Evening star., 1937-02-10

play in CooperS-
town, N. Y, the shrine of base ball
The naming of Young instantly sent
my memory back to a game in Bos-
ton in the budding days of the Amer
ican League. I took my heavy hitting
Athletics there May 5. 1904, and was
to see the mightiest display Of pitch
ing that I ever can recall.
Young. a giant right-hander, we'll
along in the 30s, was destined to
electrify the Nation by pitching a
perfect game with my swash-buck-
ling Athletic players the victims.
No Man Reaches First.
MOT only did Young keep the AS
out of the hit column, but he
did more. He did not issue a pass
and nobdy reached first base.
In other words, starting with
Topsy Hartsel at the top of the bat
ting order, this 190-pound farmland
from Ohio retired 27 men in a row!
One after the other he moved them
down like reaper cutting ripe wheat.
We were victims of this dazzling
pitching but could not help admir-
ing Young,s artistry as the game ap-
preached its conclusion.
We had no end of good hitters.
Harry Davis was at drst. Dan Murphy
at second, Lave Cross at third, Monte
Cross at short and Hartsel. Pickering
and Seybold in the outfeld, with
Schreck behind the bat.
When you keep players like these
out of the hit column you are pitch
ing. This was one of six perfect
games recorded in base ball history.
Four came after 1900.
Long Time Between Feats.
PACK in 1880 Richmond of Wor-
cester, then in the National
League, and John Montgomery Ward
Of Providence were credited with
pitching perfect games, and then there
was lull until 1904, when Cy Young
had his big day against us. Addie joss
of Cleveland matched Cy's feat in
1908 and Ernie Shore attained these
heights in 1917.
Charley Robertson of the White
Sox was the last to turn in a per-
feet game. On April 80, 1922, he kept
the Tigers from reaching first.
Young's principal assets we're blind
ing speed and deadly control, although
he had fair curve. He never had a
slow ball. Then, again, he was truly
an iron man. He could work every
other day and never show any signs
Of strain.
Cy still holds records, and probably
come Of them will never be surpassed.
He won the most games, 511, and for
IA consecutive seasons won 20 or more.
He took part in the most games, 874,
and pitched the most consecutive hit
less innings, %.
Lajoie started and finished his
American League career with the
Athletics, and in between he served
Cleveland with distinction.
Nap Tops in Grace.
MAP Is IN my good books as the
most graceful player I ever saw.
He started his big league career as
a first baseman, but played most of
his games at second. As a matter of
fact. he could play any position well.
One afternoon I was suddenly
forced to shift him to shortstop All
he did was to accept 16 chances.
He was such master workman on
Q ground ball that he made every-
thing look easy. He could stop balls
between bounds with prepos:..rous
ease.
I often have been asked to compare
Lajoie with Eddie Collins, two stand
outs. both of whom played for me.
That's not easy TO- do. Collins, now
general manager Of the Red Cox, was
a different type of keystone tender.
Eddie was all brains and constantly
trying to confuse the opposition. He
was more Of a general the Lajoie,
who was the kind of player who did
not exactly have to be q gene |.
Both were EXCEPTIONAL good hit
tiers and finished among the leaders
through the years.
speaker did not come to us until
ne was past his prime, but even then
you had clear evidence Of his great
ness. In fielding and throwing he
was perfection, and he also waved a
destructive bat.
(oopyrisht, 1887. Reproduction in whole
or In part prohibited without permission)