Evening star., 1955-07-26
WIN, LOSE OR
DKAW By FRANCIS sTANN
When the Big Train Hit .433


record Q61 for 94 that 1916 batting average big
Dodger is carrying these days The can do no
since his release from the Brooklyn doghouse early
this the only 300hitting pitcher 1854 and
now it seems likely he will better that ss average But:
Don still has way to go before he can be rated the
best of all hitting pitchers Bentley was saying "Im
not taking anything away from hi-hes got to be good
with that bat. But he has to prove to that he was
handler at the plate than of the odtimers and I'm
not speaking for myself"
John Needles Bentley is the old Sandy Spring. Md boy
who pitched and played the outfeld and first during
his (1913192 with Senator'S Phes and Giants
not to mention the old Baltimore Orioles in the International
League While he holds the National League record for
pitcher with the 427 he registered in 1923 Bentley think
ing that Red Lucas FerreI and Red Rufing among
others, were better than Newcombe himself.
"AND DON'T FORGET Walter Johnson" Jack reminded
T you want to know that a-me holder the big league
batting record for pitchers it's Johnson He hit 433people
forget that-back in 1926 which his last year as
20-game winner"
The books show Johnson went plateward 81 official
times that and made AZ hits including
bases He wasn't that good hitter of but the Big
Train was to be respected
IF pitcher threw where Johnson was swinging" Joe
Judge once said "that ball due for long ride"
Bentley had something of edge Johnson and
Newcombe too in that he could and did play other positions
He used during his pitching moods far often
pinchhitter In 23 for instance he batted 500
in 20 appearances on behalf of lesser batsmen.
CHARLES FREDERICK (RED) LUCAS who one year
wound with 1884, could have been of the two three
most dangerous pitcher all Like Bentley however
he was not always strictly pitcher.
Pattern-wse, Reds was an odd career. When he
up to the Giants in 1923 he pitcher In "a he
pitcher for the old Boston Braves who converted him into
second baseman in 25 Then he went to Cincinnati in 26
and here is how he spent his time:
Batted 313 pitcher shortstop baseman and
outhelder.
Won 18 games as a pitcher
Ted Lyons not only great pitcher, but
at the plate he batted 37 Lyons could have been expert
in almost any sport field. He had the temperament, in
telgence and tremendous, if unsuspected, physical
strength The old Baylor Bear who from the campus
to the White sox, might have been tophight fighter if
bent.
SPEAKING OF STRANGE careers consider that of Yves
Ferre who also did stint of pitching for the Senators at
time When he 2 the handsome North Carolinian
81 games for Cleveland in 1929 and followed up with
% and 23game in succession Adecves raned
the curlyhaired, confident young His fast ball
truly fast and wonderful were his and f1nesse
Suddenly his went bad, and for most pitchers it
would have meant the end of the trail in 1888 But Ferre
violent competitor took token bat toward the plate
He meant to it, and he knew how too Too
to pitch, Yves turned outeder bad either
although the Indians finally yielded him to the Red
In Boston, of all places Wes SO games in three
pitcher He didn't have much the ball but
In that treacherouSy small park he got by and his
bat deterrent When he yielded home over
that short left field fence the chances that he'd get one
too He still retains the home record per for
pitcher-nine.
MODERN-DAY PITCHERS most of 'em, incur the wrath
of many odtimers because they don't fight
it out at the plate There item the other day where
ticket seller at Monmouth Park track, damned
present-day pitchers because they couldn't bunt
In my time, Bullet Joe Bush decried "a pitcher made it
point to be able to bun How are you going to be
winner If don't help yourself? Lots these guys today
they figure the other eight going to get all the runs
you need"
Well, you can't say that Newcombe doesn't try to help
himself although Bushs accusations are not uniused
Tommy Byrne OF the Yankees surprise big winner year
at 35 may be just about good hitter as anybody the
Bombers have got and the ranking pnch-hitter
Senators is Maury McDermot less But these and few
others exceptions Like the says, pitchers
60 to bat for token appearances.
I 1