Evening star., 1938-07-08
Johnny Allen, Tribes Star Slabman, Great
Feudist Who Neuer Relents; Pilot Mccarthy
Of Yanks and Au Umps Are His Pet Peeues
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
AsSocia ted Press Sports Writer


NEW YORK, July S.-After looking
over all Of the all-stars out at Gin
cinnsti, our favorite ball player still is
cantankerous Johnny Allen Of the
Cleveland Aliens.
Not only is John pitching phenome-
nal baseball, having won ~ of his last
20 games, but he was the only pitcher
to carry his own private bat to the all
star game. The reason being, of course,
that the firebrand also considers him.
self an exceptionally dangerous hitter.
What I saw Of those guys today"
he said after the glorified game, II
think I'll pitch few more years in the
American League and then round out
my career as hitter in the National" ("
That's Allen. He really says things
like that, and he never yet has cared
who was in earshot when he spoke his
piece. He is grand feudist, a man
who would have made good with either
the Hatfields or the McCoys. He's as
rugged as the Rockies.
Mccarthy Is No Friend.
One of Johnny's pet peeves (outside
Of all umpires) is rotund Joe Nc
Carthy, manager Of the Yankees. for
whom Johnny used to toll. They got
along 50 poorly that Joe finally shipped
him to Cleveland. and for all of Aliens
miraculous pitching since. Mccarthy
never has regretted the deal.
So, when Joe asked Johnny If he
would like to pitch the second three
inning hitch against the Nationals on
Wednesday, Johnny came right back:
Now don't strain yourself, Joe" An
Allen never relents.
One Of Johnny's pet theories is that
he knows darn-sight better what kind
Of ball to toss past a batter than his
catcher does. and he'll cross up the
best backstop ever born If he thinks
it's good idea at the time.
He shook of Bill Dickey's signals on
one batter for so long at Cincinnati
that the tall Yankee Catcher finally
yelled In evaporation, AL right,
throw what you want to-"
Ott1 Triple Is Mistake.
All Of which might sound like Allen
is simply hard-headed. But look at
his record. the greatest compiled by
any modern pitcher. and try to laugh
that of. Also. take careful note Of
the fact that the Indians are paying
him 100000 per annum on a two-year
contract.
The triple that Mel OFT hit OIL
Johnny in the fourth inning OF the
All-Star tussle. and which resulted
eventually in the winning run. was q
mistake. The pitch was a hard one,
shoulder high on the outside,
whereas Johnny had intended it for
Mels belt-line.
Allen wasn't sore about that, though.
What irritated him was the play that
Stan Hack, the National third base
man, made on Johnnys cannon ball
smash in the NTH frame That ought
to have been hit" he grumbled.
Baseball men say Allen Is . better
pitcher than he was with the Yanks
He's a lot smarter. they say. and has
learned to pace himself instead OF
pitching his insides out on every ball
He has a roaring fast ball, both an
overland and underhand curve, and q
slider"
II don't know exactly how to de-
scribe the slider" he said. and
wouldn't tell you If could"
Enjoys Crossing" Coaches.
Johnny dearly loves for a third
base coach to start tipping of the
batter what the next pitch will be.
Johnny pays no heed until he makes
sure that the hitter is expecting .
curve and is going to bend out over
the plate to smack 1t. Then Johnny
cuts loose fast one about chin high.
After the batter has got up and busted
himself of, it takes him many weeks
to regain any confidence in the coach.
That, incidentally, probably Is what
happened to Ival Goodman in the
sixth inning Of the all-star. when one
Of Aliens fast ones nearly ripped of
his shirt.
Johnny is gloomier about the UNI
pire situation than ever since his re-
cent explosion when one Of them made
him take of his favorite undershirt
with ragged sleeve.
They're getting so many crazy rules
It's miracle when pitcher wins a
game" he declared. Why, I had
been wearing that undershirt for three
years, and nobody had complained
about 1t before. All had done was
snip four or five holes in the sleeve to