The Washington times., 1938-03-28

zation.
Kirk Miller And it's q
right convincing talk of which
Russell delivers himself, be-
cause he has facts at the tips
Of his fingers to verify the influ-
ence on professional ball which
the Legion baseball movement
has exercised.
There are no less than 16
erstwhile junior Legion per.
formers carrying out definite
assignments in the two major
loops right now.
Back in the minors there are
more than $50 kids who might
not otherwise have gotten their
professional baseball start were
1t not for some active Legion
post in their communities.
Well get around to the ident-
1ty Of those now performing in
baseball'S upstairs, but it might
be better to first get a bit into
the background Of the veterans
Junior baseball movement.
Halt Million Boys
It started a dozen years ago
this summer as a portion Of the
citizenship program carried on
by the Legion, More than half
million boys, all under the age Of
II, each summer organized into
10000 teams, sponsored by some
Legion post.
City, county, State, regional
and sectional champions are de.
termined until two teams pop
up to play q junior worlds
series, for the title.
Actually, the effort Is q big
brother movement whereby the
veterans interest themselves in
baseball.minded lads Of their
community.
You'll like the code under
which these boys are organized,
Just as I like it. It is:
Keep the rules: keep faith
with your comrade, keep your
temper, keep yourself At, keep
q stout heart in defeat, keep
your pride under victory, and
keep a sound soul, a clean mind
and a healthy body"
Buddy LesOis One
Of such stuff, let Russell
Cook remind you, is made a ball
player by the name Of Buddy
Lewis, Washington's third-base
find, who grew into prominence
out Of a Gastonia IN. c. junior
baseball team.
OF like specifications comes
Elon Hogsett, the Cherokee In
dian pitcher, who started in
Brownwell, Kansas, and has ar.
rived in Washington after way
stops in Detroit and st. Louis.
The American Legion junior
code Of play was sound enough
to produce one Bob Feller. young
Cleveland pitching sensation,
who has had more trumpeting
than any pitcher recently to
come up. His baseball begin
ming was with this Van Meter
.(Iowa) Legion-SponSored team.
Other American League regu-
lars who can thank the interest
shown in them by their home.
town Legion post are Second
BaSeman Bobby Doerr, Of the
Red Sox; First BaSeman ELS.
worth Babe" Dahlgren, now
with the Yanks by way Of the
Red Sox: Fabian Gaffke, Red
Sox outfielder, and George Tur-
beville, Athletics pitcher.
That's a total Of seven Legion
grown lads in the American
League at the moment. The
National League has nine play
ers with similar backgrounds.
I off Legion Lots
Catcher Arnold Mickey Owen,
who recently tangled at home
plate with Washington'S Mel
Almada in an exhibition game,
and Harry "Cooky" LIayagetto,
Brooklyn second baseman, grew
into their jobs off Legion sand
lots.
The Chicago Cubs have three
erstwhile Legion junior perform
ers in Phil Cavaretta, first base.
man; Augie Galan, outfield,
and Kirby Higbe, pitcher.
Morris Arnovich, Phil out
fielder: Lee Handley, Pirate sec
ond baseman, and Morton
Cooper, Card pitcher, with Jim
Tobin, Pirate hurler, complete
the list.
These established m a. or
leaguers, incidentally, represent
quite an investment on the part
Of organized baseball, for an.
nually a substantial fund Is put
at the Legion's disposal by or.
ganized baseball to develop its
work. The effort has not been
without fruit, as the players
enumerated above establish.
Cook tells me that all told,
organized baseball has contrib.
uted 100000 to the Junior
baseball activity.
I would say that such bread,
cast upon the baseball waters
has been returned many times
over.