Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-20
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ,..,,o,.
NNAV By FRANCIS STANN
In Support of an Opinion

ONE DAY LAST SUMMER Clyde Sukeforth, who was a
brany catcher in his day and is coach for the Pitts
burgh Pirates surprised lot of people by fatty stating that
pitchers today ARE better than at time since I've been
around the National League" Sukey broke in with Gin
cinnat in 1926-an even 80 years ago.
The National League Service Bureau took note of Suke
forths opinion connection with the release of the official
pitching records Such statistics 81 sutouts by
Carl Erskne and Sal Maglie hitter 10 wohtters and
% eehitters compare favoraby with what pitchers
doing in 1926.
Yet the batting averages says here perhaps out
Sukeforhs argument better than the pitching figures epe
cally the batted-n and the average columns lot of
the boys today getting into the home act against
only few of the oldmers but gone apparently the 400
hitter and the guy who drives upward of $50
season.
WHAT WAS EVIDENT at the end of September is official
meaning that Mickey Mantle of the Yankees and Hank
Aaron of the Braves the batting champions of the
American and National Leagues respectively Mantle hit
1853, tidy average but that wouldn't have been jewel
in any Triple Crown in the long ago.
Mickey would have been among the alsorans after many
when hitter had to be in the 390s at least
stand chance winning the batting title True the only
400 hitter in the American in the last 80
Ted Williams who batted 4O6 in 194l and only Bill Terry
with 4O1 in $780, reached the incredible mark in the National
But there were some other whopping averages
The late Harry Hemann batted 1893 to top the Ameri
League in 1927 and AL Simmons 800 man in 1881
Indeed between Nantes
any BY the token Miekeys 1856 pace-Sup-
porting Sukeforh the best in the last half dozen
THE 22-YEAR- OLD AARON, Milwaukee's right
hitting Negro oueder needed only to hit 1923 to top the
National League which had only nine 800 batsmen There
have been only two champions who baed less and they
pretty far back One Edd Roush, who had 1921 in 49,
and the other Larry Doyle with 800 in rs.
The hitter who drives home 100 runs season is becom
ing too lending credence to the theory that
odays pitchers whole, superior to the odsters
Mantle led his league with $780, and Stan Musal tops
in the National with 1O9 These totals wouldn't call for
much attention in bygone years.
Nobody has matched the 100 runs that Hack Wilson
drove for the Cubs $780, and while there ample
justification to hail Mantle just beginning to into
his own the young Okahoman has way to before he
catches up with Lou Gehrig run-producer.
Gehrig took dead aim wilson's record when bated
In lS4 in 81 In other Lou drove home 49, l74
42 and 1885, Hank Greenberg in turn Gehg big
for alltime American League honos with 1873 in ST. No.
Nantes 1870 and Musas 100 wouldn't attract much at
tenton in years past
1.-THE PITCHERS TAKE A VERBAL beating these days"
Sukeorth quoted because home being
hit. That isn't exactly fair. The pitchers job today
great deal tougher than it &c. 10 years
Back in the days when catching the pitchers could
bit several htters in most games Not today
The pitchers must bear down practically every pitch
because there many powerful hters in the league
that almost any slam the ball out of the park To
me- there's comparison between today pitching and that
OF the era when was playing Todays pitcher is bigger
stronger and yes, lot smarter.
These days, II Of kids in Glass doesn't have
change OF pace tell him to develop II he to
make 1t to the big leagues When went to Cincinnati in
1926 there only pitcher Pete Donohue who could
use that pch-we called it a slow ball-effectvely"
That is what the said and the batting bear
him out SO does the still vivid memory of that afternoon
during the World Series. fellow named Don Larsen
pitched the only perfect in Series history remember?