Evening star., 1942-10-27
Mort Is Ranked
Greatest in Is
Of "a Ballots
Beats Out Slaughter,
His Teummote, 263
To zoo, in Points
BY JUDSON BAILEY,
Associated Press Sports Writer


NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-The Ma
tional Leagues most valuable player
IN 1912 was Morton Cecil Cooper, the
big right-handed pitching ace of the
world champion st. Louis Cardinals,
a committee of the Baseball Writers
Association of America announced
today.
The 28-year-old Missourian, who
won % games to lead the Red Birds
into the World Series, received 13 of
the committees "a first-place votes
and 263 out of a possible 1886 points
in the balloting, as we'll as being the
only player whose name appeared
on every ballot.
This gave him a big margin over
his teammate, Enos Country
Slaughter, the Cards slugging right
fielder, who edged out Manager Mel
OFT of the New York Giants for sec
ond honors, 200 points to 100 and
six f1rst-place votes to four.
The only other player to gain even
one flrst-place nod was Martin
(Slats) Marion, the elongated short
stop OF the Cardinals, who rated
enough recognition to finish sew
enth in the selections.
Win, Shutout Marks Best.
The annual award is based on the
all-around value of player to his
club, as well as on his individual
performance, and there was no
doubt about Cooper by either yard
stick.
He was beaten only seven times
and his % victories were as many
any other pitcher in either major
que produced. He pitched COM
plete game in every contest that he
won and led the majors in shutouts
with 10, the most a National League
hurler has achieved since 1888.
He always was given the toughest,
most important pitching assignments
by Manager Billy Southworth and his
success sparked the rest of the team
in the bitter battle with the Brook
lyn Dodgers for the National League
championship.
Since the rating was determined
solely on the basis of the regular
season, Cooper's unfortunate ex-
perience in being knocked out of
the box in the first inning of the
All-Star game and twice getting
lambasted by the New York Yankees
IN the World Series did not enter
into consideration.
Hurt Arm Healed Remarkably.
The honor signalized a remark
able recovery by Cooper from an ell
bow operation in the middle of the
1941 season. Last year he won 13
games and lost 9, even though
out of action during a stable por-'
ton OF the campaign This was the
most victories he had attained in
three years with the Cards or in
The minors and brought him one vote
"a third-place plug good for eight
points, in the 1941 balloting that
designated Dolph Camilli of Brook
lyn as the most valuable player.
Twenty-one Of the "a committee
men, three from each National
League city, rated Cooper either
AAA Nv, oCSOAlA Va C1l44 ". oCS1ICS lllS
13 flrst-place votes he was ranked
second by five writer's, third by three,
and received one vote for fifth, sew
enth and ninth places.
Under the point system governing
the selections a f1rst-place vote was
valued at IA points, second at 9,
third at 8, fourth at 7, etc.
Dodgers Owen Rated Fourth.
Slaughter was ranked somewhere
in the first 10 selections by 81 of
the committeeman and OFT by %,
but below them the writer's showed
a wide divergence of opinion.
Mickey Owen, the scrappy catcher
of the Brooklyn Dodgers, came in
fourth with 1O3 points. Eight mem
bers of the committee picked him
either for second or third. Johnny
Mize of the New York Giants was
ranked fifth with 81 points and Pete
Reiser Of the Dodgers sixth with 81
points.
Then came Marion with 81 points,
Camilli with AZ, Bob Elliott of Pitts
burgh with 80 and Claude Passeau
of the Chicago Cubs ranked 10th
with 80.