The Washington times., 1932-03-26
COAST FLASH.
. STANDOUT
ROOKIE
BY BABE RUTH

01d1Sll HO.- llC lOAAO ClAOAAS VIZ
American League circuit are go
ing to see one real new star this
year, of that 1 am certain. After
looking at Frank Crosetti for the
past four weeks 1 have no heSita-
ton in saying that here is real
big Lacquer who will be a sure
fire success. Every season brings
some new players who make The
grade and begin to win the head
lines in their first year. think
Crosetti is a cinch for such
honorS. He can't fail.
That is high praise, I know,
about a young ball player who
never has played a game in the
big leagues. So often it happens
that a youngster flashes bril-
1iantly at the training camp md
then falls back and little more
is heard of him until he is re-
turned to the minors. I have
seen so many of these spring
flashes that usually l hesitate TO
make predictions about young
recruits, but when a player like
Crosetti comes along there is no
hesitation.
Young Player
Frank is younger than most of
the players who win places as
regulars. He is only few
months past his twenty-flrst
birthday but he has one marked
advantage over the average
rookie. He started earlier. and
has had far more experience in
high class minor league ball at
81 than a player usually enjoys
before getting his first big league
trial.
1 talked to Crosetti the other
day about the amount of ball
playing he has done, and it really
was surprising. He was only SIX
teen when he Joined team in
Butte, Mont, and before he was
18 he played a season in the
Pacific Coast League. Just think
of that. At that age when many
a boy is trying to make a high
school team Crosetti was hitting
against Glass AA pitching, next
in grade to what we have in the
big leagues. He wasn't a regular
that year but he played regularly
for the next three years.
And when he reached his 2lSt
birthday early last October he had
just about completed three full
seasons as a regular in the Pacific
Coast League. besides spending
another complete season there as
a utility player.
Works With Ease
That explains the stamp of
class which marks this young
fellow as he comes up for his
first tryout as a major Lacquer.
He does everything with the ease
and the assurance of veteran
big Lacquer; is remarkably sure
on hard-hit grounders; goes back
we'll into the outfiel1 for those
puzzling, short flies, and his
throws are both sharp and ac-
curate. You watch this little fel-
low-for Frank is below the aver
age ball player in size-aS he
goes through his work in the
field and you say to yourself that
it is only a question of hitting,
Then you see him at bat and
you have no doubts. For in spite |
of his size he can hit a ball far.
In our spring games with National
League clubs in and around St, |
Petersburg, Crosetti's hitting has
been a bright feature. He has
had far more than his share of |
hits for extra bases.
All the players on the teams we
have played this spring have been
thoroughly impressed by CroSettlS
style and ability, and 1 know the
fans will be talking the same way
about him before the season is
half completed. In one of my
earlier articles I discussed young
players making a bid for places
this year. and I purpOSely omitted
CroSetti because he was with our
club and I did not wish to
appear to be boosting our own
stock. But the more l have seen
of him the more am convinced
that he can't fail.
No Better
have not seen a better young
ShortStop break into baseball
since 1 have been in the game,
and some pretty good ones have
come to the front in the past 18
years. CroSetti has another re-
cruit working beside him on the
Yankee infield, and Jack Saltz-
gaVer is also quite a ball player,
but he suffers a bit this spring in
comparison with Crosetti. AS they
say in the theater. Crosetti "stole
the show"
Years ago it would have been
considered a mistake to start
pennant chase with recruits at
second base and ShortStop, but
Miller Higgins showed that a
team could win pennant with
such a combination when he
played LaZzeri and Koenig at
these important positions in 1926
and finished in first place, liter
finishing seventh in 1925. And
this new kid team may help the
YankS to another pennant.
Anyway, just watch this CroSe5ti
the first time you see the Yankees
play. and you will agree with me
that another star has arrived.
VOLLEY INVENTED 1895