The Washington times., 1936-01-03
.BasebaHS
Old Aces
Fade
Bv KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

I don't mean to be moaning
90 early in the infant year, but
peering into the next 12-month,
I find I am going to miss a lot
of familiar baseball faces which
have been greeting my eyes for
q considerable number of years
in both American and National
League parks.
For instance, the 1885 season
will be the first in many, many
baseball renewals when I can
not look forward to observing the
ponderous form of Babe Ruth,
standing up there at the bat, trip
ping lightly around the base paths
after knocking a home run, or
standing in the outfield under
the broiling sun, hopping his
massive brow.
An Old, Familiar Sight
You kind of get used to such as
the Babe after welcoming him
back to the baseball wars year in
and year out for 20 years hand
running. Too, you become accuS-
toned to seeing such faces as
walter JohnSon's and Billy Evans,
countenances that have graced
the sport even longer than the
broad features Of the great man,
Ruth.
It's pretty sure that neither
Ruth, johnson or Evans, the lat
ter with an enviable reputation
both as an umpire and business
executive, will be found anywhere
in baseball this year. 1 consider
this baseball'S loss. 1t needs
more men of their type. They
come few and far between.
And there are yet others OF
whom baseball has apparently
seen the last and vice versa. The
handwriting seems to be on the
wall for Sad Sam Jones, Willie
Kamm, Rabbit Meanwhile. Bob
O'Farrell, Hughie Critz, Dazzy
Vance, and I hear, Muddy Ruel.
On Two Teams Together
Jones, Meanwhile and Vance
have had particularly notable
baseball careers, at times there
seeming to be no limit to their
durabilities. Jones has somewhat
paralleled the baseball life OF
Babe Ruth, having been the Bam-
bino's teammate on both the
Boston. Red Sox and the New
York Yankees.
For a while it seemed as though
Father Time would never catch
I'D with either of them, as was
true also in the case Of the dimin-
utive but colorful Walter Rabbit"
Maranville.
Jones spun around on the base
ball wheel for a year longer than
did Ruth, or, % seasons, to be
exact. Sad Sam, who incidentally,
wasn't in the least morose, pltcneo
for six of the eight American
League clubs, st. Louis, Washing
ton. and Chicago finding utility
for him after Cleveland, Boston
and New York all had had him
working in harness.
No pitcher in recent baseball
history had such an up and down
succession Of years, Sam posses
sing the odd faculty Of being able
to follow a bad season with an
outstanding one.
May Handle Farm
: While Hughie Critz has not yet
Officially been given his walking
papers by the Giants, it IS con-
ceded he will not be sent 1896
contract, because Hughie himself
admits his playing days are over.
E7e may head one of the Giants
farms. According to the latest
sword he can handle the Green
wood, Miss, Class c team Tor
Terry, If he wishes.
Dazzy Vance, who had q pro
sfessional baseball career which
started with Red Cloud, Neb., in
1912 and ended last year with
Z the Brooklyn Dodgers where he
enjoyed the height Of his fame.
has resigned himself to devoting
Ibis time to teaching baseball at
/ q school in HomasSassa, Fla.
$ In all probability "Rab" Maran-
( vile will still be found this year
/ with the Braves in some coach
ing or business office capacity.
but he is quite washed up as a
player. He spent the entire 1884
season recovering from a broken
leg sustained in spring training,
: and last season he was able to
: get into but % games.
Observation-Disclosures was the
"fade out" for those baseball
greats, and of course, many lesser
lights. Finish" is therefore writ
ten on some brilliant careers.
Their places will be taken by kids
) now scratching the surface OF
greatness, and others not yet
even in the game.
But in color and personalities
there will scarcely ever be an
other Ruth or Maranville. It
isn't likely there will be another
johnson very soon either, and OF
course there was never but one
! Billy Evans, the first gentleman
. Of the game.
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