Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-08-21
LAJ0IE HOLDS
RECORD With BAT
Great Canuck Has Grand
Average of 351 During
His Career.
(By Frank G.. Menke)

fans in the country today VINO can
believe the charges brought by Mana
ger Joe Birmingham of the Maps that
Larry Lajoie has laid down on him
that the great Frenchman has not
given the club the best that was in
him.
Those who know Lajoie personally
and those who know him only through
his record as ball player cannot
believe that Birmingham's charges are
founded on facts. For eighteen years
Lajoie has been in big league base
ball and during all these years he
has been a credit and an honor to the
game. For eighteen years not a
breath of scandal has fluttered about
his name.
And now comes Birmingham dis
giuntled and angered because he is
the leader of tail end team and at
tempts to blacken the name of man
who has done hundred times more
for baseball than he ever has done or
ever will do, and whose memory will
live and be cherished for decades after
Birmingham's has been forgotten.
Does Birmingham wish to get rid of
an second baseman may supplant him
as manager? There are some who feel
that this might be the underlying
cause for Birmingham's charges
against the veteran. Several months
ago a report was current that such a
change would take place. Birming
ham is said to have a contract that
still has two years to run, but mana
gers are not always retained for the
full length of their contract.
None of those who know the great
Frenchman intimately can believe for
one moment that he would deliberately
plot against any man. LajOie stacks
up as man, clean and straight, and
one who had given the best that is in
him to his superiors for Is years
Certain it seems that now, in the twi-
light of his wonderful career. he could
not change his nature; and he, would
not sully his name by any quitting
tactics.
Weak This Year.
Lajoie has not been hitting them
out this year. His batting has been
woefully weak. But there has been
nothing wrong with his fielding, moth
ing wrong with his throwing. He
still is, despite his 80 years. the most
graceful fielder in the game. and he
still ranks as one of the greatest de-
fensive players in the big leagues.
If Birmingham bases his charges
against Lajoie on the fact that he isn't
hitting it would seem that Lajoie is
being treated unjustly. Lajoie has
bee min a slump and batting siumps
come frequently in the careers if
even the most wonderful and most
consistent sluggers. This isn't the
first batting slump that Lajoie has ex-
countered. Back in 1907 and 1908 the
best he could do was .299 and .2S9
The general verdict then was-"He's
through" Lajoie upset the dope by
coming back in 1909 with 1924, with
| 1854 in 1910, 1868 in 1911, 1868 in 1912
and 1875 in 1918.
This year Lajoie hasn't been able to
hit them for better than about 1928.
His grand average covering all the
other years of his career is .351 - the
| best average ever compiled by anyone
over such lengthy stretch It's
a wonderful record and one no doubt
that brought to Lajoie feeling Of
| pride.
An average of .223 for this season
| will tear Lajoie's general average
down something like or points
! Bringing it down to around 1924 it
still remains wonderful record but
not such seemingly unbeatable one
I as .351. Does anyone think that La
joie deliberately would lay down in his
hitting, knowing full we'll that such
| an act would rob him in the final
| years of his baseball career of the
| honor of retiring with grand aver
age better than any batsman ever
made before?
Lajoie, during the ten years or sc
of his connection with the Cleveland
club has made thousands of intimate
4 friends there. He has made thousand:
of intimate friends along the circuit
land he has millions of admirers. Does
anyone think that Lajoie would d.
Ianything that would cause him the
loss of those friendships, lose for hin
the admiration that millions have.
On the face of things it looks as
Birmingham's charges, if correctl!
| quoted, are without foundation.