Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-13
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Mr.. Roberts

1T COULD VERY LOGICALLY be pointed out that 1855
catchers In baseball At least as far as most
valuable player awards concerned Yogi Berra and
Roy Canpanela for the third time each in the Amer
lean and National Leagues, respectively.
One thing sure pitchers being overlooked
pretty good these Only of the last 10 American
League most valuabes has been finger. That Bobby
shantz in 1852 In the National the only pitcher to win IN
the last dozen vongs Jim Konstanty in 1880 The choice
of only elections smacks of discrimination to the
Phes who wondering what their boy Robin Roberts,
must accomplish to gain some attention
General Manager Roy Hamey notably, did his wonder
ing aloud ut looks Roberts will have to win 80 games
to get serious attention" Hamey ypped after Campaneia
voted the award land in these times just do not
have 30-game pitchers
Roberts won % last season. his third straight
23game year the last six years he has 20
with 28-game 1t doesn't make sense to me-
AS USUAL THE BIG Phlies Highlander doing his
best his coffee and cakes winning the most games
starting most 1884, pitching the most complete games
(26 working the most innings $685. facing the most bats
men, Before the few regarded the Phies as
potential first division club but largely due to Roberts they
finished fourth
Yet of the committee OF the Baseball Writers
Association only place vote for Roberts whose
point total only good enough for fifth Ahead OF him
finished not only Campanea but Duke Snider Ernie Banks
and Willie Mays.
1t is ironical perhaps that whereas Campanela hit
solid 3d. only 0009 behind the Mays and zoos
back Of Stan Musi the Dodger catchers claim was not
considered clear by National Leaguers as BeraS AND
Yogi remember, batted only .272.
in Brooklyn there mutterngs OF disapprovai
these from that had felt that Centerheder Snider
not Campanela Mr. Big Could be the Snider Chowde
& Marching Club had point, too. After ALL Duke drove
home 1875 runs Campus lot and hit many homers
triples doubles and singles not to mention scoring 126 times
to 81 writer failed to mention Snder in his list OF
10 and Campy won by only five points
IN CHICAGO WHERE fans have had little to cheer
about years there bea of dapprova when Banks
finished better than No The Cub rooters had notion
that the first big league shortop ever to hit
as many A home runs, he entitled to the icing
Especially since he is so cent of the crack double
combination of Banks and Gene Baker
But the biggest beef obviously emanates from Phla-
depha where the clientele convinced this most valuable
player isn't all that it should be- Or Hamey sug
gests Maybe it isn't clear that pitchers are players
Well could be there is confusion on this score
years the most valuabes have been chosen only
pitchers al Newhouser and Carl Hubbe twice. have
won the award.
THIS HAS NOTHING to do with most valuable awards,
although official records might be termed kissin kin This
has to with the 1855 batting records which would have
you believe that Richie Ashburn chow those Phiies keep
popping up today) the National Leagues best hitter
Ony percentage Ashburn tops His 1888 was
~ points higher than Mays MusalS and Campanelas
averages here prediction Five years from now
the question should happen to be who was the
National League batting champion IN lSo3!" IL prooapV
will be muffed
There is no association of ideas in connection with
the batting and Ashburn than there was In l947 IN
the National League and in 1e45 in the American Quick
now for S64 the stick kings in those years?
In al it was Harry (The Hat Walker who for that one
season was hot He wasn't any more 1853 hitter than
Lefty Gomez for all that big the Cardinals
still saw fit to shuttle him of to the Phllies during the
season The AS in the American League came up
with a more honest performance With lowly 3O9 just
about his speed when he was going real good George
Srnwes topped the list and the first to admit he was
beating out league-full of as.