Evening star., 1952-02-11

it only proved again that you can't please everybody
No Hornsby No Gehrig No Rube Wadde. The big panel
had these stipuatons selecting the final lineup Five IN
ncludng utility four outhelders dncludng one
uy) catchers and six pitchers In other words total
of II players.
When the final ballots cast, Mr. Walsh commented,
with an obvious resignation GO ahead own
lineup. Even the experts could be wrong again"
WELL TO PLAY along with the gmmick there's great
quarrel here with George Sse Gehrig at
first base the better fielder the versatile per-
former Gehg fortunate, perhaps in that he played in
Stadium with its inviting right-feld fence In bigger
park like Washington would have be preferred
Eddie second baseman Hornsby always
debatabe Certainly they stood out along with Nap Iaoie
best hitter HornSbyn fact he possibly was the best
rght-handed hitterSbut Collins and LaJoe probably
had edge in fielding With deep bow to the late Edward
Trowbridge Collins, this nonpanellSt would nave 10 IKE
Hornsby.
The rest of Basebas Greatest Lineup pretty familiar.
Honus Wagner hostop Pie Traynor at third base For
catchers Dckey and Mickey Cochrane. The old atme
Ruth Speaker and Cobb For pitchers they chose
Cleveland Alexander Lefty Grove Walter Johnson
Chrsty Mathewson Cy Young and Carl Hubbel.
could debate the choice of Hubbel over say Wad-
dell Jack Chesbro 4game winner in 1904 and
of 155 during syear stretch Or over
few good pitchers such Ed Walsh and Dizzy Dean
But this department is the choice
of the two utility" players Joe DMaggio (out
felder) and Frank FrSch Gnfelder)
NOW THIS ISN'T intended to take anything away from
DiMaggo Frisch of fine ball players
They great individuals and they played champion
ship teams too It's not every year that DMaggio or
FriSch comes along.
But half century long time and you were manager
looking possible Ebench" you'd almost have to
question the choices of DMag and onke frankie 1t was
ThompsonS opinion for example that ShoelesS Joe
Jackson rated the No 4 outfelder IN
Unlike the Hall of Fame at Coopestown which bars the
likes Jackson Chase and others who involved in
baseball scandals of 30odd years Walsh and his ALI
America Board drew no such line If man hit well enough
or eded ran entitled to due consideration regard
Jackson who three times topped Daggios
peak average 391 with 408) didn't get much of
tumble
shoeless would have made good utility outhelder
benefit of the generation would Stan
Musial awful lot of people who thnkand not
ogic-that day and day out after
Musial valuable and versatile than DiMaggo
BUT WHERE PERSON really get his teeth into a
matter the best utility infelder in
years possible that the barnaced sports writer's
up Christy Washs panel have forgotten James
Emory And how about the cocharman Of the board
himself meaning Mack? He owned Foxx in his heyday
play nearly position In the majors he
was baseman, third baseman and catcher He also
had fling second base and occasions he even pitched
In a pinch he could play the outfeld
James Emory oftimeS called "The Beast" wasn't bad
that plate either Fisch averaged better than 300
did And Foxx hit much the longer
ball Moreover you could hand him
basemans mtt day. catchers mask the next and
third basemans glove the third day. He had such good
the age of plus the Red Sox to it that he
had his right shoe and half dozen years later
he up his appropriately enough first base
man. pitcher and third baSeman for the Philies.
OF the II players who make Basebas Greatest Lineup
only Ruth Ty Cobb iris Speaker and Wagner were unanimous
Probably they're everybodys choices But here be
dissenter when Joe Daggio rated above the
likes of Shoeless Jackson Simmons that matter
frankie Frsch considered better utility player
than, say, Jimmy Foxx.