The Indianapolis times., 1930-08-12
TALKING
IT OVER
By DANIEL
Batting for Joe Williamsl

NEW YORK. Aug. 12.-Adonis
Bill Terry's lofty perch in the Ma
tionaI League batting averages pre-
sents most interesting possibilities.
Perhaps It presages the throttling OF
a hoodoo which has been all 700
sssjduous in its malign attentions to
Giant aspirants for clubbing lead
ersl1ip ever since New York came
into the ancient circuit back in the
davs OF the Mutuals and the AZ
lantics. walrus mustachioed out
fielders and Nadjy uniforms.
This Hnr has been particularly ohensiFe
.e,r .inre John J. MeGrsw took charge OF
fbe Giants. He has won ten pennants and
three world championships. and his men
hav. hung ID records Of every description.
Vet onlv once have the New Yorks Of the
Ff~Crar regime produced a league batting
champion. and even on that lone occasion
success vas achieved BY the margin Of only
. single hit.
II vas in 1918 that Larry Doyle. nov
hack with Giants ~ the opslness .,'- ol,tes,
TOOK fhe National League hitting crown
Win an average Of .52O-the lowest ~ me
hirforv OF the aiors. Had question:
aole ~. S6-6 a1 5ns e ana sn error the title would
b.~r gone 10 Pred Luderus Of the Phiilies.
and McGraw today would Be Nltnolt ,,e.l ene.,
years OF striving to develop batting
leader.
II Al. bistorv Of the Giants they
h,v. had only two hitting champions other
,ban DovIe. Back in 1885 the mighty
Ror,r Copnor won with .s51. and in 1890
Jsek GIasscoek led with -33s.
The New Yorks Of the McGraw
regime have had men whose names
will be found among the champions
of the league. But five landed at
the Polo Grounds after their days
Of outstanding glory as hitters.
They we're Hal Chase, Eddie Roush,
Rogers Hornsby. Heinie Zimmerman
and Cy Seymour.
A sirtb. our friend Frank O'Doui, went
70 the top the very season after the
Giants traded him to the Phillies-a cir
eumstance which lends color and adds
strength to the contention that II Adonis
Terry really is going to turn the trick
he'll have 10 break DOM a powerful
hoodoo.
T AM in receipt of an interesting
Il compendium which tends to
prove that the average age of 1909
players in the eleven leading minor
circuits is about 27-on par with
that of the American League.
=
&c hot he
using too many old PLAYERS and that TINS
Is hurting both the little leagues ana the
big shq % VEL then what wns3 Is s4 se are o4he fhe
major leagues doing 70 help the olo pan
PLAYER?
Would it be desirable to read something
like this: The ST. Louis Browns today
gave an unconditional release to Pitcher
loo Blotr. As he was IS years Of age. 1t
was not in accordance with the new pro-
gram Of flaming youth for any minor
league club to sign him. BoItz was taken
behind the Erandstand and destroyed. He
is survived merely BY wife and Eve chill
drens"
can see the viewpoint Of the majors.
when the minors work largely with older
men. who are either big league discards
or never viii sec the majors
q
But what are you going 10 do with your
player released by the big show? He has
done nothing but play baseball ever since
he was kid. In most eases he is not
6tted for any other kind of work.
q
He looks to baseball for living and az
he goes on IN years he skids from class
"A TO A TO B or G. sometimes down into
the ID. bushes and utter oblivion. It's
very tough problem. and 1t hardly can be
solved By compendiums.