Evening star., 1954-12-20

Stan Musa less held his own in everything but
average330 to 345-and Ted Kluszewskfs 49 homers to
Mays A. and his 81 bated in made up for the
19poin difference in their How is it, then, that
in it is bhey stated that probably no Giant
dominated the major field SO emphatically?
1T WOULD BE AN ODD club owner indeed, who would
pick Mays above everybody else if the market suddenly
thrown open He has youth Musal Ted Williams and
the other good htters plus speed Kuszewsk He fields
and throws like demon he bit on the shoWboat slde
1t turns out to be beneficial to the box office.
can the top pitchers-Lemon Roberts Turley, Wynn
and the res-compete with Mays They cannot, any
Walter Johnson could compete with Babe Ruth and Ty
Cobb The pitcher working twice week (although thrice
the Johnsons heyday gives away too much to
q regular of the stripe of Cobb Ruth and Mays
Wies potentias must be regarded great His paper
qualifications for Immortality may appear modest He had
year 81 he batted only 24 in 21 games and
in so he hitting only 236 when he was drafted by the
Army person. there be little question
that Willie has got the makngs rare instinct Still
Willie Mays has got way to go He is long haul from
the Hall of Fame he is long way from being the greatest
of all players in Giant history"
MEL OFT for example, up to the Giants in 1925
when barely II and batted 1888 in IS games John
McGraw used him in 80 games the next season and Mel
batted bad for who had turned 1S in March
When 10 he fulfedged Giant outhelder bat
ting 1922 for the season.
OFT had come up as catcher from Gretna He left
high at IS to join the When McGraw first saw
him year later he asked the boy he had ever tried
his hand in the outied
Il McGraw solemnly regarded the youngSter, VINO was
equally Finally he said, Never mind the catchers
mtt son. get out in the outfeld" McGraW knew Ott
never would catcher but with his batting stroke
and natural ability would be able to play almost anywhere
else BEFORE Mcraw had changed young Roger bres
nahan from an outfelder to Hall OF Fame catcher.
Willie Mays young at 23 OFT was "a before ne got
his high school diploma But when he got It, Mel also was
q veteran of eight with the Giants member OF
world championship club and tve-mes-better -than-3oo
hitter.
THIS is NOT TO SAY that Mel OFT the greatest OF
all Giants during II of his % years with the Giants ne
batted over 800 played third base well as the outed ana
wound up as manager Mays hit 45 last When Ott
was M he hit 349 had had two previous fulength sea-
sons in which he batted 1928 and 1922 behind him.
Old WILL doubt Introduce candldates
with qualifications rival those of Off, This Is not taxing
pitchers into consideration Count the pitchers, notably
Chy Mathewson Carl Hubbe and there are the max
ings of rhubarb 1t is not easy to become the NO. Giant
MAYS may become the undisputed Giant In time, put NE
will have up all of his potentals With his fl last
season Willie already close to the clubs home run marx
Johnny Mze AT But there Bill Terrys 4ol average
in 80 to beat plus Otis ISL runs -batted- in in g.
MAYS led National League 1875 hts 1erry got zo4
Willie scored times Terry 39 1t could go on from mere
but methnks little purpose Let's put 1t this way
Willie Mays pretty great and can become greater-eut ne
got lot of miestones to pass