The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-22
BOSTON SOX
WERE DEFENSE
CHAMPS OF AL.
Rx GLEN PERKINS

New York, &c. 22-UP)-The
Boston Red Sox, whose offensive
power was riddled more severely
than that Of any other club in the
league by draft losses, presented the
best defensive organization in the
American circuit, according to Off
cial figures released today.
Paced by second baseman Bobby
Doerr, who set a new major league
record for consecutive chances ac-
cepted by a second baSeman without
error, Joe Cronin's team headed the
loop with a club defensive mark OF
.976, point ahead of the st. Louis
Browns and the Cleveland Indians
who tied for second.
In addition 70 the new major
league record, Doerr led the junior
circuits second sackers with a field
ing average of .990-only one point
behind the major league record set
up by Oscar Melillo of the st. Louis
Browns in 1870 games 10 years ago
Doerr played in 1855 games an6
handled 914 chances with only nine
errors.
Doerr, who, incidentally, swatte6
the home run that started the
American leaguer's to victory in the
All-Star game, set his consecutive
chances record in very convincing
fashion. Starting on May 20, the
Is year = old right-hander played
f1awless defensive ball until the first
game of double-header on July
23-handling 349 chances without a
boot. The old record, held by Melillc
and set in 1888, was 271.
AS team, the Red Sox handled
6,323 chances during the season
with 1853 errors. The all-time Amer
lean league fielding record of .97e
was set by the Philadelphia Ath-
letics in 1882.
World Champs Fourth
Trailing Cleveland and st. Loui:
by another point, the New York
Yankees finished fourth in clut
standings with .974, Chicago anc
Philadelphia each posted 1913 anc
trailing with .971 were the Detroit
Tigers and the Washington Sena.
tors. The league fielding as whole
was two points better than the 1874:
mark with 1906 errors out of 49,25!
chances for a percentage of .973.
In surprisingly good year fol
individual fielding, despite the fac
that many newcomers replaced
drafted veterans, three other field.
ing records went into the books.
Rookie outf1elder Milt Byrnes o.
the st. Louis Browns, got off or
the right foot in the big leagues
with .997 fielding average, break.
ing the 10-year-old mark of .99t
set by Dick Porter of Cleveland.
Rudy York, the Detroit Tiger frs
baseman and major league home
run king, handled 149 assists to sur.
pass his own mark of 146 set veal
ago.
Clevelands youthful manager
Lou Boudreau, set a new record fol
double plays handled by a shortstol
with 1872.
First base fielding honors wer,
split between veteran Joe Kuhel O
the Chicago White Sox and rooki,
Mickey Rocco of Cleveland. Boil
compiled averages of 1895. Mickey
Vernon, Washington first sacker
tied the league record for the num-
Der of double plays handled at his
position in one game-five.
Led But Lost
Eddie Mayo of Philadelphia LED
third basemen with fielding mark
of .976, although given his release
late in the season.
Twenty-Five pitchers felded their
position fawlessly and Paul Rich
ards of Detroit topped catchers who
played in 100 nr more games with
a 1886 average.
Two team fielding marks were set
both in single game between the
Browns and the Indians. The
Browns played an entire game
without single assist, breaking the
mark of one, held jointly by several
clubs, and both teams had total of
only seven assists to break the old
mark of eight for one game.