The Washington times., 1938-06-01

the first baSeman.
Joe Bush, a top-ranking
pitcher in his days with the
Athletics, Red Sox and Yankee,
protested against little Hug put
ting Lou Gehrig on first base.
wallie Pipp, an old-timer with
the Yankees, and who once LED
the American League in hitting
home runs, was on the bench.
It was natural, perhaps, that
Bush should protest against
Gehrig playing first base. He
was Just a journeyman first
baseman recalled from Hart
ford, and victories were becom'
ing a bit difficult for Bush to
win.
GEHRIG STAYS AT WORK
Well, that same Henry Lou
Gehrig completed his 2o0Oth
consecutive major league ball
game yesterday as the Yankees
hammered the Boston Red Sox
down to defeat. He never quit
nor rested from the job assigned
to him by little Higgins. The
only man who even remotely ap-
preached the marvellous record
of the brawny New York ath-
lete was Everett Scott, VINO
played 1907 consecutive games.
Scott played most of his con-
secutive games with the Boston
Red Sox before becoming
member of the Yankees. Joe
Sewell of the Cleveland Indians
and the Yankees played 1,1OS
consecutive games.
The imagination Is taxed a
bit by this matter of playing
1000 consecutive major league
ball games. Maybe you think
that it's just a matter Of going
out there and spending a couple
of hours in the open air. But
10000 and one things can hap
pen to q ball player. He might
be hit with q pitched ball,
spiked, hit by q grounder mop
ping crazily along. He might be
bumped by some reckless rum
ner as Greenberg YVES bumped
and put out Of action by Jake
Powell.
Then there's a matter of i'll
ness. Have you made the Of
flee every day for 1000 consec-
utive work days?
Gehrig has played with lun1-
bago, with a broken finger. I
know he played when he had q
fever that would have put you
and me in bed and under q
physicians care. Just once did
he get the benefit Of break.
He was announced as playing
shortstop, permitted to bat first
and retire from the game. The
contest was played away from
home.
A REAL IRON MAN
But outside Of that, Lou went
through and played the game.
Professional baseball as we know
, It came into being in 1875. Think
Of the thousands Of men who
came into the leagues who failed
to last for 1000 games, consecu-
tive or otherwise.
Before attending Columbia
University, Gehrig won fame as
a high school athlete IN New
York, and was called the school
boy Babe Ruth" AS a member
Of the baseball nine Of High
School Of Commerce, he went
to Chicago and won an inter
city championship by hitting
the ball over the right field wall
Of the Wrigley Field. Lou was
IS years of age at that time.
Baseball has made Gehrtg
famous and independent finan-
cially for life. When he steps
down from daily play he will
not 60 to the minor leagues.
He has ample money set aside.
and his tastes are simple. He's
n sort of q mothers boy"
which is more Of boost than
o knock.
ROSS BOWS AT LAST
Years Of soft living and the
terrific punches of a great
fighter caught up with Barney
Ross in the ring of Madison
Square Garden Bowl in New
York city last night, and Henry
Armstrong, featherweight cham.
pion OF the world, today also
is holder of the welterweight
title.
It is the first time in the curl
GUS history Of pugilism that a
man of the smaller divisions
went two steps out Of his class
and won a title.
It may be said that the
malevolent jinx of the Garden
Bowl claimed another victim
last night. Ross went into the
ring champion and came out
beaten. No title holder has yet
successfully defended his laurelS
ia that arena. The result would
have been the same in any ring.
Ross gave all he had in the first
five rounds, but from written
and spoken accounts OF the
fight, the nerve numbing BODY
attack Of Armstrong was entirely
too much for him.
That Ross stood up for is
rounds under the beating he took
is testimonial to his courage.
For the last five rounds he was
strictly on his nerve. His punches
had long since lost their sting,
and his feet were as heavy as
lead.