New Britain herald., 1928-01-14
(BY BILLY EVANS)


 Whom do you regard az the two most valuable first year players in the majors for 1927?
 Since the close of the season, a great many fans have asked me that question. Going back over the 22 years I have spent in the majors, such a query would ordinarily prove rather tough one. yet l doubt if the question of the two outstanding first year youngsters was ever more clearly defined than last season.
 I have no hesitancy in saying the most valuable youngster in the Ma tional league was Lloyd Waner of the Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Wilcey Moore of the Yankees as sumed a similar role in the Ameri- can league.
 It is a rather strange coincidence that these two players, the out standing stars Of the majors should graduate into fast company from the same minor league.
 During 1926. Lloyd Waner started with the Columbia team Of the South Atlantic league. Waner bat ted .345 for the season. right up among the leaders. To me the most remarkable thing about his play was the fact that he enjoyed a great year although 6 member of a hope less tailender.
 Columbia finished with a percent age Of .274, practically 400 points from the champions and 200 points below the mark Of the club that tin- ished seventh in the race.
 The above figures will give you some idea of what bad team Waner played on and what handi- cap he worked under. It takes a real player, one who loves the game, to keep stepping at top speed when his team isn't going anywhere.
 Waner. joining the Pirates in 1927. and getting a chance to play regularly after "kiki" Cuyler jump ed over the traces, continued to de- liver the same kind of game in the ma jors in his first year as had fea- tured his debut in the minors. He was an important cog in the win ming of the pennant by Pittsburgh.
 He took part in 150 games and established the wonderful battins record of 1854 in 629 times at bat
 Pitcher Wilcey Moore of New York was even more prominent in the winning of the pennant by the Tanks than was Lloyd Waner in Pittsburgh's triumph.
 In his first year in the ma ors, Moore swept aside all tradition that has clung to first year pitchers and only seven ball games IL is conser- vative to say that he saved dozen more. Thus Wilccy Moore. in his i first year. did something that only few pitchers accomplish over thei, entire career--made possible the winning Of 30 ball games for his ! team.
 While Waner was strugglins 1 hopeiessly with the tail-cnd Colum- i bia team during the 1926 season, bi. work being the only redecming tca- , ture of that clubs play, Wilce, Moore was pitching the Greenvills team to pennant in the sam, league. All Moore did was to wir 30 games while losing onl yfour for q mark Of .sSe.
 Major league baseball offers noth. ing that parallels the careers 0 Lloyd Waner and Wilccy Moore ir their first year ln the big show Few players are fortunate enough tt meet with the success that greeted these two athletes in their first sea son out of the minors.
 UnquestionabIy. Wilcey Moore ant Lloyd Waner were outstanding fl their first year in the big leagues There are many experts who doub if these two players will be able tt maintain the high standard Set dur ing the past seaeson.
 Another unusual feature in con nection with these two phenoms is despite the fact that last season wa the first chance either has had {, i show his stuff in the majors. Moor, is about 10 years older than WaDer
 
 Eugene, Ore. - The rniyersjty .