Evening star., 1938-10-15
REDS MCCORMICK
HELD YEARS FIND
Gordon, Keitner, Amber Win
Spurs in Frosh Season
With Major Loops.
BY DILLON GRAHAM,


fine rockies was about evenly divided
between the two major leagues.
While there were several good in
fielders and outfielders for every posi-
ton, the freshman pitchers were
hardly up to standard. even though
the season produced baseball's first
double no-hit hurler in Cincinnatis
Johnny Wander Nicer.
Reds Rockies Shine.
The Reds possibly had more good
rockies than any other club. with First
Baseman Frank (Buck) Mccormick,
Wander Nicer, Catcher Willard Hersh-
berger and Outf1elders Harry Craft
and Lee Gamble.
Rockies played a conspicuous part
In the pennant races, too. Cincin-
MATHS recruits kept the Reds in the
National flag race up until the final
week. Joe Gordon frightened the
Yankee infleld and added a punch that
helped the New Workers garner their
third successive bunting. Johnny
Rizzo's big bat spanked the Pirates.
Third Baseman Ken Keltner and Out
fielder Godfrey Heath strengthened
the Cleveland Indians.
Now that the long campaign has run
It's course, an accurate check-up on
the rockies can be made for selection
OF a mythical all-star club.
Great Young Group.
Here are my nominations.
First base-Buck Mccormick,
Cincinnati.
Second base-Joe Gordon, New
York Yankees.
Third base-ken keltner, Cleve-
land.
Shortstop-Wayne Amber, Phil.
adelphia AS.
Left field-John Rizzo, Pittsburgh.
Right field-Geoffrey Heath,
Cleveland
Center field-George Case, Wash
ington.
Catcher-Willard Hershberper.
Cincinnati.
Pltcher-Bob Klinger, Pittsburgh.
Pltcher-John Wander Nicer. Gin
cinnati.
Mccormick Years Best.
mccormick was the outstanding
rookie of the year. He was among
the leagues big five batters virtually
all season. He led the loop in hits
and batted in more than 100 runs.
George McQuinn of the st. Louis
Browns was another fine first sacker.
Gordon had no competition at sec
ond base. He batted in more than 90
runs, hit 20-odd homers and flelded
sensationally. Dario Lodieiani and
Stanley Sperry played we'll for the
Athletics, while the Phillies liked En-
NETT Joe Mueller.
Keltner stood out among third
sackers. He knocked in more than
100 runs and was among the batting
leaders.
Amber was the outstanding short
stop, although a light hitter. This
was his first full season. but he played
in 50-odd games last year
Case full Of Speed.
Rizzo's timely blows led the Pitts
burgh attack, This Italian youngster
was the first Pirate in years to hit 20
homers and he batted in upwards of
100 runs.
Heath got late start with the In
dlans, but came along strong. He
wound up with high stick average
and propelled more than 100 runs
across the dish.
Washingtons Case was one of the
fastest men to enter the American
had another fine hitting rookie in Taft
Wright
There was an abundance of good
hitting fly chasers. Henry Steinbacher
of the Chicago White Sox, Melvin
Mazzera of the ST. Louis Browns. Err
ME Koy and Goody Rosen of Brooklyn,
Sam Chapman of the Philadelphia AS,
Enos Slaughter of the ST Louis Car
dinals, Max West of the Boston Bees,
and Craft of Cincinnati Manager
Bill McKechnie believes Craft will be-
come one OF the National Leagues out
standing fielders.
Catchers Sparkle.
HerShberger and John Peacock OF
the Boston Red SoX were the ace re-
ceivers. Only the presence of the
heavy-hitting Ernie lombard kept
Hershberger from the No. / backstop-
ping job with the Reds.
The right-handed Bob Klinger and
southpaw Johnny Wander Nicer were
the pitching leaders. Others who
made good first-year records included
Jim Bagby of the Boston Red Sox,
John Humphries of Cleveland and
Dick Erickson of the Boston Bees.
Fights Last Night