The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-05-16
y HARRY
(RAYSON

Cleveland, May 1y-Earle Bryan
Combs complete comeback this
spring is as pleasing and surpris-
ing to the scholarly Kentuckian
as Il is to the New York Yankees.
Even before Combs fractured
his skull in running into the wall
in st Louis last July, the renowned
outfielder hardly expected to be u
SECULAR this season.
When the accident that threat
ened his life, let alone his brilliant
career, occurred, Combs was quite
positive that he was finished as a
front-iine man.
u realized that was slowing
s;lp." says the silvery-thatched
combs, who celebrates his 34th
rbirthday on May Ia. IT thought
that maybe if one of the other
beys slumped, or some one was
hurt, or something, would get in
there. But no one was more sur
nrised than myself when Joe Nc
Carthy started me on opening day.
R Nov I know that ! can play
every day IL they want to keep me
lin the lineup. This nippy spring
weather doesn't bother me. In
fact I don't get tired in this kind
LOT weather. It's on those hot Au-
gust days that ! feel my age. I
get tired, and don't bounce back
for those second games Of double
headers"
Plays Deep and Comes in Fast
4 New that the Yankees are in the
| west, where the left field walls are
closer than they are in the eastern
parks, Combs is following advice
| given him some years ago by Herb
Pennock. the old southpaw lumin-
Ary.
"Play deep and come in fast
Pennock told Combs.
I'm getting my back pretty
close to those fences and have
nothing but room in front of me-
!. nsser4s Combs.
Its funny thing about that
accident Of mine. I thought about
1t plenty as lay In st Johns hos
II had warned Lou Gehrig about
HE danger of running recklessly
after fouls. Lou has u great habit
~ doing it. He's always tumbling
Into those boxes back of first base
Or running into things in short
bleld. Lou and roomed together
1ast year. and ! urged him to be
knore careful.
Were getting too old for that
Bort Of thing, LOU I said, and
eeme day we're going to get hurt.
Then forgot all about 1t myself
when Harland Gift hit that ball.
could see 1t going over my head
and It just lured me on.
ssFFom now on no balls are go
ing To be Turing me backward, be-
cause I'm going to be in front of
fhem. I'm playing deep and COM
nng in fast
Pressed as Fans Applauded
Combs attributes his rather poor
Start ct the plate this spring to
fAe warm welcome given him upon
bis return. After all his 13 years
~ pIya, 1t caused him to be over
1uxfous.
II don't like to say anything
about Il, after they've been so nice
% me, but ] believe ! would have
Eene better had they just sort Of
>et me slip back quietly" explains
Combs. ......
ss[Iearing them applaud when I
name up just made my hair stand
~. ! could feel my cap move
<<ek. knew that they wanted
ne 70 hit safely every time I came
10, and, while that's what I'm all
45x trying to do. ! guess I tried
IS hard"
Once he shook the over-eager-
has, Combs again nuickly took his
|zEe among the Yankees more
Essentially batsmen, and was the
< ~ 30 above the 800 mark.
@1I< Gehrig got In more games
&H tbs Yankees over a 10-year
z<o4 than the graceful Combs,
|=4 HAA clicked after injuries that
S<'f have shaken the confidence
f&r <eHnger players. and who
<*14 In 4 fair way 10 beat
H &rS&l.fx Incoming class OF out.
Mz# 45psars that u win take
*=|-= |=1''Hion with a cement
1E .* A.m cut Of the lineup