Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1926-01-24 | Page 15 | French Joins The Athletics. Connie Mack Praises New Star

FRENCH JOINS THE THE ATHLETICS PRAISES NEW STAR I I 4 I I I IB B By DILLY BILLY S EViNS f CHICAGO Jan From 23 23 From Just justa a pinch-hitter pinch to a regular bi big league berth in the outfield In one short year In Iii a sentence that sums up the career of Walter alter French as a mem mem- member mem- mem member member ber of ot the Philadelphia Athletics Not so 00 many years year ago French was a football star at West cst Point as well as a sensational diamond performer Connie Hack lack In summing up his hiB plans for tor the coming season hUll has mode made th definite announcement that French Is hi his choice for tor right I field With French ih lit I I right field and andAI andAl andAl Al AI Simmons in center the Ath- Ath Athletics Ath Athletics will present the unusual spectacle of two players using baseball stances that ILle aro entirely unorthodox Simmons pulls pUlis badly from the plate yet Is one of ot the greatest batsmen in the Americ American n league Some critics refer to him as Foot the Foot Water the Bucket Simmons American I league ague pitchers say a lot lotof lotof ot of worse Vorse things about him French hits the ball bail with his feet wide spread Ho lie doesn't step Into the ball bali but rather hits front froma fronta a flat tooted position Opposing pitchers ridicule his style but Wal Val Walter ter does doel doe more than that to their I offerings i French Is 18 probably the I man In the American league straight away When hen the 1925 sea sea- season season season son opened his role was that ot of runner runner pinch and hitter He lIe was successful at both In the difficult jo job jol of ot pinch hit pinch ter ter French h had d a batting streak from June 30 to July 25 that was decidedly out of ot the ordinary In that period he ho was used nine times lIe responded with six hits laid down a sacrifice and struck out twice Thus In nine times at t bat he do- do de delivered livered livened as Connie Mack would have him six safe drives and a sacrifice as 05 per pr Instructions Average His Ills ability to hit lilt In pinches s so impressed Mack Macle that it finally won him a berth as II a a regular He lie Im Immediately mediately proceeded to prove to the estimable Mr Mack that he bad made no mistake Starting with the game of ot Sep Sep- Sep September ember Comber 16 l French played 14 games In right field before the close o of the season He lie hit safely In 11 II of I them Item getting 21 1 hits four tour of his drives g good od tor for two two- bases baes In four tour of ot the games Iames he hit safely three times I During the tho season ho lie was used a a II pinch hitter on 39 as occasions end and had a mark mork of an n aver aver- average average average age of ot better than a hit In every three times limes up His Ills seasons season's aver aver- average average age was It If French can continue where whre he left oft off as a 0 hItter hitter his presence In Inthe inthe Inthe the Philadelphia outfield Is going to make Snake Macks Mack's club more danger dauger- dangerous pus ous than ever over as a pennant con con- con contender contender tender 00 00