Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
BOTH BIG LEAGUES
SET NEW RECORDS
Griffmen and Robins Prove
Surprises-PhiIIies and
Indians DiSappoint.

the most amazing happen
ing is to be found in the statis-
tics. In a year when almost every
other industry was in deep de-
preston base ball did the biggest
business in history.
The attendance in the National
League, where the race for the pennant
was ablaze up to the final few days of
the campaign, exceeded 100000 adj
mission, shattering to bits the former
mark made in 1926. And even in the
American League, where the Athletics
staged a parade to the pennant, the
record Of 1927 was broken with total
attendance of $500, 900.
Again the old axiom that base ball
proSperS when general prosperity Is abb
sent came into being, and it is fairly
well established that base ball is poor
mans game.
Grifs Supply Interest.
The washington club supplied the
American League season with some of
the interest Philadelphia took out of it
by upsetting all the dope to finish
second. They were rated originally as
Q seventh place club.
The National League fight for the flag
was one of the most thrilling ever
staged, with six clubs in the running
UP to the final drive down the stretch,
and four, the Cubs, Cards, Robins and
Giants, all having the championship
within their grasp during the last
month, the Cardinals staging the
greatest rush any team has put on
since the Braves bobbed up from the
bottom in 1914, capturing the pennant.
Brooklyn, after getting of to a poor
start, took the lead soon after Decora-
ton day and held the heights almost
constantly for three months. Then
they dropped behind the Cubs. How
ever, the Giants were putting on
late rally and came within a game or
two of taking the lead away from the
1929 champions, only to drop back in
o series in Chicago.
Cards Finally Win Out.
Meanwhile, the Cards, hardly counted
among the possible winners as late as
August, were making miraculous mo-
lions and were laundering along at a
breath-taking pace. Onward they came
with a string of victories until they
finally reached the top and held it.
However, they couldn't turn back
the Athletics in the world series, which
the PhiladelphianS captured rather
handily through the individual efforts
Of five men. The pitching of Grove
and Earnshaw baffled the Cardinal hit
tiers, while Foxx, Simmons and Coch-
rane blasted out home runs and extra
base hits in the pinches to win the
world title for the second successive
year.
Brooklyn was the big surprise of the
year in the National League. The Phil
lies, who were expected to make real
fight for the National League nag, and
the Indians of the American League
were disappointment.
Wilson Eclipses Ruth.
Hack Wilson of the Cubs led Babe
Ruth in the home run derby, the
mighty mauler of the Yankees relin-
quishing his title to rival for almost
the first time since he became mem
Der Of the New York club back in 1920.
However, Wilson had to break the Ma
tional League home run record to do
It. He hit So circuit clouts.
Wilson weS voted, unofncially, the
most valuable player to his team in
the senior circuit while Joe Cronin,
Washington's young shortstop, received
the same recognition in the American
League.
All Simmons of the Athletics barely
nosed out Lou Gehrig Of the Yanks for
the American League batting cham
pionship. In fact, it was so close that
Ii was believed for q few days that
Genrig had gained the honors. Bill
Terry Of the Giants captured the Ma
tional League crown with a mark OF
.40I, giving the Giants their first bat
ting champion since Larry Doyle led
the league almost two decades ago. The
Giants also set new record for team
Atfftv,r x.,kfh If 40
Grove and Vance Best.
Grove led the American League pitch
ers both in effectiveness and in games
won and lost, while the National League
honors were shared by Dazzy Vance and
Fred Fitzsimmons. The Brooklyn star
was the most effective, while Fitz-
simmons winning average topped the
list.
One Of the high lights of the sea-
son came at the finish when Babe Ruth
returned to the box and pitched full
nine -inning game against the Boston
Red Sox, beating them rather handily
and demonstrating that he still is
something more than just slugger.
Grover Cleveland Alexander, one OF
the most famous figures Of the dia-
mond, finally passed out OF the major
leagues, and after several emotional
episodes in the minors eventually ended
his career in organized base ball.
William F. Baker, owner OF the Phil
lies, and william B. Hanna, one OF the
games best known historians, died
during the year.
The Draft" Again.
The major leagues and five minor
circuits, including the three Class IA
Leagues, the American Association. In
ternational and Pacific Coast Leagues,
on rhe subject Of the universal draft
enlivened the Winter sessions con-
sideiably The war resulted in break
between the two groups. 1t promises
to be of short duration, however.
Something, of q sensation was created
in National League circles just before
the end of the season, when Joe Nc
earthly, who had led the Chicago Cubs
to the 1929 pennant, was dropped.
Rogers Hornsby, second baseman, re-
placed him and will pilot the team in
1881. Hornsby was out of action most
of the season with q heel injury. but
expects to be back on the job as player
manager.
Mccarthy picked the New York Yam
kees as the best prospect OF the many
managerial jobs offered him for 1881
and took on q big task in rebuilding the
team that finished third under Bob
Shawkey.
The Boston Red sox also produced
A new manager for the coming season
when John (Shano) Collins came up
from the Western League to take over
the reins Of that much abused club.
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