Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-27
Brace at Short
Likely 10 Keep
PofahI on Job
Griff Set to Gumble
With Light Hitter;
Teller Nips Mats
By BURTON HAWKINS.

AsSOh&S S4aAAAAJ SAeAAAAB oSeAAAPCN "
complete failure several weeks after
the 1910 season was launched.
quietly and colorlessly has erased
some Of that stigma. The stunpy
Washington shortstop now is re-
garded only as so per cent flop.
or of the good field-no hit" va
riety, all Of which makes his sta
tus for next season bit perplexing
Jimmy had little to recommend
him early in the year. Before two
months had elapsed he saw Cecil
Travis inserted in his shortstop spot,
a move occasioned by Pofahl's unde-
pendable arm and a batting aver
age below .230. Pofahl admitted at
the time it was Manager Bucky
Harris only logical move and offered
no alibi.
Now, though, Jimmy has become
somewhat of a fielding favorite
with Griffith Stadium customers.
He has handled his last IS chances
flawlessly and has injected a Few
brilliant plays in the process. Ac-
cused of not being able to go to his
right, he has confounded his critics
with a steady brand of play.
No Marvel at Bat.
The insect in the ointment is
his hitting, or lack of it. Jimmy
is batting a conservative 23l and
there seems to be no sign of i'm
provement. In his last nine games,
for instance, he has batted only lat,
hardly an indication he has caught
up with the leagues pitching.
President Clark Griffith Of the
Mats, either through a willingness
to gamble or failure to obtain a
more adept shortstop specimen, may
be content to string along with
Pofahl another season. Jimmy has
developed as a fielder and Mr.. G.
wishfully can hope he also will i'm
prove in the hitting department.
Some weeks ago Griffith, in the
process of enumerating the Mats
weaknesses, cited shortstop as a po-
sition he would relish fortifying next
season. Since then, however, he has
made comparisons of Pofahl and
Joe Cronin, who hit only .257 with
Kansas City before becoming affil-
ated with the Mats and poisoning
as q dangerous hitter.
Pofahl Apt to Stick.
Pofahl, who represents a reputed
$40 900 investment to the Mats in
cash and players, was tabled "the
best Washington shortstop since
Peckinpaugh" before the club head
ed home from spring training camp
Like the Ortiz who was faster than
Feller," he hasn't quite fulfilled that
rosy prediction, but in the course
of the past few weeks he has risen
| in the estimation of Griff and
Harris.
Jimmy also was viewed as play
er who would have to hit only
.280 to aid the Mats. 1t is likely he
will hit some 40 or so points below
that figure in his first year in the
majors, but his recent fielding may
earn him reprieve. 1t won't be
surprising if Griff elects to let him
patrol the same territory next year
While Pofahl continues in a bat
ting slump, Outhelder George Case
suddenly has snapped his prolonged
lneffectiveneSs at the plate. With
II hits in his last Is appearances
at the plate, George has boosted
his mark for the season to .290 and
Is threatening to join the select
circle of 800 hitters for the third
straight year.
Lewis Misses in Pinch.
Washington suffered for lack of
timely hit yesterday in dropping
4-3 decision to the Indians, Relief
Pitcher Bobby Teller forcing Buddy
Lewis to fly out to Ben Chapman
to end the game at a time when
the bases were loaded with Buddy
Myer, Jake Early and Case, all of
whom had been walked by Teller.
Trosky, Travis Hit Homers.
The league-leaders had grasped a
20 lead off Dutch Leonard in the
first inning when Hal Trosky belted
his 23d homer of the season over
the right field fence, scoring Roy
Weatherly ahead Of him, and in
creased 1t to 80 In the third on
singles by Chapman, Lou Boudreau
and Trosky.
Singles by Case, Lewis and john
ny Welaj produced a Washington
run in the third and the Mats
shaved Cleveland's margin to 80
in the fifth. JEFF Heath's single and
Ken Keltner's triple collaborated
in adding another Cleveland run