The Washington times., 1925-05-09


! remember a tanning bee, q few
years ago, between White Sox and
Yankees players. Some one asked
Eddie Collins about his various
records. One year he went out
and smashed Ty Cobb's mark for
stealing bases. Most people
thought Cobb was through. The
following season Cobb came back
and stole within a few of one hun
dred, beating Collins by many
bases.
That's why Ty Cobb is q cham
pion," said Collins during this fan
ming bee. ''for no matter what q
rival player does to Cobb's record,
you can figure Cobb will come
back next year and go him one bet
tar
There's no use denying Cobb's
legs have slowed up q lot since
/ first joined the American
League, just as he told me in
Washington. But he doesn't need
them so much any more.
In fact, as manager Of Detroit,
Cobb is really paid for what he
knows more than for what he does.
And yet, he played every game in
the 1924 schedule. Besides, base
stealing means little in present day
baseball. Manager Higgins dis.
courages Yankee players from hit
ting the dirt. It's too dangerous
for the small advantage 1t offers.
That's why 1 expect to see Cobb
shining as a player for quite a
while after 1925-which is his
twentieth season in the daily
lineup.
Looking at it from the human
side, the comeback of George Sis
Ter is greater than the fact that
Cobb, at the time I do this article,
Is leading the American League In
batting. That's really old stuff for
Cobb. He's lead the league twelve
different years. And take it from
me, I wouldn't be surprised to see
Sisler and Cobb fighting 1t out for
final honors in September, as they
have done in the past.
Although Harry HeiIman Is liable
TO run Wild, any day. And believe
me, just as soon as l get back
where 1 left Of down in Ashe-
vile. Which was somewhere
around 400 against Brooklyn
pitching.
In the meanwhile. I want to
put in the strongest kind Of
boost for George Sisler. The
league ought to strike a medal for
iron nerve and gTve 1t to George.
He has whipped the worst odds
any ballplayer every played against.
/ know what 1t Is to be helpless,
but I thank God there isn't any
thing wrong with my eyes. Or my
legs or arms, and yet, I get dis.
couraged after was in the hos.
pital only two short weeks. Sisler
might as we'll have been in the
hospital two years. All during 1928
he was practically blind, as far as
baseball was concerned. Last year
he managed to finish above 300 in
the batting averages, but he was
still in bad way.
Today he Is batting over 400,
and hasn't missed his daily hit in
over twenty consecutive games. I
told friends today that I think the
greatest thing about Sisters come
back is that his backbone never
doubtful. Most sport writer's dis
cussed his case from standpoint
Of praise and sympathy with the
soft petal on the comeback idea.
And l don't think very many ball
players expected him ever to be
the SisIer of 1922 again. Last year
I heard any number Of ballplayers
say George, you're coming along
in great shape. You're beginning
TO look like your old self" But
they were really only "yessing
him, because they liked him. I'm
q second guesser too. I'll admit
Sisler is fooiing me, and hope he
keeps ii up all season long.
II the Browns manager stays
with his present batting gait, he
will not only fool nearly every play
or, writer and fan in America, but
he will prove for all time, that no
matter what the rest of the world
thinks, a fellow isn't stopped until
he admits II himself.
Copyright 1925, by the ChriBty
Walsh Syndicate.l
YALE FRESHMEN CREW.