Evening star., 1938-03-29
TIGERS DYNAMITE.
RATED OVER YANKS.
Even With Ruth, New York
Had No Such Power, Says
Detroit Manager.
BY GRANTLAND RICE.


TAMPA, Fla, March 2s.-"1'm not
going to tell you who ought to win the
American League pennant this year"
Mickey Cochrane said. Maybe you've
already guessed it." The man who
was practically dead man last May
the greatest catcher baseball ever
has known, from Buck Ewing on
never looked better in his life. Lean,
brown and still replete with the same
old pep.
What are you going to tell me?"
I asked.
I'm going to tell you about more
dynamite in batting order than the
Yankees ever had-even when they
had Ruth, Gehrig and Meusel-when
they had Ruth, Gehrig and Dickey'
I'm giving you," Mickey said. three
fellows by the name Of Gehringer.
Greenberg and York, It's a tougher
combination at the plate than Cobb.
Crawford and Veach-than Ruth,
Gehrig and Dickey."
This sounded a tribe interesting.
Ruth, Gehrig and Dickey were a
pretty fair combination when it came
to laying against the well-known apple
with the well-known ash.
Tiger Trio Powerful.
TITS this way" Mickey said. Last
year, Gehringer, an 11-year-old vet
eran, had his greatest season. The
best season of his career. There's
what call ball player-a ball play
er's ball player-a crowd ball player
ball player every way you take him.
He hit for 81 as I recall it.
You know about Hank Greenberp
Hank has been one Of the long dis
tance stars of the game. Always in
there challenging the big busters
Watch Hank this year. And then
there's another fellow-a fellow by
the name of Rudolph York from
Aragon, Ga.
Who comes from Georgian" Mickey
asked
You name en-" suggested.
That's where the competitors come
from Cochrane said. "a few fellows
like Ty Cobb and Bobby Jones-Nap
Rucker-and I could name you a
dozen more. Now Rudy isn't today
the best catcher that ever lived. But
he's one of the greatest hitters.
He didn't get started until around
the middle of the season. He WAS
thrown into a tough spot. And all
Rudy did was to beat Babe Ruth's
record for single month in the first
1ull month Rudy ever played. He hit
18 homers last August. It wouldn't
surprise me bit to see York beat
Ruth's all-time record of so home
runs in season-either this wear or
next.
Success Depends on Rowe.
I don't have to tell you what a
great hitter and what a great puv
BABE was and is. But this York can
nit with him. Rudy has tremendous
shoulder power-tremendous hand
and wrist power-and the knack of
perfect timing This means the same
thing in baseball that it means in
golf-or any other game. Timing is
almost always the answer to both di-
rectlon and distance. York has power
and timing combined-as we'll as anv
hitter I ever saw. And he's still
q kid"
In Gehringer. Greenberg and York
the Tigers have the big punch of the
american League-or any other league.
But I'm still doubtful about Schoolboy
Rowe-who happens to be the big
answer.
Here is the greatest all-around ath-
Rte baseball ever knew-possibly bar
ring Jim Thorpe Rowe was baseball
football. basket ball. track, tennis and
golf star. He was better in more
games than Jim Thorpe was.
He was the kid with everything
feet IA great pitcher-the one
pitcher who could always trim the
Yankees-even with Ruth. But an
overdevelopment of muscular assimi-
latlon brought on a bad right shoul-
der-and Rowe still is a guess. NV
guess. after talking things over in
the Grapefruit League with those who
should knows that Rowe never will
be anything like the pitcher he was.
And Cochrane and his Tigers need
chat type Of pitcher-one outstanding
star. Bridges is one of the best when
right-he's out now with a chipped
elbow-but the Tigers need the Rowe
of three years ago And don't think
he'll be around.
Detroit Best Ball Town.
The Tigers have one thing, anyway.
They have the best baseball town the
United States ever knew. They have
= better baseball town than New York
Is today-than Boston was in its prime
than Brooklyn ever can be.
Last year." Mickey said, I'VE were
out OF the race in May. Yet we played
to 1,150,0O0 patrons at home-more
than New York ever played to.
Last year we were IA games out of
first place In September-yet we had
10000 out to see us play the Yankees.
There never was baseball town like
Detroit. Look at these cars parked
around Tampa while we are playing
the Reds"
no ASoS' Adn IIle CaTS-aS lar as /
could hgure it-had Michigan licenses.
These" Mickey said. "are all Detroit
fans. I can't tell you how I'd like to
give them winner. If Rowe was the
Rowe that he used to be, could beat
them"
What about the Athletics of 1881? 2"
I asked-"with Grove and Moose Earn
shaw and Walberg-how would they
compare with the Yankees of today?"
Wed knock their ears back"
Mickey said. 1T wouldn't even be
close-even with Di Maggie on hand.
Grove that year won 81 games and lost
four-tWo by shutouts. The Yankees