitters have been persuading
Morry Abbott to change his form
at the platter until he is off color.
Abbott, natural hitter. should take
his natural slumps in stride and
keep his original form intact. All