Show f I a l FRANK K BAKER I Bill Terry who Vho has been charged with a error in letting young Buddy Lewis get away from the I Giants Gj in favor of the Washington Senators is not alone when it comes to making expensive muffs in playing t talent t. t The longer the season goes oes the more the baseball world is wondering why the Chicago Chica o White Sox for instance let William WiIliam Joseph Sullivan Jr get away If young Sullivan II keeps going even three fourths as strong I es he has been moving thus far he will offer another startling example of of major league miscasting and mismanagement Right now he is leading the American league batting race hitting at a clip and playing stellar ball behind the bat Even so a sixth place Cincinnati outfit couldn't find a spot for or the tall handsome Irish y youth uth and seven other National league clubs waived on him when Cleveland picked him up for l lOO O last w winter Ir Sullivan had caught only ten ten games and those in the fall r of 1933 when he reported to the Cleveland array array in New Orleans this spring The Tribe was desperately in need of ofa a I catcher however and nd ther therefore fore gave the six foot foo pound son of Chicago's once great catcher a chance to make good t And young Sullivan has started out as if he intended to do doit T it in a hurr hurry lest Jest the fhe Indian ship him off to the minors 5 At any rate he is alread already doing regular duty behind the plate plat while agile Frankie Frankle Cleveland's chief re receiver ref ref re- re f f at the beginning of the season is now serving in a arc arc- re relief rc- rc lief lieC role f. f 1 i Billy Sullivan Jr Jr really had hd ad a birthright to a career with t 1 the White Sox his famous parent managed before young Sully I. I j was born horn I a I No doubt Billy Sr now now president of a Fruit Growers' Growers as association as- as o. o in Oregon Oregon cherished cherished a sentimental dream of the reincarnation reincarnation reincarnation rein rein- carnation of the famous Walsh to battery when his son sonI I and Ed Walsh Jr hove into the limelight of baseball prospects o but that dream led to quick disappointment when young Walsh was unable to emulate his famous dad r Young Sullivan first reported to the White Sox after receiving receiving re- re an A. A B. B at Notre Dame in June 1931 After two starts field field he In the outfield before before- in right field he had never performed and a few pinch hitting assignments S Sullivan ll van got into 92 games at third base in his maiden major league campaign He compiled compiled com corn piled a batting aver average ge gean an and helped the Sox beat the Cubs th annual city series cries between the two Chicago teams J Sullivan was determined mined however to get his law degree vat at Notre Dame so he did not rejoin the Sox until June 1932 I after fter which he led the club in hitting with in playing 93 i games arnes at first base which he patrolled d throughout his sandlot sandl t I preparatory and college years 1 i l After earning a bachelor of law Jaw diploma and being admitted sto to o the Indiana bar in June 1933 Sullivan rejoined the Sox as a time Lew Fonseca who had supplanted Donie Donic Bush Bush as manager of the Sox played first base himself and wanted anted wanted Sullivan Sullivan to catch i The youth argued that he wanted an increase over i. i the 1000 10 O a month he drew the year before and said he j wouldn't catch until his pa paycheck check was increased The raise i idid did not materialize and Fonseca Fonse a told Sullivan to sit on th the bench until he made up his his' mind to put on the protector o and shin guards Sullivan stuck it out until fans openly I I suggested from Itom the stands that perhaps Billys afraid his I. I parlor fingers fingers' will be marred so he cant can't turn the pages of the relented and told law Jaw books books' By August youngster Fonseca he would w uld catch and Fonseca accordingly used him himin in ten games duri during g the x rest st of r th the campaign r Steve O ONeill O'Neill ma a e Cleveland le land now y no was skipper of the he Toledo American association club then and took enough notice of Sullivans Sullivan's per performances in those ten games ames to remember ber ber er him when he needed new tal talent for the Indians o And this chap of 25 who along with Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees and Su Martin of the St. St Louis Cardinals comprises 4 t the he most brilliant rookie trio in the th big show was on the verge of quitting basc baseball all altogether only a year a ago o. o j The Sox offered him only a month which was only half of what what h he had recci received d. d dt t the e. e year before so he be prepared V to jo keep his job in advertising ng depa department of a clothing manufacturing manufacturing man- man company in Chicago I The Sox however announced that they had sold him t to St. St Paul Cincinnati then came to this his rescue on May 1 and Sullivan played 85 games for the Reds 40 of them at first base as a sub sib for Jim Bottomley He hit for or a month in that position only to be shelved shelved- again as as' soon as k 1 Bottomley rested up y 1 That was the final straw with Sullivan He decided Cin- Cin management had no confidence in him so he obtained J to negotiate his own sale And that's the story of how Cleveland became of of the best owner one catching prosy pros- pros y peels in captivity |