The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-28
GEHRINGER,
DETROIT ACE,
MAY RETIRE
Del Baker Names Dutch
Meyer as Regular Sec
Ond Baseman
By BERNARD CRANDELL

UNITED Press STAFF Correspondent
Detroit. Oct. 28s-(UP)-The old
mechanical man" Of the Detroit
Tigers baseball team is thinking
seriously Of hanging UP his glove
for keeps. With rheumatism In his
back so bad he can hardly bend
over. 37-year-old Charley Gehr-
niger is about ready to give up.
u can't field to my left because
every time stop for ball there's
a terrible pain in my side," Gehr-
inges explained. ~ may change
my mind by next spring. but I
don't think so the way feel now"
Last winter at his home In Fow-
lerville, Mich, Gehringer sprained
his back while shoveling snow and
the muscles never have healed. He
has taken heat treatments, he
S. i'd, until I feel like q boiled oy-
st'er," but this type Of therapy has
not been successful,
For Is years Gehringer has
played second base for the Tigers
in brilliant fashion, but the season
juA9t ended was a hard one for
hirn. He batted .3l2, below his life
TIME average of .326, and his field
mag was erra1c, probably due to
his sore back.
There were times when didn't
ttdink could finish a game" he
sseid. when player doesn't enjoy
hpatting practice any longer it's
tesilne for him to quit"
I Favorite Of Fans
The name Of Gehringer is tradi-
tional with the Tigers and major
league baseball and it's not likely
that fans will let him slip quietly
into retirement. Even though
Gehringer had one of his worst
years, there still Is lot Of better
than-avefage baseball In his aging
muscles which viii be available
when the winter apd spring sea-
sons have rested him.
and sunshine beat into 'Fowlerville
and the first news Of training
camps appears, Charley will md
1t difhcult TO stay at home.
II Gehringer returns he prob
ably will be asked TO lend his serv-
ices only in the role Of a utility
inflelder, playing on Sundays or
when he feels in top condition. In
his place the Tigers have young
Dutch Meyer, Texas Christian
University athlete, who came w
from the Knoxville club Of the
Southern Association.
At a recent banquet for the club.
Meyer was introduced as the new
ha0
Del Baker frankly said he expects
great things from the rookie. Mey-
er. like Gehringer, Is q heavy hit
ter.
Although Gehringer may 60.
fans never will forget his famous
batting stance - the one that
earned him a .S7l batting average
in 1897 and honors as the most
valuable player In the American
league. Another Tiger, Barney
McCosky, has copied the veterans
stance and swing and in his soph-
omore year went well up the road
to batting fame with $40 aver
age.
Gehringer long was known as
the best second baseman In the |
major leagues uIlLil Joe GORDON OF |
the New York Yankees swung into |
the spotlight. His records include
selection as second baseinan on six |
of the annual all-star teams lin |
which he batted 500; equaled |
record of getting 900 or more times
at bat eight different years; most |
putouts for a second baseman in
one game-11; led league in stolen
bases in 1929 with ~; led league
in hits, triples and runs in 1929.
In the 1910 world series Gehr-
niger made six hits In % times at |
bat for percentage Of PA, scored
three runs, drove in run and
walked twice, He left 16 runners
on the bases and hit into three
double plays.