Evening star., 1938-08-13
DURABLE VETERAN
PUTS CLUB At TOP
Bill, Exceptional Handler
of HurIers, Also Packs
Telling WaIIop.
By FRANCIS ]. POWERS.

CHICAGO, Aug. 13.-PerSOnal NOM
ination for the American Leagues
most valuable player: Will Dickey. the
scantling-like catcher of the New
York Yankees. Will Dickey was my
choice last season, but the committee
voted to honor Charley Gehringer of
the Tigers, and couldn't be blamed
much for that. The selection this
year may be Hank Greenberg or
Jimmy FoXx on their slugging, but.
even so, my man still will be Will
Dickey
The Yankees wouldn't be leading the
American League race were it not for
Will Dickey. If Joe Mccarthy were
pinned down he probably would ad-
NIT that. Dickey unquestionably is
the greatest catcher in the business
and that New York's pitching is hold
ing up certainly is due in large meas
ure to Wills smart and clever opera
lions behind the bat.
Dickey is real horse for work and
this will be the tenth season-barring
miShaps--in which he has caught
more than 100 games He is 50 dur
able that Arndt Jorgens, the second
string backstop, works so infrequently
his name is not even carried in that
little record book, Who's Who" The
Yanks have played 81 games this sea-
son and Dickey has been in IS, so
really it's unnecessary to ask Joe Nc
Carthy what he thinks of the tall
Southerner.
Bat Vital to Yanks' Success
Dickey's bat has been as vital to the
Yankees success as his smart CATCH
ing. Currently Will has batted in 78
runs and is tied in that important de-
partment with Hank Greenberg as
runner-up to Jimmy Foxx. The fear
opposing teams have of Dickey was
illustrated in the recent White Sox
series. Chicago pitched to Di Mag
eio and Gehrig on most occasions,
but. when the situation was perilous,
Will Dickey was deposited on first
base by an intentional pass.
Dickey leads the Yanks in home
runs with 18, and there's another
feature of his runs batted in. Almost
half Of runs batted in credited to
Greenberg have been on his own
homers. while Dickey's round -trippers
have accounted for less than a fourth
OF the .tallies he has knocked home.
If Di Maggie and Gehrig were REACH
ing base with their Customary IA
cility, Dickey's total of runs batted
in would be much greater.
While the Yankees are winning.
they don't much resemble the old
maulers.with the exception of Will
Dickey, that is With Di Maggie and
Gehrig off form and Heinrich and
Selkirk anything but consistent slug
gers. New York frequently uelizes the
sacrifice and plays for that odd run.
Leaders Stress Defense.
Imagine the Yanks Of the Ruth,
Meusel, Combs and Gehrig era play
ing for one run! Those fellows PLAYED
for runs by the bunch and one big
inning. The long hits was their
meter, and the sacrifice something
used by ordinary mortals.
The Yankees also are stressing de-
fense, and Joe Mccarthy can do that.
with the best defensive infield in the
American League. It's almost i'm
possible to get anything on the ground
through Red Rolfe, frankie Crosetti
and Flash Gordon. There are no
better third basemen than red
thatched Abial out of Dartmouth, and
on his present pace you have to rate
Crosetti along with Joe Cronin among
the top shortstops.
Those boys are hitting, too In four
games against Chicago Rolfe batted
.426 and Crosetti an even 400; they
scored IL runs and batted in six
others. Which gives you some idea
OF why the Yankees are winning with
out the power OF Gehrig and Di
Maggie. That's why Cleveland will
nnd 1t difficult to supplant the Yanks
when the rivals meet this week end.
Still, the main man of the Yankees
IN my book is Will Dickey, and it's
about time his worth was appreciated
Wlthout him the Yankees would not
oe up there, and without him they
wouldn't stay up there very long. One
vote for Will Dickey as the American
Leagues most valuable player.