Evening star., 1940-05-15
Walker Makiinq
Harris Proud
As Trader
Gee Trails Only Foxx
Knocking in TolIies;
New Lineup Clicks
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Stan CORRESPONDENT,

DETROIT. May l5.-"I don't like
to boast" Manager Bucky Harris of
the Mats. was saying today, but the
trade that brought Gerald Walker
to Washington has been the most
fortunate thing that's happened to
this club In long time"
Walker. booed at every foreign
field but loved with something akin
to worship at Griffith Stadium, has
figured prominently in seven of the
10 victories the Nationals owned
today as they tangled with Detroit
here in the last of a two-game
series. The drawing Mississippi
marvel. stamped as a guy who would
be hooted or fondly embraced by
Washington fans when obtained
from Chicago for Outfielder Taft
Wright and Pitcher Pete Appleton.
has become the Mats most cherished
chattel.
He may do silly things and ap-
pear foolish at times" Harris con-
tinued, but he's dynamite in the
clutch, We haven't had much pitch
ing yet and maybe we haven't fig
ured to win as many games as we
have, but Walkers bat has Offset q
lot of evils"
Gee Sparkles Under Pressure.
Gees record with the Mats has
been quite astonishing. He is Sec
ond only to mighty Jimmy Foxx
of Boston in the matter of swatting
runs across the plate. But, more
important, he IS obtaining his hits
when they win games OF the % runs
he has batted in, II have been pro-
duced in Washington triumphs.
When pressure has been applied,
the Mats astounding outfielder has
been responding repeatedly with
solid smashes.
The Mats spanked Detroit. AZ,
here yesterday, and Walker thumped
across three of those runs with
homer and single. He has acquired
a happy habit of delivering when
the chips are down and he hasn't
been any drawback afield. Against
the Tigers, for instance, he con-
tributed q spectacular overtime
shoulder catch of Barney Nc
Cosky's deep drive In the third
inning and twice whipped out run
ners to check Detroit rallies.
Walker, too, has inserted a splash
OF color into q club which other
wise isn't too 1ppy. He needed
bleacher customers in Philadelphia
and he makes fans boo him here.
He tried the idea of setting of .
few sparks in Griffith Stadium's sun
baked sector, but chiefly instru-
mental in kindling interest in WAL
ker has been Gees run manufac-
turing. His color can be attributed
to his success.
Batting at respectable 1927 clip,
Walker has showed himself an ideal
cleanup man for the Mats. Allow
ing for a slack in his present pace
Of run batted in per game, he
nevertheless is calculated to be
Washingtons most productive bat
ter in years.
New Lineup Smooth in Debut.
Meanwhile, the Mats had no oc-
casion to regret the revised lineup
which has sent Rookie Shortstop
Jimmy Pofahl to the bench, Buddy
Lewis to third base, Third BaSeman
Cecil Travis to shortstop, Johnny
Welaj to the outf1eld and Center
fielder George Case to right field.
The combination was winning one
in its debut and it seemed smooth.
Welaj, although picked of first
base due to what he termed "over-
anxiousness to make good,". reached
base four times on a brace Of singles
and two walks and scored on WAL
ker's sixth-inning homer. Travis
handled 10 chances at shortstop like
he adored the atmosphere. Dutch
Leonard survived a rocky start to
capture his third victory of the sea-
son. Blasted for four singles and
the Tigers only runs in the first III
ming. Leonard steadied to hurl Drill
liantly over the route, halting De-
troit with seven more scattered sin
giles while issuing no walks.
washington produced run in the
first inning when Case singled to
center, continued to second on Nc
Cosky's tumble and scored on Lewis
crisp single to center The Mats
scored two more on Walkers pay
of poke In the sixth and added in
surance In the seventh when Lewis
walked, scooted to third on Welaj's
single to left and scored on Wal
ker's single to the same spot.