The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-17
TALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS
Times Special Sports Writer


Times Special Sports Writer
NEW YORK, Jan. 17.-As a base
IN ball team the New York Giants
hold many unique records, one of
which is that it is the only team in
the majors that has been directed by
two choir boys.
Perhaps Mr.. Bill Terry, the pres
ent manager, was not exactly
choir boy but it is matter of rec
ord that on occasions he sings a
very robust bass in the church
choirs today.
Nor is it altogether true that Mr.
John j. McGraw, whom Terry sue
ceeded, was ever in the accepted
sense a choir boy. That is to say
Mr.. McGraw never stepped to the
rail, threw back his tonsilS and gave
voice to golden lyrics in the mood
spiritual.
Il just pumped the organ" con-
fesses Mr. McGraw. Il couldn't
sing but I was a good pumper"
This startling confession was made
OF a dinner party in honor Of Mr..
McGraw and came at moment
when great deal of skepticism fol-
lowed as the natural result of
great deal of nectar.
Mr.. McGraw noted the challeng-
ing glances-"and I can still out
pump any man in the house." he
roared.
A ND so, gentlemen, I give you
L A for the first time in any sports
literature, Mr.. John J. McGraW,
organ pulnper de luxe.
Both as a topic and a profession,
organ pumping has never had a
completely warming influence on
your correspondent. Somehow, when
I am sitting around with Mr..
McGraw, I develop a curious desire
to talk baseball with him. 1t must
be the beast in me.
At any rate presently Mr..
McGraw and myself were talking
about Carl Hubbell, the left-hander,
who practically pitched the Giants
into the world championship last
season. Just how great pitcher is
Hubbell?
"One of the greatest left-handers
we ever had" admitted Mr.. Nc
GraW, land we have had two or
three great ones" Getting specific,
he mentioned Rube Vanguard, Artie
Nehf, and, of course, the current
Hubbell.
If he had to make a choice of the
three whom would he choose?
That's hard to say. Marquard
had a lot of natural stuff. Nehf was
a great money pitcher, thoroughly
dependable in the pinches, and
Hubbell has something neither of
the other two had-a perfect screw
ball."
a S the discussion went along I
IA gathered the impression that
Marquard was Mr.. McGraw's ia
vorite And if this is true can
understand it. So far as it is pos
sible for a manager to make a
pitcher Mr. McGraw made Mar
guard. BY careful schooling, pa
tience and full appreciation of
the pitchers potentialities, Mr.. Nc
Graw changed raw rookie into
a dazzling star. Thus the finished
product represented the masters
own handiwork.
Marquard was purchased for
$1,000 from indianapolis, the high
est price up to then, I believe, that
was ever paid for human chattel.
For years Vanguard was known as
the $1,000 beauty" You can't buy
third base coach for that kind of
money even now. On the other
hand, Nehf and Hubbell were pretty
we'll established before they came
to the Giants, particularly Nehf.
Nehf came to the Giants from
the Braves at cost Of S55, 900. That
in itself shows you the standing he
already had as a pitcher in the big
leagues. Hubbell came up from
Oklahoma City at a cost of $4,000
but he had had previous big league
inspection and was generally &C
cepted as a top ranking prospect,
needing only experience.
NEARQUARD pitched in the ma
WI jors for eighteen years, during
which time he won 201 games and
lost 176 for a percentage of .553.
Nehf pitched for fifteen years, win
ming 1872 games and losing 129 for
percentage Of .585. Hubbell has
pitched only six years in fast COM
pany, has won 100 games and lost
sixty-four for a percentage Of $40.
The figures indicate that Hubbell
is on his way to better the records
of both of his predecessors, but the
figures may be misleading. Most
often figures are. You can't logically
compare a six-year pitching record
with an eighteen or fifteen-year
pitching record. It's the long haul
that counts. And since most stars
stay around some time after their
peak, the final returns inevitably
suffer.
If a pitcher can win twenty games
a season he belongs. For three sue
cessive seasons Marquard won more
than twenty games-twenty-four in
1911, twenty-six in 1912'and twenty
three in 1913 Nehf won twenty
one in 1920 and twenty in 1921.
Hubbell won twenty-three last sea-
son. and it was the first time he
had passed the teens in victories.
If he is Nehf he will win twenty
or more next season. if he is a
Marquard he Will go on for three
years-and if he is something bet
for ba rr-fI av,e,o ea