The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-09
/ ALKING
IT OVER
by JOE WILLIAMS

ATEW YORK, July 1.-RaJIlCk
IN McDonough is a young gentle
man who spends most Of his time
hanging around the editorial room
telling all and sundry how the va
rious ball clubs should be man
aged and Just what is wrong with
the Brooklyn ball club, a subject
which frequently carries him far
into the night, and, at times, or so
it seems, a few degrees beyond the
borderlines Of sanity.
McDonoueh belongs 10 that peculiar tribe
that goes around quoting batting averages
from memory. replavinE ball games that
took place seven years ago and reminding
YOU that iris Speaker was once a right
handed pitcher.
I have never been able to ind out how
bdcDonouzh got that way. but I find that
he is . verv valuable person TO have
around the place because when one OF
the baseball experts writes that Cy Young
shut out the AS in 1904 under a cloudiess
sky. McDonouRh is always on hand to
refute the printed statement and up to
now he has always been right.
In many respects McDonouRh is rather
mystifving because his baseball knowledge
wick and yet he is scarcely old enough TO
vote and even II he we're I suppose he
would vote for Babe Ruth or John Nc
Grsw. or IN the case OF a split ticket.
maybe for Lefty Grove.
So far as know he has never heard
of Lindbergh or Dempsey and II being
president means that you must spend your
week-ends standing in trout stream with
a fishing rod in your hands and talking
over the five-Year plan with Andy Mellon.
well. I am pretty sure McDonough
would rather be an umpire-and who
wouldn't7
DUT be that as it may, find that
ID young Mr.. McDonough comes
in mighty handy when the Gus
toners begin clamoring for baseball
and 1t is his idea that I ought to
write something about pitchers to-
day-especially about discarded
pitchers who make a business of
beating their old mates. 1t seems
that this is happening with great
regularity.
Consider those three new pitchers
Rogers Hornsby bought for the Cubs
Sweetland from the Phils. Nay from the
Reds and Smith from the Braves All OF
their effective work this year has been
done against their old team. Their theme
song seems TO be: "chve them something
to remember you by And consider Jim
Elliott who went to the Phils from Brook
lyn. He has beaten his old play mates
I'VE times.
McDonough points out that the only
reason the Brooklyns are not in first
place today is that Elliott has been able
to beat them at will IT fear that Man
ager Robinson will live to rue the day
that he ever let big Jim get away" adds
Mr.. McDonough. 1t is to be hoped the
situation is not as acute as all this And |
besides Manager Robinson probably would |
not know now to rue day II his life |
depended on 1t.
There are other pitchers who 1T into this !
same category. including the veteran
Clarence Mitchell of the Giants who has
vet to lose a single game to either the |
cards or the P1ils. with whom he formerly |
worked; Burleigh Grimes. who has won |
five out Of six from the Giants. and Ed !
Wells. the reformed Detroiter. whose only |
two victories for the Yanks have been !
against his old employers.
MIR. MDONoUGH also wishes
Iva to call my attention to the
alarming fact that there is not a |
single stand-out pitcher in the Ma
tional league this season. 81 do not
know what to make of it," confessed |
the young man. 1.-THE boys Just |
do not seem to be able to go along
and win with any consistency. i
suppose it is the new ball or some
thing"
The facts bear Mr.. McDonough out. Fred
Fitzsimnons of the Giants started the sea
son with rush. He won five In a row. !
Then he lost i've in a row. Which left |
him back where he started from. Brandt |
Of the Braves won eight in a row then
turned around and dropped the next FIVE. |
The moral here seems to be. never carry |
a package by the string. Grimes was the |
first old Lacquer to win ten games. but |
he hasn't won game since June 81. |
Maybe he's waiting for Labor day.
They seem to get better pitching In the |
American League. Either that or 1t is |
easier to pitch in that league. Grove. for |
instance wen his seventeenth game /!
Wednesday and seems headed for a record |
Of thirty wins. 1t has been a long time !
since any big Lacquer won that many. |
Jim Baeby of the Indians was the last. |
He won thirty-one in 1920.