Evening star., 1935-12-19
POLL GIVES CHAMP
TITLE OVER MOODY
Woman Net Star Runs Close
Second-Grove, Pitcher,
Is Rated Third.
BY ALAN GOULD,
Associated Press Sports Editor.


N vEW YORK, December 19.-In
a year marked by succession
of the greatest comebacks in
A athletic history, James j.
Braddock enjoys the distinction OF
finishing at the head of the class for
1885.
The most surprising development In
the fifth annual Associated Press
sports poll, as disclosed by today'S
tabulation, is not that Braddock is
rated the hero of the years biggest
comback, but that he was given a re-
markably close race by Helen Wills
Moody, the tennis queen, in the ballots
cast by sports editors and writers
throughout the country.
Braddock won on points by margin
not much greater than that which en-
abled him to lift the world heavy
weight boxing championship from
Max Baer last June in the Madison
Square Garden Bowl. The final count
was 1S0 points for Braddock and I'll
for Mrs. Moody, already voted the
No. woman athletic performer of
the year.
Points were scored on 3-2-1 basis
with the experts listing their three
comeback choices in the order of pref
erence. Braddock was put at the top
Of As lists, while Mrs. Moody was
ranked No. l by 81 observers.
Braddock Earns HOnOrS.
A LII things considered, Braddock
earned the comeback honors
Rated a flstic has-been and in such
personal straits that he was on the
relief roll in New Jersey, Braddock
within year fought his way up from
the obscurity of preliminary trial
horse" to match for the heavyweight
title. He was 12-to-1 shot against
Max Baer. His decisive triumph was
the happy ending to one of the dra-
matte stories in prize-fight history
Mrs. Moody's comeback was notable
because it followed two years ab-
sence from tournament competition.
dating from her. default to Helen
Jacobs at Forest Hills. The fact that
she was arrayed against Miss Jacobs
in the Wimbledon applied the perfect
dramatic touch .....
The manner of her triumph also
was extraordinary. 1t is worth recall
ing, however, that Mrs. Moody entered
the tournament favorite and that,
in condition, she long has been rated
the worlds No. woman tennis player
Grove Scores Heavily.
THE polls finding that Robert
Moses Gefty) Grove turned in
base balls outstanding comeback is
confirmed today by the official Ameri-
can League pitching averages, show
ing the Red Sox Southpaw at the head
Of the list in effectiveness.
A bust" last year with a sore arm,
Grove regained old-time form, won
20 games and set a record by COM
piling the leagues best earned-run
average for the seventh time.
Grove shares third place in the poll
with Glenna Collett Ware of Phila-
delphia, who regained the national
women's golf crown after a lapse of
five years. Mrs. Wares victory at
Minneapolis was her sixth.
Two comebackS which received
surprising small vote were those of
~ThomaS Hitchcock, jr., in polo and
Charley Colbert, st. Louis Cardinals
infielder. Injuries were thought to
have wrecked the careers of both.
Hitchcock, forced out of the game
twice by bad falls, made such bril-
liant comeback that he again has
been restored to the maximum 10
goal rating. Colbert almost shot one
foot off in a hunting accident and
was out of base ball for two years,
submitting to numerous operations,
but recovered and won back a job.
TabuIation of Poll.
EJACULATION of the poll on the
years outstanding individual come
backs:
l. James J. Braddock. heavyweight
boxing champion, 180 points.
2. Helen Wills Moody. Wimbledon
tennis champion, I'll points.
g. Robert Moses Grove. Red Sox
southpaw pitcher, 43 points.
4. Glenna Collett Ware, women's
golf champion, 43 points
d. W1luICI al1IoOLA, 444C11
champion, % points.
6. Tony Canzoneri, lightweight box
ing champion, IA points.
z. Alvin (GeneraD Crowder, Tigers
pitcher, II points.
8. Thomas Hitchcock, jr., worlds
only 10-goal polo player, 8 points.
9. Wesley Ferrell, Red Sox pitcher,
Z points.
10. Charles Colbert, Cardinals in
fielder, 6 points.
Five points each-Goslin, Detroit
outfielder; Charley Root, Cubs pitcher;
Ozzie Simmons, Iowa halfback. Three
points each-Paul Derringer, Cincin-
natl pitcher; John Revolta, profess
- sional golfer; Walter Hagen. Two
points each-Madison (Matty) Bell,
Southern Methodist foot ball coach;
Andy Pilney. Notre Dame halfback.
One point each-Ted Lyons, White
Sox pitcher: Mark Koenig, Giants in
fielder; Babe Siebert, Boston Bruins
hockey player; Big Bill Tilden, pro
tennis; Marvin Nelson, distance SWIM
Iner.