The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-01-11
L ALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Jan. 11.-Connie
IN Mack, the sage Of Shibe park
rather surprised lot of folks some
time ago when he placed Lou
Gehrig of the Yankees at the top
OF the first base ranking. Many OF
us incline toward Hal Chase, Of his
Yankee prime. as the paragon of
tirst-basing skill. Others like to
rate George Sisler, of his palmy
days with the Browns, as the king
OF the clan. But when you analyze
Gehrig's achievements it is quite
easy to capture Mack's logic and
emit few banzais for one of New
York's own
II Is the writer's belief that 10 Gehrig
belongs the distinction Of having been the
player OF the year for 1881. True Al
Himmons retained the batting crown in
the American League. True. Babe Ruth
finished second to Simmons in the hitting
records Of the majors and tied Gehrig for
the home run title. with forty-six. But
Gehrig did lot OF things mighty well.
As Joe Mccarthy exclaimed after he had
watched Lou around the bag for a season.
s'Why that bird is no SLOUGH in the field.
eitheri" II seems that in his National
League days. Mccarthy had been led to
believe that Gehrig was an awkward
Pawk in defense and had no baseball vir-
tues other than ability to drive in runs.
Here are some of the things Geh-
rig accomplished during the 1881
season:
drove in 1874 runs. for new Ameri-
can League record
2-Batted .34l. with total Of oil hits.
cunning second only to Bill Terry. Of the
Giants. who made 213 hits.
9-Fielded for 99l. with only thirteen
errors in 1923 chances in 1874 games. and
figured in 100 double plays.
4-Struck out only fifty-six times in 736
trips to the plate. with lit bases on balls
and 6l9 official times at bat.
Scot 40 total bases. which topped
both majors. and scored 1853 runs which
was another best for 1891.
TIL most remarkable thing about Gehris's
work last season. aside from his account
sne for 1874 tallies which is a lot of runs
TO drive in over a 154-game stretch. was
his Improvement on defense He had solved
the mystery as to what To do with his feet
IA trick which eludes many first tase-
inan.
Catlike mobility was Chase's outstand-
sng recommendation. Grace was sisleEs
virtue. But when a man drives in 1874
huns. YOU don't ask him to be an edagio
dancer.
Ut might be argued that when
Il Gehrig finds out how good he
was last season-if he hasn't dis
covered that already-he will build
a strong barricade against the lures
of Colonel Jacob Rupert and Ed
Barrow. This is contract time, and
Gehrig soon will receive his 1882 pa
pers-perhaps for another salary of
$4,000.
However. Lou is not the sort that holds
out. And he believes that Colonel Jake
has fatherly interest in him Lou is i'm
pressed with the fact that Rupert has
done pretty well by him thus far.
Rupert likes Gehrigs fine attitude to-
ward his mother and father. They have
come first with Lou and the colonel fig
ures that such faithfulness deserves re-
ward.
The past year saw change in Gehrie
es man. He mellowed and he smiled
more. He threw off feeling that per-
maps was shyness, perhaps aloofness. may
DE tendency toward overintrospection.
When you realize that Gehrig is the iron
man Of baseball-that he has the largest
StreaK OF unbroken play, his value in
creases
And then there is the fact that he Is
R,s' ana mat ne is powerful and the best
physical specimen in the mators-and NO
doubt the best conditioned. In short ME
bird from Eighth avenue and West Ono
player 80 uulUe DaIl