The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1952-09-04
Congratulations


To the Pangbornettes on winning
the Group "A' Turf Bowling Cham
pionship, and to the Alsatianettes on
winning the Group "B" honors.
To Al Gardner on winning the
Fountain Head Country Club Golf
Championship for the fourth time.
To Security on winning the indie
pendent Baseball League Champion
ship.
/ have seen many unusual incl
dents in baseball games but, for me
at least, there was something new
in the abbreviated game with York
on Sunday afternoon, when ten men
went to bat in the bottom half of the
first inning before a single putout
was made for my story of the game,
as well as the box score, see keep
ing Up With The Braves" on page 6.
Last week the members of the
Interstate Sportswriters' and Broad
casters Association, of which l am
secretary, cast their ballots for the
associations annual award to the
most valuable player in the league.
OF the paid-up membership, of 43
members, l received ballots from 80
and when the tabulation was COM
pleted Bob Hoch, of Allentown, the
leagues leading pitcher, won the
award by an overwhelming ma
jority.
The votes were scored as follows:
points for a first choice vote,
points for a second choice vote, and
point for third choice vote. Bob
Hoch received 7 firsts seconds and
2 thirds, for a total of So.
The fairness of the ballot is at
tested to by the fact that he received
either first, second or third choice
votes from every city in which the
league operates.
There will be some fans, no doubt,
who will disagree with the selection.
In fact, some have reached me al
ready, because of the fact that the
award went to a pitcher who, of
course, appears in less games than
the other members of the team.
1t cannot, however, be overlooked
that this year was, without question,
a pitchers league and very definite
proof of that is found in the averages
of the entire league where, accord
ing to the latest tabulations, Isreal,
the leading batter in the league, on
ly had an average of 1926, and there
were only six regular players who
were in the charmed 300 circle.
Also, last week, the Hagerstown
Sportswriters and Sportscasters were
called upon to select the most val
liable player on the Hagerstown
squad and they named Joe Christian,
the Braves rightfielder, for this high
honor. Unfortunately, prob a bly,
through an oversight, was not
asked to take part in these delibera-
tons.
Had l been there would have Of
fered probably the most unique
method of selecting the most val
liable player on the squad ever heard
of
As / wrote in this column some
weeks ago, there is no outstanding
star on the Braves roster, but rather
a bunch of boys working as a team,
with everyone giving it his best and
the whole team refusing to be licked.
There are, of course, some players
on the squad who from time to time
have come up with superb fielding
plays, clutch hits that won ball
games, and real pitching, but if you
examine the record back from last
April, when the season started, and
are fair about it, you just can't pick
any one member of the team as be-
ing outstanding above all the others.
Back in the first three months of
the season, when Dusty Hersom was
doing all the catching, he was a ire
mendous help to the club and you
will also remember that, at that time,
he was third highest in the RBI
column.
Charley Miller throughout the sea-
son has taken his regular turn win
ming IA and losing II and has also
saved 9 games in relief.
Buck Riddle is one of the best first
basemen in the league and he could
wind up the season by leading all his
teammates in RIBS.
Lloyd Freund, no one can deny, has
been a remarkable utility infielder,
playing wherever Dutch wanted him
to and giving everything he had, to
say nothing of being the only con-
sistent 800 hitter on the squad.
Joe Christian has come up with
some magnificent plays in rightfield,
has done his part with the stick, and
has fine throwing arm.