The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-04-09
3 THE PAYOFF
UNIFORM IS ABOUT ALL WANDER MEIER HAS LEFT AS RED
BY HARRY CRIMSON NEA Service Shorts Editor

ClnCmndUl, Aprll S-11lS OHlC1ll- natl teammates finally have given up on Johnny Wander Nicer.
 Even patient Bill McKechnie, a remarkable handler of pitchers, can't understand the no-hit no-run hero of 1888.
 When Wander Nicer turned in successive no-hit no-run perform ances two summers ago, McKech- nie believed the Jersey youngster would take his place with the great left-handers.
 Warren Giles, the Rhineland's general manager, had to take time off to personally manage Wander Meer's affairs. Now Wander Nicer is practically forgotten. The last bit of confidence he had appar- ently has disappeared.
 AnkIng along with duffel-bag in his duke on the training trip the other day, he remarked, as though resigned to it all: T still got a uniform, but that's about all"
 "1f they could get him out of the league" commented one of the Redlegs, "and send him to some minor league club where he could win consistently it might restore his mental equilibrium. But the way he is now, he sweats over every pitch. He works himself into such father his eyeballs fairly pop out of his head with the exertion of {. throw.
 "It's too bad. He's a fine boy. But I doubt he has the stuff he had in 1888. He didn't have all of it last year."
 PITCHER NEEDS MORE
 THAN A STRONG ARM
 Wander Meer's headaches devel- oped at the Tampa conditioning base year ago. First 1t was old appendix trouble. Then he had a touch of the flu. Next he com- plained of ' sore arm real or fancied .. consulted specialists.
 The answer to Wander Nicer is that pitcher has to have more than a strong arm to remain in the headlines. In addition to be- ing wild, Wander Nicer has not been a close enough observer of hitters and the game in general.
 So in place of being prospec- tive 20-game winner, which he should be with his blazing speed and terrifying delivery, Wander Nicer is wrIse of than he was when he broke in.
 Speaking of prospective 20-game major league winners, the lone sure pop is the amazing Robert Teller. Only a mishap of some kind will stop the Iowa farm boy this side of 25.
 Right-handed," Bob Teller has all the left-handed Wander Nicer had at his peak moments in. 1888, and then snoe, not the least of which is boise and ambition. He pitches. talks, sleeps and eats base ball. He's student from way back.
 PROSPECTIVE 2O-GAME
 WINNERS FEW IN MAJORS
 Red Ruffing may cop 20 for the fifth consecutive campaign, but age is cheeping upon the one-time mine boy. Buck Newsom has grab bed 20 two seasons in row with bad clubs and works often enough to do it again despite Detroit's lead-footed infield. Dutch Leon- ard will bs fortunate to do 1t once more with Washington, although he is an outstanding performer.
 A newer candidate is Marius Russo, the left-hanoed former Long Island University basketball player with the Yankees.
 In the National League, few ex- lpect Bucky Walters and Paul Der ringer to repeat their 27 and 20- game seasons of 8 year ago, but they must De included in any list of prospective 20-game winners So must Curt Davis of the Card inals.
 The scarcity of prospective 2O- game winners best tells how diffi- cult 1t is to bag Alat many engage ments in 2 single season in the