Evening star., 1946-04-13
Vet S Fast Comeback
High Spot Of Griffs'
Training Season
By Burton Hawkins

Silent Cecil Travis, who went to
spring training camp with the spot
light focused on a pair of toes frozen
in the Battle of the Bulge, has re-
turned as smooth sort of short
stop and the Mats hitter most likely
to succeed. Travis conduct in the
South has stilled fears he wouldn't
be able to bounce back.
AS the Mats invaded Griffith
Stadium today for an exhibition
engagement with the Baltimore
Orioles. Manager Ossie biuege was
displaying no concern over Travis,
who represented the clubs para
mount problem two months ago.
Cecil has made the grade in his
customary quiet manner and SO
Bluege is devoting his worries to
other departments.
Just as Ossie has been able to dis
miss shortstop from his fretting list,
so has Cec1l been neglected from an
appreciation standpoint by local
fans, who over the years have been
mystified by Travis failure to be an
outstanding producer of runs batted
in. Only once has Travis belted
across more than 100 runs in a sea-
son. despite lofty batting marks.
Travis Shows Fine Heart.
If he's failed in that respect, 1t
can't be attributed to lack of cour-
age, for Cecil tucks more of that
under his sweatshirt than most
players. It's a Joe Palooka type of
courage, however, which hasn't cap
tivated local fans.
There was an occasion in New
York several seasons ago, for in
stance, when Travis ignored pto-
maine poisoning, crawled from his
bed and played double-header
against the Yankees. Later, in the
West, he left a sickbed in Chicago
to join the club too early at Detroit
and suffered a relapse from flu as
the result of his eagerness to get
back into the lineup.
His knee gashed to the bone by
the Yankees Phil Rizzuto, Travis
returned to the Mats several days
later and remained in the lineup
despite an open wound which would
have shelved a less persistent player.
Clipped on the head by Thornton
Lee pitch which sent him to the hos
pital, Travis returned to the lineup
against the same White Sox pitcher
some time later and collected five
hits.
Steady at Shortstop.
The list is lengthy, but always
Travis has surged back with little
recognition. His latest recovery may
be the most remarkable and also
the least heralded, for Cecil is CIV
ing the Mats a steady if not brilliant
brand of shortstopping and he still
is noted as Washington's most dam
gerous hitter.
In fact, the two finest fielding
plays. Of the Mats Southern trip were
contributed by Travis against the
Phillies. At Miami Beach he raced
to short left field to spear Ken Rich
ardSon's looper with a bare-handed
stab, despite treacherous wind,
and at Charlotte he streaked behind
second base. scooped up Lou Novi-
kof's grounder, whirled and whipped
him out.
Travis won't qualify as baseball's
best shortstop, but he's one of the
better ones and operating with
gifted Jerry Priddy at second base
this season he may be more talented
than ever. In Priddy, Travis has a
skilled partner for double-play
maneuvering.
Pitching Plans Changed.
In Washington's only glimpse of
the Mats before opening day on
Tuesday, Bluege was to send Make
Wilson and Vernon Curtis to the
mound against the Orioles today re-
vising his pitching plans after the
Mats were rained out of their final
exhibition with the Phillies yester-
day at Richmond.
Washington completed the Phil
lies series with five triumphs in
seven struggles, but not proud of its
batting display against left-handed
pitching. The Mats sad showing
against the Phillies' southpaws has
prompted Bluege to switch blue
prints for the season and abandon
the idea of stringing along with a
top-heavy left-handed batting or
der.
The Mats will tangle with the
Orioles tomorrow at Baltimore,
then work out briefly ongMonday at
Griffith Stadium prior to Tuesdays
opener with the Red Sox here.