Arizona sun., 1948-04-09
Sport Writers Claim,
Larry Dolby Is Great

By Nat Low

! by Nat Low -
Los Angeles.-Sports writer's are
generally given to over-enthusi-
asms and exaggerations regarding
! athletes who capture their fancy
and I'm no exception. But you can
cut this out, paste it to your hat
and drag it out any time you
please, and see if it doesn't hold
up: I would like to place into the
record here the prediction that
Larry Dolby, 25 year old Negro out
fielder of the Cleveland Indians,
will become one of Indians great
est stars within the next couple of
years.
Indeed, Dolby is so far advanced
now that were it not for the fact
that he is a Negro, he would be
getting reams of raves such as is
accorded only top flight aces of the
game, because for all-round ability
the strikingly handsome youngster
bears a marked resemblance to the
peerless Yankee Clipper, Joe Di-
Maggie, the greatest baseball play
er of our decade.
And again, if that seems a reck-
less over-statement, I invite you to
cut it out and look at it agai nthis
summer or next.
Terrific CIOut
Last week I saw Dolby explode
one of the most gargantuan blows
ever delivered in the Southland, a
mammoth 44O foot homer at Sou
thern Calls Bovard field that had
players and spectators alike ap-
plauding with awe. And on Satur-
day, Dolby unloaded two of the
most savagely hit triples you will
ever want to see. In fact, in every
game he has played in the past two
weeks (and Lou Boudreau has had
him in there every day., Dolby has
smashed at least one tremendous
blow and the booming consistency
of his slugging against major as
we'll as minor league pitching has
been nothing short of astounding.
Bill McKechnie, the veteran
Cleveland coach who has been
working with Dolby Git was Nc
Kechnie's suggestion, by the way,
to shift Dolby to the outfield from
his original position at second
says, There's no telling how far
Larry will go. He's got almost as
much natural ability as any player
I've seen in forty years. And he's
still somewhat tense and inexperi-
enced. Give him season of regu-
lar plaing and he'll have your eyes
popping"
Doby's spring batting average to
date is 1894 and he has gone hitless
in only two games. He has pound
ed five homers, two triples and two
doubles and has stolen five bases in
his last 10 games. In the press box,
Cleveland baseball writer's tell you
that Dolby is the fastest man in the
American League and will top the
circuit in stolen bases once he gets
under way.
Promising Outfielder
In the outfield, he has revealed
the same type of seemingly effort
less grace that has so long distin-
guished Joe DiMaggio, and his
throwing arm has already been
ranked with the strongest in the
majors. Last week, Dolby threw ou
two more runners from the outer
gardens, and thus has four assists
to his credit in Ia games-a phe-
nominal figure especially for some
one who has never before been a
flychaser Nand thus has had little
time to adjust himself to the type
of throw required of an outfielder.
A lanky, smooth-muscled man,
Doby's ability at the plate lies in
his superb coordination Che is
fine basketball player), his keen
eyes and his sinewy, powerful
wrists that impart that vital last
second snap to the bat as it meets
the ball.