The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-09
TALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, June 9.-Two not
IN able major league veterans
passed out Of the picture almost 81
multaneously the other day. One was
Harry Heilmann of the Cincinnati
Reds. and the other was Waite Hoyt
Of the Brooklyns.
Only a few chaste lines OF type
chronicled the passing OF the two
men. 1t isn't much OF news story
when a faded hero reaches the end
of the road.
In his dav Heilmann was one OF the
greatest Tight-handed hitters in baseball
and as a pitcher Hoyt was not lar oenina
in artistry and merit. Both did tne nnes.
until they hae begun. to slip that they
moved over into the National.
Oddly Aemsnn ana aSyt aR wef Far s aboSe
sonality. They mingled with the smart
crowds and the spirited sets, Tney TOOK
their FUN where they. found It. -
Whether they would have lasted longer
or performed feats OF greater orii I. ne
easy to say. As 1t was. they tarried
around for a number OF years ana turned
in nany memorable performances an oid timer
is the last to sense he is slipping. Hoyt
thought this was going TO be one OF ms
throuqhout the winter and reported in the
spring pounds lighter. ready to pitch from
The outset oniesy, YOU Tesq nov be never
paid much attention to before. devitalized
his energy and FASTENED his exit
r IKE Hoyt, Heilmann reported
l. drawn and fine. He had had
a leg accident the year before and
this had cleared up completely. l
talked to him in Tampa. I'm good
for three or four more years, he
said. Il still can hit that ball as
well as the next one. Don't be sur
prised If you see me lead the
league"
few DAYS later the Reds announced
that Babe Herman had been purchased
from BROOKLYN. This meant added opposiL-
ton for Heilmann, an outnelder hlmseli.
In. In another week or so the Reds an
nounced the acquisition OF Chick Hafey
from St. Louis. deal that provoked even
more public astonishment than the Herman
With Both Hafey and Herman added to
the squad, Heilmann's chances TO start as
a regular were reduced TO practically
nothing. And when the Reds jumped away
to a roaring start he definitely became a
bench warmer. And now when the time
has arrived when the managers must get
rid Of their surplus material the once
great champion is handed his uncondi-
tional release.
or course, there is nothing par
~ ticularly tragic in this. 1t is a
fate that comes to all of them in
time. And both Heilmann and
Hoyt have had more than their
share of glory as well as gold. In
these days when bricklayers and
bookkeepers find themselves pound
ing the pavements after years of
hard and Unconditional labors, it is
not easy to grow sentimental about
insolvent stars Of sports.
At the same time the Heilmanns
and the Hoyts add lot of piquancy
to the sport. They are fine, con-
genial, alert types, and you miss
them.
Hoyt came to greatness early as a pitch
err. He had everything the successful
pitcher needs, plus a shrewd head and q
to tell him how to pitch ball game. and
nobody ever had to coddle him in the
tough spots.
one Of the greatest games he ever ts
Giants in the 1921 world series. 1t was
the eighth and what proved to be the de-
Gliding game. Art Nehf opposed him. In
the FIRST inning, the Giants got a run
after Hoyt had seemingly retired the side
on strikes What looked to be a strike
was called a ball by Umpire Ollie Chill
and out Of that circumstance grew the
run which was to give the Giants the
championship. That was the only run
scored.
Hoyt pitched faultlessly the rest of the
way--pitched with a powerful arm anc
an unerring noodle. 1t was his mis-
fortune to draw a bad judicial break In
the FIRST inning and to have his opponent
Nehf match him pitch for pitch unit
the final out. There have been few more
stirring pitching battles in the history Of
world series play.
Hoyt's after the game comment was
typical: "Well, you can't win EN- all y
What he may have said privately about
the umpire's decision on that one pitched
ball which might conceivably have decided
the championship I never heard.