Sports Done Brown - April 21, 1926

he injury to Harry Riconda, young third baseman of the Boston Braves, may well spell the death knell of the Boston team's hopes.

There seems to be some sort of curse attending that position on the Brave team. The first big blow that Davey Bancroft suffered as manager of the team was the untimely death of Norman Boeckel in an auto accident three years ago.

Since that time Bancroft has labored diligently to find someone to play the far corner in capable style. Last year Andy High and the young Bill Marriott labored there. Marriott was allowed to depart to the Brooklyn Dodgers.

In 1924 Cotton Tierney, Bob Smith and Ernie Padgett were used to fill the gap. Tierney was traded, Bob Smith was turned into a pitcher, and Padgett kept until this year as utility infielder. He is with Cleveland now.

Riconda, once tried out by the Athletics, was counted on to round out the Brave infield along with the diminutive Walter Gautreau. Working alongside the veteran and crafty manager at short, Riconda was showing vast improvement. Hesitancy to go into Bancroft's territory for ground or fly balls was his only weakness. Bancroft was correcting this by encouraging the young man on each occasion to "take it."

Bancroft felt that Riconda and Gautreau, also let go by Connie Mack, would make the long leader regret his haste in disposing of them and would give the Braves a better first defense—something they needed.

Riconda will be lost to the team for several weeks. Meanwhile Bancroft will have to use a makeshift lineup. It will take clear leadership on Bancroft's part to hold his team morale up to a high pitch during this period.