Evening star., 1938-03-15
YANKS CAN Be HAD,
SAYS TRIBAL STAR:
Johnny Sees Indians With
>FeIIer, Harder in Trim
Giving Champs Fight.
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Ho6OSlAISu 1ICSo opOELS WRITER.
NEW ORLEANS, March 15.-Ev-
erybody In the hotel lobby turns to
gaze when the Feller family-Bob
clinging to the hand of his little sis
ter and proudly followed by Ma and
Pa Feller and the family preacher,
Charley Fix-goes out through the
doors looking for an orange Juice
stand.
Everybody knows Bob is the most
sensational young pitcher in a
coon's age, and they discuss his
chances of pitching Cleveland to a
flag this year. If he comes through,
they say, the Yanks will have to hump
themselves.
Leaning against pillar, also watch
ing the Feller family procession, is
another Cleveland pitcher. Nobody
gapes at him. Hes Johnny Allen of
Lenoir. N. c., who happens to be
only the greatest pitcher in baseball
on his record for the last six years.
Records Prove Him Best.
fCAACA StA1l lldS lAlS W OU. AllcIl lids
done his. He won IS straight last
year before he was beaten, l to 0, by
Detroit in his final start. In six years
he has won IS games and lost 80 for
percentage of .739.
That's tops For the same period
Carl Hubbel shows a winning average
of 1877, Lefty Gomez .67l, Lefty
Grove .655 and Dizzy Dean $50.
Allen has been with only one cham
pionship team, the Yankees of 1882,
his first season in the big show. Hub
bell and Gomez have been with three
winners each in that time, Dean with
one.
To make his superiority more en-
phatic, Johnny has led both leagues in
strikeouts with an average of 5.65 per
game and dished out more low-hit
games than any rival. He has pitched
l8 games Of four hits or less. All this
Is matter Of record,
Not Afraid of Yankees.
Il never could get no-hitter," said
Johnny. but I had one-hitter and
couple OF twos. Somebody always gets
knock of me early in. the game"
Johnny doesn't like Ito talk much
about his achievements. He's 80 now,
and, fully recovered from an appendix
operation last season, feels that his
fast ball is going to be faster than ever
Maybe I'd better not say SO.
though" he reflected. 'or I might not
be able to get anybody out"
How about those Yankees? Did he
have any trouble pitching to them,
and had he discovered Joe Di Magsio's
weakness?
Il beat 'em the only two times I
faced 'em last year." said Johnny.
Sure, Di Maggie can be pitched to,
but I don't think Id better tell how"
Was there any one player he had
particular trouble with, any batter be
never seemed able to get out?
Has His Tough Batters.
Sure" Johnny grinned. There's
two Or three of EN-, but wouldn't give
'em the satisfaction of knowing it.
Might give 'em ideas"
Allen is hard fighter and a tough
loser. He's no pal of the umpires. A
bad decision gets him hotter than
pair of loaded dice, and his temper
has cost him a number of games. It's
his one principal weakness; that and
an occasional stretch of wildness.
Did he think the Indians had
chance of winning the flag this year?
Sure. If we get our defense tight
ened up little we've got a good
chance" said Allen. Il know we've got
the pitching. Feller ought to be hard
to beat, and Mel Harder, too."
Not word about the best pitcher of
them all.