The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-29
hUSS ] C0wANS'
SPORT CHATTER


NEW ORLEANS-It was raining
extremely hard. and Alex Pompef.
owner OF the New York Cubans.
was ensonced IN Q chair in the din.
me room OF the Page totel. con-
templating how much money the
rain had cost him. His team had
oeen slated 10 meet the CLEVELAND
Buckeyes IN douole-header al
Pelican park Sunday afternoon
But Pompez. who has been bring
ing Cuban teams 10 the United
States -since-l9l6,- although i'm.
mersed IN cloud OF gloom. was
not averse TO discussing CUBAN oal!
players OF the past. ana naming
some whom he selected as the
cream of the crop.
I'll name Martin Dihigo as the
greatest ball player ever 10 come
from Cuba" said Pompez IN reply
TO my question. He was the great
est ball player, white or colored.
I've ever seen, and I've seen the
best.
Not only was Dihigo a great
hitter, but he was a fine outfielder,
a good infielder, and a smart and
effective pitcher He had one OF
the strongest throwing arms OF any
man to play the game"
Pompez revealed that Dihigo, who
at one time played with the Home
stead Grays. is now playing in
Mexico.
For an all-star Cuban team,
Pompez selected the following men:
Dihigo. Alejandrero Oms and Pab-
10 Mesa as the outfielders; Belanjo
Chaccon. shorttop; Teran. second
base; Tatica Campo. first base. and
Bartalo Portoundo. third basei Jose
Fernandez, catcher. and Oscar Lew
is, Juanlelo Mirabal, and lsibro
Fraore as the pitchers.
Pompez said Oms was the great
est hitter among the Cubans, out
ranking such stars as Christobe,
TORRENT, Baro. Dreke. and Mon
talvo. He considers Mesa as the
most polished gardener, fly chas-
er with plenty OF speed and good
throwing arm.
He lists Chacon, who first made
his appearance in the United States
back in 1912, as the greatest of
shortstops. ranking him with John
Henry Lloyd. He thinks that his
present shorts.op. Horacio Martinez
is the nearest approach TO the fault
less Chacon.
II you motto, Pompez does not
include the late Jose Mendez in
his all-star teams He pointed out
! that -Mendez reached his peak as
4 pitcher many years before Pom
peg took over the Job OF bringing
players from the Pearl of the An
TILES. Mendez played under the
management OF Augustine Molino
pilot Of the Cuban Giants. who
csmpaigned in the West. Pompez
and his Cubans did most of their
playing in the East until three years
ago.
/ Last Friday night In Cleveland
! Lloyd Marshall confirmed my con-
tent!ons by defeating Jake LaMotta
current ruler Of the middleweights
in l0-round bout. II has always
been my contention that LaMotts
is not a top-notch fighter. and was
only able TO win because he out
weighed most of his opponents.
Marshall, who has been dispos.
ing Of light heavyweights, scaled
down to l6l pounds for his contest
with LaMotta. and then proceeded
TO give Jake a good thrashing.
LaMotta has had eight fights II
Detroit and on each occasion h,
loutweighed his opponent by fron
10 10 four pounds.
LaMotts is a good willing work
er who will give the fans q goo,
show. but he's far from being
top-ranking middleweight II /
doubtful il he could whip Holman
Williams. lizard Charles. Charlie.
Burley. or Jack Chase. And non,
OF these would set the woods oil
FIRE.