Evening star., 1941-12-18
Keystoner Held Best
In Loop Is Worst
By Statistics
Mats BIoodworth Third
Among Seeond-Soeke
New Mark for Dickey

BY the frequently misleading
slide rule of statistics, Second Base
man Jimmy Bloodworth, recently
traded by the Mats to the Detroit
Tigers, is identified as better fielder
than the New York Yankees Joe
Gordon. The Official American
League fielding records also COM
pliment the creaky 1941 fielding
Of Charley Gehringer and Buddy
Myer.
The ancient Gehringer topped
regular second basemen with a per-
centage of 1852, mark equaled
by the Mats Buddy Myer, who
played less frequently. Gehringer
was covering little territory for the
Tigers. but according to the figures
he's the best.
Bloodworth, third among regular
second basemen behind Gehringer
and Don Heffner of ST. Louis, had
$40 chances, 68 more than Ray Mack
of Cleveland, his nearest rival.
Jimmy also participated in lot dou-
BILE plays, only two less than the
Yankees Gordon and the Indians
Mack, the leaders.
Bloodworth Has .971 Average.
Gordon, generally conceded to be
the smoothest second baseman in
baseball, owned the worst per-
centage among the regulars. He
fielded at a .958 clip, while Blood
worth compiled .971 mark, the
same figure owned by Bobby Doerr
of the Red Sox
Gordon, however, contributed
heavily in the establishment of
new double-play record of 1876 reg
istered by the Yankees, who are
shown by the figures to be a less
effective fielding team than Cleve-
land or st. Louis. New York fielded
1913, while Cleveland was picking
'em up at a 976 pace, a point better
than the Browns. Washington and
Detroit tied for sixth with 1863.
Catcher Bill Dickey of the Yam
KEGS tied major league mark when
he made an unassisted double play
against st. Louis. Dickey also broke
the major league record for the
most years catching 100 or more
games by making it his 18th in sue
cession. To Dickey also goes the
distinction of leading the league in
fielding with a 1894 mark in 104
games.
Pitcher Dutch Leonards fluttery
knuckler chiefly was responsible for
Jake Early of the Mats leading the
league in passed balls with II.
Those who have felt Washington's
George Case is equipped with a
weak throwing arm will be surprised
to learn he tied Sam Chapman of
the AS for the most assists among
outfielders with 81, four more han
the Yankees Joe Di Maggie, against
whose arm there is less inclination
to run. .,.....s, ..
Travis Presses Boudreau.
Fielding honors among the short
stops went to Lou Boudreau of
Cleveland for the second straight
year with a percentage or .97l, Two
points better than Washington's
Cecil Travis. Travis participated in
80 double plays, 10 less than the
leader, Phil Rizzuto of the Yankees.
Pacing the first basemen with a
1895 record was George McQuinn of
the Browns, while topping third
baseman was Ken Keltner Of the
Indians at 971. Mike Kreevich OF
the White Sox led the outf1elders at
1894. playing II consecutive games
over one stretch without an error
Third Baseman Pinky Higgins OF
Detroit and Shortstop Luke Appling
of Chicago shared the dubious dis
tinction of making. three errors in
one inning. while Johnny Babich OF
the AS tied the major league record
for the most putouts by pitcher IN
a game with five. This last was
accomplished by Joe Wood in 1912.