Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-20
WIN, LOSE OR
NNAV BY FRANCIS STANN
The Hit and Run

MRS. GOMEZ DID NOT bring her boy up to be fighter
and Ruben proved it when he looked at Joe Adcocks
advancing figure and took to the hills Tom Sheehan the
Giants scout who signed Gomez in 1883 put it this way
1--WE been in baseball As years and I've anything
like it." The question Isl What effect will Rubens premium
discretion, rather than valor his career?
rd rather be safe than sorry told reporters
the Giants dressing before being escorted to hotel
by five detectives why fight guy who's bigger than you
It's better to run"
The right-handed Puerto Rican may have a point but
baseball than ball. glove and bat. Ball players
be devShy artcuatefrom the dugouts 1t follows they
will ride Gomez for weeks perhaps months although
Of the smaller and timd may privately agree that
his retreat was strategically sound.
Gomez based his argument the weghts-175 pounds
no. difference of 49, Tommy Loughran conceded
81 pounds to Primo Camera but course Loughran
boxer not pitcher. And Camera couldn't hit.
$500
RARELY is THERE a good baseball fight First ball
players VIGOROUSLY shy of hStic skS Secondly their
battles the field invariably marked by quick inter-
venton The best brawls-Cobb Herzog, Evans Cobb
etc-occur out of sight. One of the Giants pointed up
this contention when in the immediate wake of Gomez
track record from mound to dressing room, he said:
II just wish he'd stood there and let the come at
him. I'd have been there time to keep him Gomez from
getting hurt. So would the other guys"
AS it turned out GomeZS teammates took firm stand
in behalf of their hitand-run pitcher While the other
Milwaukee Braves streamed the field with Adcock in
the lead the Giants passive No punches thrown
according accounts and aside from possibly accidental
collision between Jackie Brandt of New York and Del Rice of
the Braves it wound milling around frustrated
greyhound mill after the mechanical rabbit has ducked into
ahoe, unscarred and ready for the next race.
This fight" New York sportswriters could not
possibly claim for Of their boys Giant Yankee or
Dodger Loyal to the they've made practice the
years of voting their Like the time Jake Powell
awarded decision Joe Cronin. And recently
Bob Grim over Dave Phley.
THE PHOTOS GAVE THE LIE to the latter version.
Both in fact One shot showed Cronin landing a hard
right Powes jaw and Jake knees folding Grim clobbered
Phiey earlier this season with solid punch according to
press box versions but the photos suggested that the Yankee
pitcher missed by good foot With Phlley
while, making like Marciano
actions to draw especial criticism from
Miller of the New York World Telegram and Sum- whose
lead was wouldn't know which the
shocking of Gomez's actions Would it be his delber
atey hitting the charging Joe Adcock with baseball
could it be his panic-scken flight Immediately afterward
before the enraged Braves first baseman?"
Miller, pretty good legitimate distance runner not SO
long ago. obviously awarded Adcock fancifu TKO Most
the baseball writer's did the after
they had poed the ball club revealed that had
decided to take light view Of the retreat Nobody
that fast before chucked Dusty Rhodes according to the
New York Post
Paul Giel (A-America football player who pitched for
the Giants showed any broken field running like
Gomez" the Post quoted Doc Bowman, the trainer
One senior Giant" told the Post; Don't quote but
the thing about it is that Ruben will be able
to live it down."
WELL, THERE COULD be question about that
theory Back in the early ls3Os memory serves it was S2
Carl Reynolds of the Senators slid hard and safely into home
plate at Griffith Stadium humping Catcher Bill Dckey of the
Yankees 1t July doubeheader pretty big day for
both Sides and Reynolds headed for the washington dug
out brushing his pants legs Dickey overlook him and ball
in right fist, couted Carl on the jaw.
The blow broke Reynolds jaw. Naturally Dickey drew
fine and suspension. on-hescene and fans from distant
places condemned Dckey for his attack 1t didn't help Bills
restoration popularity when shortly aferwad Reynolds
taken i'll in cab and his wife was reported to have
nimbly shipped his wired jaws to prevent suffocston
eventually the incident forgotten Dickey wound
up the Hall of Fame his burst Of temper cancelled out by
continuing years OF superb catching and good hitting For
Gomez there will be Hall Of Fame, perhaps but there is
the chance that he survives the rest Of
this he will be abg league pitcher for time to