Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-03
Pepper Martin Pes 7outed Stars Card Catcher Bone Ruled
MACK HANDS PALM
TO PEPPER MARTIN
Declares Cardinal Cripple"
Outstanding Player in
Series So Far.
BY WILLIAM WEEKES.

a hSsOCidl6u FFeSS Sports writer.
ut. LOUIS, October 3.-John
Leonard Pepper" Martin, the
young man who said he could
hit any kind of pitching the
world champion Athletics had to offer.
and has proved it so far today stands
out as the world series hero to date.
No less an authority than Connie
Mack himself paid this tribute to the
sensational young Cardinal outfielder.
Mack says that Martin has been the
outstanding player Of the series.
Martin, whose tempestuous base run
ming yesterday helped Wild Bill Halla-
han to subdue the AS and square the
series. was not even counted on as a
starter in the classic, because Of in
juries. But he was lively cripple when
he stole two bases on Mickey Cochrane
and scored both Cardinal runs in the
shutout victory.
Pepper announced before the series
that he could hit any kind of pitch
ing but did not mention anything
about sensational base running. His
batting average for the first two games
Of the set, .7l3, proves he can hit, and
his pair of stolen bases and all-around
work in the outfield have given Connie
Mack'S champions something more to
worry about.
Born in Leap Year.
Martin was born on February 90,
1904, in Oklahoma City, making him
a leap-year baby. Yesterday he was a
leaping misery to the Athletics every
time he came up. In the second inning
he doubled and Immediately stole third,
clI infn ha 6ref al "a
fashion of frankie F'riSCh, his instruc-
tor in base running. 1t was easy for
him to score the nrSt and ultimately
deciding run on Wilson's long fly TO
center
In the seventh inning he singled for
his second hit of the game and his
fifth Of the series, and a couple of
pitches later plunged head first into
second base for his second stolen base.
An infleld out put him on third and
he scored on Charlie Gelbert's neat
sacrifice.
He is so powerfully muscled as to ap-
pear muscle-bound, but Is exceptionally
feet of foot. He is a product of the
Cardinals cEain-store system of base
ball and was a great bargain. He was
located by Scout Charley Barrett in
Greenville. Tex, for the modest sum of
$4,000. Try and get him for 10 times
That amount now.
Popular With Players.
Pepper is a big favorite among his
fellow players. The yourg man from
Oklahoma exudes enthusiasm for the
game He also chews a mean quid OF
tobacco, being rival Of Dibrell Will
liams, the AS young shortstop, for the
tobscco-chewing championship of the
series.
He was with Rochester Of the Inter
national League, a Card junior varsity
outfit in 1880, and compiled batting
average of .363. He scored 12l runs and
hit safely IT'S times, ranking fifth
among the regulars OF the league. He
batted in ia runs and stole 26 bases,
ranking third in that art.
Today he wGs the leading batsman
OF the series, heading his highly rated
mates, Chick Hafey and Jim Bottom
Ley. as we'll as oVershadowing Mickey
Cochrane. the mighty AL Simmons and
Jimmy Foxx Of the world cha mpions.
And he is not done yet if you take his
word for it.
Il said could hit any kind Of pitch
ing. have done it and I'm going to
keep on doing it,