The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-01-20
star HITTER is
ONLY ONE OF n
TO Be ELECTED
Meriden's Ed Walsh Miss
es-McGinnity, Waddell
Chance Out
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY
United Press staff COrrespondentl

New York, Jan. 20-(UP)-Ro aTs
Hornsby, generally regarded as The
greatest right-handed hitter in base
ball history, has been elected to the
baseball hall Of fame by the baseball
writer's association of America, Bill
Brandt, head Of the National League
Service Bureau, announced today.
Of 233 ballots cast by the baseball
writer's, Hornsby received 1872, seven
more than the rs per cent required
for election. A plaque with Horns
bys head in bas-relief will be in
stalled in the baseball hall of fame
at Cooperstown, N. Y, where
! plaques of the 26 other members
! previously elected have been placed.
No other players received the ne
| cesSary three-fourths vote although
there were ballots cast for II play
ers ranging from iron man McGln-
nifty to Babe Herman Frank
Chance, peerless leader of the Old
Chicago Cubs, received 1876 votes
thirty-nine short CT election-nad
maestro of the Philadelphia Ath
letics of the same period, polled 1876
forty nine under election require
ments.
Then came Ed Walsh, spitball
marvel OF the early century Chicago
White SoX, with 113 votes, Miller
Higgins, the mighty mite who man
aged the New York Yankees TO their
first pennant in the 20's, with III
votes; and Ed Delehanty, batting
star at the turn of the century and
only man ever to lead both major
leagues in hitting, with 104 votes.
Hornsby is the first player to be
elected by ballot since George Sis
Ter, Eddie Collins and Wee Willie
Keeler were voted into the hall of
fame in the January, 1889, elections.
Since then Lou Gehrig was elected
unanimously without vote.
Earned the Spot
None can doubt Hornsby's right
to a place in the hall of fame. THE
Rajah" served as player and man
ager in both major leagues for %
years-1c15 through Iceland led
the national league in batting seven
times, six of them in succession,
starting in 1920 He led the st. Louis
Cardinals to their first pennant and
worlds championship in 1926 with
a victory over the Yankees-last
time the Yanks have been licked IN
the world series-anG later managed
the Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs
and ST. Louis Browns.
Hornsby played in 1886 major
league games and compiled a life
time major leaguge batting average
of 1858. In 1924 he set the modern
national league batting record with
percentage of .424, and in 1922 al
so created the national league con-
secutive game hitting record by paJ-
ting safely in 33 straight games. He
was named the leagues most val
liable player In 1925 and 1929 and
was listed on five national league
all-star teams by the writer's in
1925 -26-27-28 and 1929.
Despite Hornsby's great baseball
talent, he was misunderstood by
many and frequently was in hot wa
ter with his superiors because of his
penchant for saying exactly what
ilC tilOtlSIlJ III C4tdI, COllClSt JcIlll
He lost his last major league job,
pilot of the Browns, because Of
rather sharp answer to President
Donald l.. Barnes about whether ne
bet on the horses.
Eyes, Mr.. Barnes" Hornsby said,
looking his boss straight in the eye,
what about it?"
Before that the Cubs released him
as manager because Of disagree
ment with President Bill Veeck over
the use of a rookie as pinch-hit-
ter. The Giants disposed Of him af-
ter bitter argument bteWeen
Hornsby and Secretary Jim Tierney
in which "the Rajah" defended Ira
Wis Jackson for making an error.
After the Giants practically gave
Hornsby away to Boston in January,
1928, the Braves kept him one sea-
son and sold him to the Cubs for
100000 and five players.
Now Hornsby is trying a comeback
with the Fort Worth Texas legaue
club as field manager and business
manager. Born at Winters, Tex, ne
started his baseball career at Den
ison in the old Texas Oklahoma
league in 1914, not far from whore
he now is employed.