Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-24
WIN, LOSE OR
GNAVV By FRANCIS STANN
An Election to Foroet

WHY A WEEKLY BASEBALL organ called the Sporting
News thought another award needed by sport already
Surfeed with plaques and scrolls is beyond KEN But
month player of the Decade" award set
Ballots distributed to club officials players umpires
writer's and the beer tobacco who are
ferred to SportscasterS
A siier unnecessary poll is difficult if not i'm
possible to recall and there to discuss the sub
ect except that will be interesting to how the Sporting
News attempts to justify it,
Let be supposed that Roy Campanea Robin Roberts
is adudged the winner and therefore, theoretically the
best ball player of the last 10 Where does that leave
Joe DiMaggio? He is member of the Hall of Fame.
Dag does not finish 1-2-3 in his own decade wouldn't
that cheaper the Hall?
$50
HOW CAN THE SPORTING NEWS hope to split D-
Maggie Ted Williams and Stan Musal the only outeders
the arbitrary list of 10 "eigbles? Nobody
it to widespread satisfaction and the debate has been going
for years.
DiMaggio was the complete outfeder sure-handed,
graceful hard throwing and excellent the bases. His
lifetime batting average of 1926 hearty recommendation
but Williams has been better hitter 348 mani
and SO has Musal (342)
Whereas DiMaggo batted 400, as did Williams,
neither did Ted field the bases with the old Yankee
You might say that Musal fy-chaser like D
Mag either but the other hand Stan played first base
we'll the oued for at least parts of nine of his IA
years with the Cardinals
TRY TO SPLIT the two catchers Campanela and Yogi
Berra It out that a Dodger the other
Yankee; bats righthanded the other efthanded
And that's all.
the suggestion of Bob Feler setting up the
it must be true that Bullet father of the idea
But is not of his better banstorms 1t doesn't
Teller Surely Bob must realize that he, himself, is fore
most contender
The veteran Cleveland freballer an award like
he needs This one especially If Teller he
will be embarrassed will have distinction
of his own invention.
THE NOMINATION OF Teller, Hal Newhouser and
Roberts inconsistent with Sporting News campaign Of
not long This drive pitchers
regulars in the annual most valuable player polls
editors bandy toss them all together and ask for the player
of the decade.
What Johnny Mize doing among the 10 "eligibes"p
The rules emphacaly state the selection will be
from the period l94655 inclusive Mze hit 49, play
ing only 101 games, and only 1902 in AZ The eight
seasons he reached 800.
MiZe batting title in his life. Mickey Vernon
two, but isn't Staked for voting Not that Vernon hit
the long ball la Mize but when bat was taken away
from the Big Cat he wasn't much ball player Vernon
poem at first base Mize a liability.
True, Jawn was mighty pinch-htter but the
widely forgotten Moose Mccormick of long ago.
ASIDE FROM MIzE who fits the category only tech
ncaly the only other ineder nominated is Jackie Robin
son. He could take ALL too But there couple others
playing today-at least couple-who will only on
write-in ballots.
Phil Rizzuto is one Peewee Reese another There is
nothing fancy about their lifetime batting averages per-
haps but from l94655 they the two best shorsop
the game More they among the two best of any
Neither was Wagner Cronin but they made
all the plays and did it under pressure.
How many other ball players still active match
their records for playing with champions? Reese played with
the pennant-winner in the National League times
Rizzuto the American Leagues side in nine World
Series
Almost every qualified baseball man will tell you that
Rabbit Maranvle and Joe Tinker the day they
could do the things Rzzuto and Reese did and still do
Maranvie and Tinker in the Hall Of Fame Phil and
Peewee can't even get the Player of the Decade" ballot