Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-12-03
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW >, FRANCE, srApu
OF Droftees Heilmonn and Wilson
y FRANCIS STANN


BECAUSE THE LAST SHALL be FIRST in the minor
league draft Cal Grth stood the best chance Of pick
Ing up helpful baplayer for the Senators yesterday
Colorado Springs. He thinks he landed him. too in Bob
Malkmus. 26year-old second baseman from the Mil
vaukee Braves organization.
II Malkmus lives up to scouts reports he viii be one
Of the few drafees years be of much help
not only to the Washington but any Of the other
is major league firms The minor league draft isn't what
Il used to be in the days before extensive systems
and modern restrictions.
Once upon a time big league club owner could be
reasonably confident of getting his moneys worth in the
draft In 1912 for example rs minor leaguers claimed
The next year. 90 drafted But since World War II
the number has dvinded 1856 not single player was
claimed The price has been liked to $4,000 and the
pckngs usually consist Of collection Of retreads
been IS since the old Philadelphia Athletics drafted
Wally Schang, who pretty good bargain. and quite
SPELL too, since two bigger bargans-Harry Heimann
and Hack wilson
HEIIMANN MAY HAVE BEEN the all time best draft
Bargain when the Detroit Tigers claimed him for 81 500
IN 1913 from Portland Of the Class Northwest League
Harry only 10 at the time but couple Of years
he moved into the Tiger lineup for keeps and established
himself Is one Of the ai-tme great hitters
Ty Cobb. 1t was who helped the young man TO get
squared at the plate y taught to hit with my
feet together Holman often related before bis death in
1851 Cobb not only helped but the entire club There
were couple Of when Topper Rgney shortsop
was the only 800 hitter the team"
4UO-pOunueE
strength and sublime confidence in himself In his hey
day. Harry for used to be at his best in odd
numbered years. winning the American League batting
title in 1921 1923 1925 and 1927 His averages 1884,
.4O3, 500 and 3ss.
Finally HeiImann failed to win in 1929 He batted
mere .3A and sold by Detroit to Cincinnati, where
arthritis Of the wrists ended his career in 1882
Moe Berg, who used to catch for the White Sox,
Senators and Red Sex. put ts way: There
times when seemed that Harry could lead the American
TAo f1Hah h. uoNkaa rNfnk fkn IN
which he wanted to hit 400 He couldn't Of but
that was the impression he gave"
BY A GREAT SEPTEMBER drive in 1895 Heilmann
picked about so points Iris Speaker who apparently
had the batting title sewed up When the Tigers
down to the final doubleheader Heilmann went 3-for-6
in the first and urged by teammates TO skip the
nightcap and protect slim margin over Speaker
Z Don't worry about me-" Heilmann told them. He
played the second game hit safely three times in four
tries at bat and won the championship, 1913 to 3ss
Two years later Heilmann and Al Simmons dueled
down the stretch and the final day. when the AS
playing only single game, AL hit twice In five at bats
3 Heilmann had been told before Detroits double
header what Simmons had done and, therefore, Harry
knew what he needed SO In the rst game he doubled
twice and singled in four trips and in the second again
brushing aside advice TO retire. he homered doubled and
singled in five trips The days total Of hits in nine
trips TO the plate boosted his average TO $685. which
topped Simmons by six points.
Wilson was Falstafan character who stood 5-foot-6
but weighed i95 pounds He had i7inch neck i5-inch
biceps, eghtinch wrists 6-nch calves and thirst to
match. When he good, Hack was one Of the most
dangerous hltters In his era.
HACK REACHED HIS PEAK In 1880. and then abruptly
went down hill in 80 he hit So home and ruled
the National League sluggers.
Wilson's best years spent with the Chicago Cubs
who obtained him when bookkeeping error In the New
York Giants front Office made Hack eligible TO be drafted
The strong boy had up TO the Giants for his first
full in 1924 pennantwinnng year, and batted
ereditable .295
But the next season Hack started poorly and John
McGraw farmed him TO Toledo, where he batted .34S
McGraw, fully of Wilson's potentiates furious
when the records in and when the Cubs drafted
him for 1925 McGraws anger justified, for before
he slipped badly Hack reeled of successive seasons
batting 1871, 3ls, 345 and $3.50 for Chicago.
The last time the Senator'S hit the jackpot In the draft
was in 1887 when they got Emil Dutch Leonard the
knucke for $1,000 from Atlanta Leonard past
70 and had failed with Brooklyn but he the nominal
Of the Washington STAFF for nine and more
than any Senator pitcher in history except Walter
johnson.
Dutch never considered himself surprise package
"I could have nlhe big league all the time he used
to say, except that couldn't find catcher who'd cal
for my knuckler"