The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-21
ny HARRY FERGUSON
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81. PETERSBURG. f1a. = The
swift swing OF the season ohews
away granite on the highest hills
and stains the strongest steel, 80
YOU get Ia wondering "a tho base
balls soar through the sunshine
down here about the most durable
ball player OF them all, Henry
Louis Gehrig
Is this going 10 be the season
when the iron horse IL taken OF
the rails and shunted to The scrap
heap It's too early 10 make an
accurate prediction. but the sig
nificant thing is that Manager Joe
Mccarthy OF the New York YAM
KEGS has begun teaching Tommy
Heinrich an outfelder. how TO play
first basc,
The Yankees without Gehrig
Why. It's like Lunt without fon'
tame. eorned beef without cab
bape and New Years day without
q hangover Three years ago you
would have sworn that Henry
Louis Gehrig would go on forever
that he would be up there for end
less summers, stretching his arms
above his head Just before stepping
UP 10 take his cut.
But he hit below 800 last
wear for the first time since
1926 and some of the bounce
has gone out Of those thick
legs. Aud Tommy Heinrich ~
working out at first base.
II 1899 IN TO be the season OF
hail and farewell for the iron
horse. lets pause right here ana
realize what n truly great bAll
PLAYER he has been ever SINCE nc
got off a New York subway from
Columbia university and reported
TO the Yankecs-a priceless piece
of property who cost nothing more
than the nickel II took 10 carry
him TO the ball park. Let'a give
him credit here. for the melsn-
choly part OF Lou Gehrigs career
IL thai he always has been over
Swallowed by someone else on that
great collection Of athletes called
the Yankees
He rose To fame along with the
one and only Bage Ruth. Gehrig
was hitting fool ~ his ma lor
league average stands al .34l ana
never since he became regular
has he failed 10 knock In more
than 100 runs season. But he
lacked that something called col
or. and the harsh truth Of the
matter was that the fans VINO
crowded into Yankee stadium got
= bigger belt out of seelng Ruth
strike out than they did watching
Gehng belt one into the stands.
Gehrig never complained
about that. He went on his
calm, even way and ki Ruth
have the glory. And the gold.
TOO. for In the years that the
Baby vas going $4,000
season, Gehrig WAS working
for less than half Of that
But there came the day when
the great Ruth's eye was dimmed
By Just the fraction Of second
that makes the difference between
great hitter and a fair one. he
drifted away from the Yankees
and left Cehrig as the teams
brightest star Nov. II seemed
the iron horse would roar down
the track ~ glory.
Bur fate seems 10 deal trouble
TO the ones II marks for disfhyor
IN punches and on a spriug day IN
1895 there came out Of the west,
1.-THE blsck-hsired Italian VINO
runs D.. an antelope and hits The
ball a. though he were human
piledriyer Joe Dihaggi0 had ar
Tiyed 10 oyeTshsdOY Lou Dchng
Aud down here where the
exhibition games are PLACED
the cheers are I0Ddrst thrss
dass for DiNsggio. who now
hiis In the cleanup position
thai oebrig held for years In
the Yankee lineup. In base
hall the road down IA foughsr
than the road up, and that
may be Why 6ehrig ~ playing
tight-Iipped game these days
and Ia bostiiBE "a he never
hustled before.
And whether OF not fhls IL the
end Of the road for the iron horse
hONs for wishing MIN green
lights through all the switches
and al least another year on the
main line rub7
Copyright. 1887