Evening star., 1940-04-06
CIoutinq
Main Factor in
Griff Attack
Return to Old Post
At Third Keys Vet
To High Pitch
By . staff Correspondent of The Star.


ATLANTA, Ga, April g. Don't
let this get around but the Mats,
homeward bound from spring train
ing camp, are whispering that Cecil
Travis is the next batting champion
of the American League.
AS the Griffs today felicitated
themselves upon the winning of
three straight games of exhibition
baseball, they took time out to pin
special honors on the lanky Georgia
boy who is playing third base again.
There have been times this spring
when the Washington Club looked
as if it belonged in the Three Eye
League. There have been times
when 1t looked as if Buddy Lewis,
Gerry Walker & Co., couldn't bat
out of a wet paper bag. But Cecil
Howell Travis, from Riverdale, Ca,
sub, has been no drawback.
Mats Also Touting Him.
The Griffs today moved into their
second game against Atlanta's
crackers with Travis smacking the
ball for a modest 491 average All
he's done, in 81 times at bat, is
make % base hits and while ball.
players have rated Cecil as a hitter
since the day he broke into the
majors as a regular in 1884, they
haven't shown the respect for him
they show today.
The reason may be Travis re-
turn to third base. He came up as
third baseman, true, but in those
days the chances are he wasn't
ready. When he began to hit his
true stride the lack of a shortstop
was major problem on the WASH
ington Club and Cecil was asked to
fill the bill. The intricacies of the
position possibly bothered him
Travis was confronted with new
and trying tasks. He had to con-
centrate on cutoff plays and that
sort of thing.
Not that Cecil was any weak
sister at bat during those years
at shortstop. He batted. in sue
cessive years away from third base,
at clips like .344 and 1886 and, last
year while flu-ridden. at 1872 But,
according to the Mats, those marks
won't compare with what he's going
to do in 1910.
Cecil Protects Pofahrs Place.
Manager Bucky Harris has been
careful about Travis this spring.
Taking no chance on the youthful
veterans legs, Harris has given
Cecil a rest from time to time. AS
result, Travis hasn't played in all
OF the Mats II exhibition games.
But his .491 average is one reason
why the Mats today show a record
OF 10 victories as against only 7
defeats against both minor and
major league competition.
Washington fans are going to get
a surprise when they see Travis
perform at his old post starting
next week. Cecil has returned to
third base as if he owned the bag.
With unquestionably the greatest
throwing arm on the club. he has been
making all but impossible plays. So
far this spring Shortstop Jimmy
Pofahl. whose throwing arm is none
too strong, hasn't been asked to
make a single heave from his right
because Travis has been scooting
over, intercepting those drives and
whipping out runners.
Krakky Still Hot Hurler.
In the process of beating the
Crackers here yesterday, 6 to 2, the
Mats didn't need Travis much. All
Cecil did was double and single
twice in five trips to the plate,
score run and drive across an
other. On defense he handled five
chances perfectly and once started
a great double play which throttled
an Atlanta rally in the eighth while
Alexandra Carrasquel was pitching.
The chief pitching was done by
Joe Kraskauskas. The blond
Lithuanian did nothing to disturb
| the belief that he is ready for his
| . (See TRAVIS. Page A-15)