Evening star., 1940-08-08
He and Hudson Only
Spring Sensations
To Keep Up Pace
Harris Declares Cecil
In Glass by Himself
Playing Hot Sack

IuyihS Ilot JUN
With Dutch Leonard far behind
his 1899 pitching pace. George Case
threatened with his first average
below 300, Gee Walker short of his
peak seasons of 1886 and 1887 in
Detroit and Buddy Lewis still being
initiated to the mysteries of out
field play, this may be Cecil Travis
year as the Mr.. Big of the WASH
ington ball club.
A lot of people had a hunch this
would be Travis year while the Ma
tionals were in spring training. The
first day he reported to camp he was
heavier and stronger and it required
no mind reader to see he relished
the idea of going back to third base
after three seasons as shortstop.
Travis and Rookie Pitcher Sid
Hudson are two spring sensations
who carried their stuff into the
North. All during March and April,
Travis played third base like it be-
longed to him and Hudson, after a
discouraging start, could rest on
his feat of winning 10 games and be
counted a rookie success right now.
Harris Lauds Young Vet.
With 1874 average for IS games
he missed II due to a painful
early-season injury-Travis again
seems headed to lead the Mats in
hitting. Every year except last it's
been between Travis and his ROOM
mate, Buddy Lewis, for all-around
value to the Griffmen. Last season,
a flu victim from the first week of
spring training and ailing all sum-
mer, Travis fell below 300 for the
first time in his eight-year career
in the majors and Lewis, while a
.319 hitter, bowed to Leonard's feat
of winning 20 games for sixth
place ball club.
Lewis is banging away again with
a 314 average, a not surprising but
commendable showing in view of
his moving to the outf1eld for the
first time in his life. Playing right
field presented many problems to
Buddy at the outset and while he
may not be a flrst-class outfelder
yet he is at least adequate.
But Travis is f1rSt-class third
baseman. Bucky Harris, who has
been riding the Red Rolfe band
wagon for years, was talking about
Cecil the other day. Hes all by
himself among the third basemen
now" said Bucky. Far better than
Rolfe. Ken Keltner, Harland Cliff
and anybody else you can name. It's
been a long time since I've seen
player come up with as many great
stops and plays every day as Travis
has been doing. He's the most con-
sistent player I've watched in
years"
Lacked Agility at Shortstop.
This is, indeed, high praise. Har-
ris was no admirer of Travis as a
shortstop. For one thing, Travis
had habit of getting hurt at short.
He was susceptible to spike wounds
while covering second base - that's
how he was hurt early this year
and no manager likes to see his top
hitter removed for two or three
weeks at time. Bucky simply
thought that Cecil lacked the extra
agility to protect himself while COW
ering second in the role of a short
stop. Yet, at third base where agil-
ity also is needed, Travis has plenty.
Figure that out.
Travis has lifetime average of
.321 in the majors and is almost GER
tain to raise this few points this
season. Yet he never has batted
across 100 runs, considered par for
good hitter. Nor is he likely to do
1t now-or even approach his high
of 81. Yet it may be significant to
note that Travis, with IS knocked
across, ranks third behind Walker
and Jim Bloodworth and is ahead
of the usually more prolific Lewis.
All in all, Cecil stacks up as the
player of the year around this baili-
wick. Leader in batting average,
fourth in runs scored, first in doubles
and triples and third in runs batted
in makes for fair sort of an all
around record.
Red Sox Invade Tomorrow.
A switch in Manager Harris pitch
Ing plans today was to send Walter
Masterson to the box against the
Athletics, who were to have used
Bill Beckman. Had weather per-
mitted yesterdays game, Rene Mon
teagudo would have pitched but
Masterson now has had his needed
day of rest and Monteagudo will 60
back to bull-pen duty.
The rained-out game, President
Griffith announced, will be played
as part of a double header against
the AS on Sunday, September 8.
Tomorrow the Red Sox will invade
Griffith Stadium for a three-game
series and Joe Cronin, his club now
six and a half games back of the
leading Tigers, may find trouble on
his hands, for Harris will have Leon
ard Ken Chase and H,,dso,, 1;ped