The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-05
New Wander Nicer Better
 Than No-Hit Flash Of '38
Grove, Others Hoe Long Row To Reach Top
BY HARRY CRIMSON NEA Service Sports Editor

New York, May 5.--Johnny Van der Nicer looked himself last fall when he returned from Indianapolis in time to win three games for the iCncinnati Reds, including the one Chat clinched the flag.
 There is no longer any doubt about Wander Meer's complete comeback.
 Tho Paterson Peashooter is a more solid slinger than the kid who is 1888 celebrated baseball's cen- tennial by becoming the first to turn In successive no-hit, no-run games.
 Wander Nicer lost @ tough one to the Cardinals when the breaks went against him in his initial outing this trip. He famed eight, yielded seven hits. Then he struck out l2 Cubs, shut them out with four blows. Next he held the Pirates hit- less for six rounds in trimming them, l0-3.
 Wander Nicer suffered Q recur- renee of on appendix disorder and developed Q sore arm, but 1t was lack of control that sent him to the minors.
 Many pitchers, especially left handlers, are long time developing.
 Wander Nicer might have been ahead of schedule when he wrote mound history.
 He had been pitching only five seasons.
 Two years after his record per- fornance. he found he wasn't properly balanced released the bali too soon, which made him wild high.
 HURLERS ON RIGHT TRACK
 Bob Grove and others rowed hard rows to the top. Lonaconing Lefty was wilder than 6 billy goat in his first two campaigns with the Ath. leticS, toiled seven years before he became a highly efficient American League workman.
 Jim Turner and Lou Fette were 30 when they came up to take 2O games apiece for the Bees in 'S7' Turne rhad been around l2 years' Fette 9.
 Whit Wyatt and Luke Hamlin of Brooklyn and Al Smith Of Cleveland pitched Il years before crashing the headlines.
 When the lowly Phillies gave up on him, Smith wanted to quit the game. Steve O'Neill talked him into reporting to Buffalo Like Carl Hun. bell, h edeveloped Q screwball ana last year became @ regular on 2 potential American Legue pennant winner.
 WIZ Kremer had been trying to fool hitters for 10 seasons when ne helped Pittsburgh go places in "A. The Pirates now have another llke i'm. Rip Sewell was 32 years ola and had thrown nine years whe he became the Bucs' ace In 40.
 Dutch Leonard developed a knuckle ball, which isn't a knuck-. Ter at all but Q peculiar pitch of his own, to get back into the ma jors. He had pitched nine years before he took 20 games for Washington in '30.
 Thornton Lee pitched as long be. fore making a name Tor hlsnseH with the White Sox.
 PITCHERS BOUNCE BACK WITH SOMETHING NEW ..
 Bucky Walters played baseball eight years--third base severl--be" fore finding himself as Q pitcher with the Phillies.
 Caiude Passeau of the Cubs re. uuired eight seasons to get going.
 Charley Ruffing pitched seven years before striking the stride with the Red Sox which led to his being traded to the Yankees.
 Rufus the Red, who won 20 or more games for the world cham pions for four straight years, twice lost more games than any other American League dealer--2b and S2 for the Red sox in '28-'2o.
 Al Miner had been at 1t seven years when he came through with le victories for Cleveland last term.
 Curt Davis spent Q half dozen years in the minors .. had 10 VIII 22 and 20 games in consecutive years for San Francisco before even the Philiies would draft him.
 The pitcher is the one ball play CT who can be sent away by Q major league club and bounce back with something new. :.
 In Johnny Wander Meer's case 1t was control.