The Washington times., 1938-02-28

valu a Bile
youngster in
the game. For
- he scarcely
f. Buck" O'Neih has started
his climb to glory.
''How those Tigers would love
to have Lewis on third base" I"
Simmons said. "He would
make Mickey's club (referring
to Mickey Cochrane) q real
threat to the Yankees for the
pennant this year. Lewis i'm
proves with every game. He is
quiet, but he seldom misses a
move in a game. He is far from
polished, but he isn't 20 years
old yet, and has the world be.
fore him.
"The Yankees have Red Rolfe.
and he's a sweet ball player, but
Lewis outhit Rolfe last year.
and he'll outtit him this year.
Unless I miss my guess, he will
30 q lot farther than Rolfe ever
will go.
Pe1ndnt Boosters
."Just think what 1t means to
. club to have two youngsters
like Lewis and Travis in the
same infield. Two kids, who are
getting better with every game.
In five years both should be at
their peak. They may mean an
other pennant to the Washing
ton club.
There is no third baseman
IN the American League for
whom I would trade Lewis if I
were. in a position to make
trades" said Simmons.
Simmons will live in base
ball history as one of the three
great righthand hitters of the
modern era. The other two are
Rogers Hornsby, exiled, it would
seem, by common agreement
among club owners, and Harry
Heilmann, once with the Detroit
Tigers, and now one of the lead
ing. sports commentators Of the
air lanes.
Simmons rose to his position
In baseball by applying to his
work the principle that there is
no substitute for hitting the
ball. For styles a great thing
II you have it, but they pay off
on base hits. Simmons sprayed
all fields with his safe blows
while stylists struck out in the
pinch.
Simmons Record
Everything about AL Simmons
at the plate is wrong except the
results achieved His lifetime
average is $40 or thereabouts,
and this includes his bad season
last year when, handicapped by
Q broken wrist and other in
juries, he hit .28O, but ranked
second to Johnny Stone on the
club in driving in runs. His foot
in the bucket" style of hitting
drove scouts to despair when he
was with Aberdeen in the
Dakota League, and Shreveport
in the Texas League. Major
league scouts refused to recon-
mend him to their clubs.
Only Simmons stuck to his
dogged faith in the doctrine
that there is no substitute for
hitting the ball. He wrote a
letter to Connie Mack once, beg
ging for a chance to go South
with the Athletics. Connie re-
piled with a form letter Of re-
gretS. ...-
Keep on playing baseball"
said the n1iSSive, land perhaps
some day you will get your
chance"
Admitted Error
Three years later Mack paid
$4,000 in cash for Simmons
contract and sent four ball
players to Milwaukee in the bar.
gain. Simmons reminded Con-
ME of his letter, and, be it said
to Mack's everlasting credit, he
was sportsman enough to ad-
NIT his error, and laugh.
Even when an established star
with the Athletics, Simmons
was requested one season by
Mack to train with the Milwau-
kee Brewers.
How can I stress form with
these young ball players, when
you do everything wrong?" de-
manded Mack.
Gust tell them to hit the
ball." replied Simmons in his
direct maner of speech. "They
pay off on the record"
Games Demands
Baseball has been kind to
Simmons. He can retire today
and live on his annuities, bought
and paid for when he was one
Of the highest salaried players
In the game.
"The game takes your youth" /"
said Simmons to the writer.
''It makes you old early, but it
pays you well if you have what
the game demands. I'd do it
all over again if I had to start.
What do you need to make
the grader" I asked.
ABILITY and courage. Faith
In yourself, and the heart to