The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1941-08-16
Through
The Sports Mirror
By Russ J. Ccwans

II Andrew H. (Rube) Foster, sturdy son from IN,
Inr plains of Texas. and Jose Mendez one of III,
test pitchers ever to leave the Pearl of the Antilles
seaming their fast balls over the plate TODAY VIII,
ID be considered the best? This is purely rhetorica
ion and springs from a story in one of the dailv ma
last week which said Mendez was First among tn,
no stars
Since foster and Mendez, both dead, pitched in
Herent il would be hard to arrive at definite
inclusion who the best In addition there are
records of the pitching achievements to give assis-
nee in determining the ability of these two immor
Is Of Negro baseball
Foster, possessed of deep-rootcd cunning and
uimited native ability, forerunner of Mendez
he Texas stawart attention in his home state in
early ninetes and by the turn of the century had
vaded the East to startle fans with his amazing
ryes change of pace, and fast ball as he curdled
be efforts of batsmen. His accomplishments were
kgion.
As a member of the Cuban Giants. Philadelphi;
k and Chicago Leland Giants. Foster was recognized
he outstanding Negro player in the country holdin,
position unchallenged until he broke his leg in post
ION game with the Chicago Cubs in 1908.
After his playing days Foster won undyins
as manager of the Chicago American Giants and al
tder and president of the original National Negro
e position he held from 1920 until he was forced e
tQush control because of illness in 1926.
Mendez small in stature but with remarkable psysi
power and stamina came flaming across the baseball
tzon in 1909 as a member of the Cuban Stars team
jh had on its roster such stars Fgaroa, Marsans
tnez, Bustamente, and Pedrosa For five years the lit
Cuban campaigned in America with the Cuban Stars
each Winter returned to Cuba to pitch in the Winter
|gue While in America he won fame from coast t.
k He was the pitching sensation of the period from
TO 1918. only Frank Wckware the speedball chuck
from Coffeeville, Kan. (who could acerate his bod,
hard liquor and throw his fast ball by the best o.
fsrs, challenging his reign as top Negro hurer
After the pitching power in his whiplash arm hac
/ Pied, Mendez turned to an infeld position playing
ftstop for the Chicago American Giants and Kansa!
Monarchs At this position he was almost as he hac
on the pitching mound.
There are many of the old time fans who are firmly
nced that Foster was the greatest Negro ball PLAYER
! time And there is an equal number of cling tenac
y to the exploits of Mendez and extoll him their
pond IDOL However, it would have been a great bat
these two masters of the pitching mound could hav,
on the diamond in their prime both supported by The
teams which gave the maid in their heyday
Detroit missed the Lous-Nova boxing match but i
get the Amateur Golf association national and Joe
rs Open tournaments, two Of the outstanding go
pts of the year, if not the greatest Surely there is
event comparable to the Louis Open the richest tour
Fent for coored golfers in the country
The Louis Open is the golf child of Heavyweight
Pmplon Joe Louis and Detroit should give the chamr
n on the back for conceving the tournament a sport
p which brought to Detroit hundreds of players and
VINO left large segment of coin with merchants in
Motor City And Bernard Odell, director of the tour
en and his wife, secretarytreasurer of the sponsor
committee, and those members Of the committee are
ENng OF much praise in giving to Detroit one of the
sport events Of the year.
while approximately two hundred golfers competed
|ne Louis Open this year, indications are that almost
e that number will be camoring to enter next year
LOUIS open has been incentive in creating greater
Ees among coored people than any other of the gol
Fnaments.