The Washington times., 1938-03-23

When you
talk of Sec
sP5.1. osNsII ond basemen
who threw
across their letters" in time-sav-
ing motion that moved down
base runners in double plays,
take Rogers HornSby for your
model. There have been
others; Napoleon Lajoie, Eddie
Collins and some more who
might be named. But you can
rest with the great leader Of the
team that won the first World
Series for the st. Louis Cardd-
mails.
The steel-eyed Texan plays
again in the most comprehensive
and enlightening baseball pic.
ture ever filmed. It. is called
''The American League School
for Better Baseball" It is a
most important element in or
ganized baseball'S drive to bring
the best in Americas national
game to the youth Of the land.
Secrets Revealed
George Moriarty, star in his
own right in the majors, repre-
sentative Of the major leagues
on one baseball tour of the
orient, and one of the master
unpires of all time, directed the
filming of the picture.
Moriarty selected his players
for style and class as unerTingly
as he calls balls and strikes in q
world series. Through the
miracle of captured motion, the
secrets of baseball's players are
revealed.
Hornsby is a study in coordi-
mated power and grace. He
stands again in the back Of the
batter's box, steps smoothly into
the ball, and swings with all the
rhythm that was the delight Of
fans and the terror Of opposing
pitchers. The infallible eye of
the camera shows you just why
Hornsby led the National
League from 1920 to 1925 'inclu-
sive and why he cleared the 400
mark in baseball three times,
tying the all-time major league
record Of Ty Cobb. Hornsby
turned the trick in 1922, "a and
'25. He hit .401, .424 and .4O3
In the respective years.
Regal Company
The Texan is cast in regal
company. He is shown with
Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Hank
Greenberg, Charley Gehringer
and others. 1t is interesting to
study the styles of these men, to
note the horizontal arc Of their
swings.
Gehrig, for instance, stands
with his feet 80 inches apart,
and strides eight inches. His
footwork is shown in slow mo-
ton. He doesn't vary two inches
in stride as he moves in to meet
q pitch. DiMaggio has an even
shorter stride than Gehrig, but
his weight pours from his right
foot to his left at the finish, and
his terrific power flows into his
swing, his wrists swapping the
bat into a perfect follow through
at the finish.
Hornsby, Gehrig and others
grip their bats with their fin
gers, just as the golfer grips his
clubs. The left thumb is not
extended along the bat, and
there is no interlocking nor over
tapping grip.
Varied Display
Beau Bell, of the Browns,
Joe Cronin, Buddy Myer, Joie
sewell, play their part in the
graduated type display. Bunt-
ing, hitting to right field, drag.
ging bunts, and every phase Of
baseball is demonstrated by
masters.
A fascinating phase Of the pic.
ture is the pitching. You see
Ted Lyons, the wise old-timer Of
the White SoX. You've known
all along that Lyons was and is
q stylist. You watch him and
one of his secrets is brought 20
light. ....
When Lyons pitches, he steps
swiftly in the line Of flight OF
the balls he throws, minimizing
the advantage to the batter Of
the green background in center
field.
Bob Feller, the boy pitcher of
the Indians, is shown. Don't
doubt the natural ability of that
Iowa high school boy. He has
poise and motion, but he de-
pends now upon his speed, as
Walter johnson once depended
upon speed. And even in the
pictures. his fast ball is terrific,
Don't doubt Feller" Moriarty
said after he had shown the
film at the Hotel Angebilt to an
audience that included PreSi
dent Will Harridge, of the
American Lea que, President
Clark Griffith, and the entire
Washington club. .l
Buddy Myer is one Of Nor
1arty's type men in the medium
Ohysiolle class. His svUino II, ,oic.