Evening star., 1952-08-18
Bradshaw Lifts Hopes
As Mats Start Looking
Toward Next Year
By Burton Hawkins

have been all but crushed by drop
ping four of seven games on their
latest road trip, but there's a
silver Of sunshine sitting through
the gloom due to the performance
OF George Bradshaw. rookie
catcher.
Bradshaw. imported strictly due
to emergency when Mickey Grasso
suffered a split finger. has filled
the gap nicely-so expertly, in
fact, that he'll receive serious
scrutiny from Manager Bucky
Harris in regard to taking over
the No. ! job next season.
Harris didn't anticipate getting
anybody even adequate from the
Charlotte farm club, but he likes
what he has seen Of Bradshaw. a
lean figure who has leaned into
several pitches at timely inter-
walls. George is hitting .313 and
Harris says. Il have to like him
"a lot off what little I've seen of
him"
Bradshaw could figure promi-
nently in the Mats future despite
an unusual batting style designed
to spray hits into center field and
right. ignoring left field complete
ly. There's q chance that the op-
position will devise an outfield
shift for him if he gets too annoy
ing at the plate, but meanwhile
he's having fun.
Second Victory Kicked Away.
There aren't many acceptable
|catchers in the majors or minors
these days. and a continuation of
|Bradshaw's commendable behavior
would fortify the Mats. either as
Grasso's understudy or as the No.
u boy. Georges conduct has been
exemplary. but the Mats had no
room in their hearts for raving
about rookie today after drop
ping the second game of a double
header to the Athletics, 1875. yes
terday at Philadelphia after win
ming the opener. 7-2. before a
crowd Of 11,748.
The Mats had a SO lead in the
second game. then proceeded to
kick it away as the AS clustered
four runs in the seventh inning
and seven more in the eighth.
Despite the split. Washington
|clung to fourth place, although
dropping eight games back Of the
league-leading Yankees.
Nucleus for Future.
But II the Mats will win no
pennant this year-and their
chances now are DINNER than q
10-watt bulb-they have the nu-
cleus for a future winner. Brad
shaw may develop to be part Of
that future.
A native Of Salisbury. N c.,
home town Of Catcher Clyde
Kluttz. Bradshaw once was bat
boy for semipro team that
Kluttz played for. Now 26, George
Is late arriving on the major
league scene due to a total of four
years and one month Of service I'M
the Marines.
Bradshaw served three years.
and eight months in his firstl
hitch, getting battle action atl
Guam and Two Jima. Called back
in the fall of 1850. he put in only
five months before receiving al
dependency discharge.
George bats with his left foot
practically in the third base dug
out. but gets results by moving
into pitch. I'm just not a pull
hitter" says Bradshaw, "and I've
found that stance gets me some
hits to center and right"
Mats Build SO Lead.
The Mats clipped Carl Scheib
for two runs in the first inning of
the second game on Eddie Yost,s
single. Jackie Jensen's double and
Pete Runnels' single. They
boosted their advantage to so inl
the second inning when Floyd
Baker walked and Bradshaw
doubled him across. That lead
to SO with single runs
in the third and fourth, but the
AS nicked Randy Gumpert for a.
run In the fourth when Dave
Philley doubled, took third on
I0o> A1ann 49,