Evening star., 1939-08-29
Gabby, Near 40,
Catches Record
Total Of Ti|ts
OverhouIs 1,721 Mark
Of SchuIk as Cubs
Down PhiIIies
BY SID FEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

This is piece about an old guy
and bunch of young guys-or age
before beauty, in one act.
The youngsters are on the prowl
IN the big leagues these days-the
rockies who have produced and are
a cinch to stick, fellows like Charley
Keller and Ted Williams, Rip Rus
sell and Merrill May. Sometimes
the youngsters look down conde-
scendlngly on the old guys, but
there's one they have long way to
go to catch.
He's the perennial laughing boy Of
baseball, garrulous Gabby Hartnett.
Gabby hasn't much longer to 70 in
harness. He's staring 40 in the eye,
and has been doing his chore behind
the plate for the Chicago Cubs these
last II years. But yesterday he
passed another milestone that put
his name in the record books again.
The game, itself, didn't amount to
much. 1t was just Monday outing
against the Phillies, which the Cubs
inquired to win. They did, SO. But
Gabby had on the mask and the
pads and the big mitt, and was
shaking that hamlike fist for his
boys to show fight. That was the
1,72lst or 1.722d game Gabby has
been out there with harness draped
around his portly frame.
Schalk Set the Record.
Ray Schalk. the old White Sox
workhorse, always was regarded as
being "untouchable" in that respect.
He was back there in the tough spot
with an all-time record of 1.721
games from 1912 through 1928. Un-
til official figures are checked. it
won't be decided whether Gabbv
equaled Rays record or broke it
yesterday. but since the Cubs have
81 more games to play this season,
the gabby guy is cinch to be out
in front all by himself before long.
So the rockies, and there is a
goodly number of grade A perform
ers among them, can tip the hat to
the laughing boy this morning.
At the moment. their big argu-
ment seems to be fighting it out for
the crown of the years freshman.
A month or so ago it looked to be
Williams, the Boston Red Sox socker,
who leads both leagues in driving in
runs, and who won another ball
game yesterday with an eight-inning
homer that beat the Cleveland In
dions. 6-5.
But now Charley Keller is put
ting in his bid. Charley got a late
start with the Yankees, but is bat
ting 1856. Yesterday he collected a
homer and brace of singles as the
Yankees slaughtered the Detroit
Tigers, 1872. Charley wasn't the big
gest noise. however. since Joe Di
Maggie whacked a homer with the
bases loaded and another with two
aboard
Russell Keeps in Focus.
Rip Russell is another standout
freshman. He banged out his
seventh four-bagger for the Cubs in
yesterdays shindig. Then there's
Gene Thompson, a valuable help to
the Cincinnati Reds hurting depart
ment. despite the tough one he lost
yesterday when the Giants clicked,
81, with Mel OFT driving in all the
New York runs.
| This setback didn't take anything
away from the Reds hve-game Ma
tional League lead, however, for the
second-place Cardinals were stymied
by the rawest of the rockies, AL
Moran, who made his debut with the
Boston Bees 1915 pitching triumph.
Bill Trotter, still a youngster, al
though not exactly a newcomer,
tossed a four hitter. believe it or not,
which paced the st. Louis Browns
to 1872 decision over the Wash
ington Senators. The Chicago White
Sox showed over thinning run
to nip the Athletics, 5-4 under the
arclights.
The Dodgers and Pirates took the
day of.