Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-30
WIN. LOSE OR
DNAV BY FRANCIS sTANN
OF comebocks and O Poll

Good loser and as nice guy you're apt to find In base
hall uniform But whether the Yankees little souhpaw
Was most deserving of the Associated Press award
the best comeback in the American League during 1857
is something else.
The feeling here Is that man. Roy Severs paid
the price for having played for the lastplace Senator'S
guy is liable to get lost working for the Washington
Club even while he in process of leading his league In
home runs, total bases and runs batted in In fact
Severs did get lost
Shantz won IL games and lost for the Yankees and
led American League pitchers in earned run AVERAGE
with 245 OF the l52 writer's who participated In the p
poll SO voted for Shants
Sievers who tied for fourth place with Billy Loes Of
Baltimore received only nine votes probably ALL or most
of them cast by Washington writer's It to that
such discrepancy badly out Of proportion and that
Shantz was fortunate in that he pitching in city
amply blessed by newspapers and voting baseball
writer's.
1T is HARD TO SEE a 60-vote difference between
Shantz and Sievers and the longer one studies their
respective performance charts the more ncongruous the
polls result Shantz IL games, but Severs won seven
for the Senators handedy with big hits in just
the last next-to-last innings No telling how many
others he helped TO win Shantz lost 1--WE games sievers
probably none.
Sievers AZ home runs smack OF a greater achievement
than Shanzs II victories and those ia batted in
and SSl total bases icing the Players last
place ball clubs Just lead leagues in batted In
but Sievers did Only one in history to do 1t in the
majors too.
For that matter Roy the FIRST slugger to win the
American League undsputed home title for cellar
team. Undisputedy that to say because back in 1918
Tilie Walker hit II homers for the old Philadelphia
Athletics TO tie Babe Ruth then pitcher-hrs baseman-
outhelder for the Red Sox.
When he batted sol for the reason. Roy was reach
ing that figure for the time since his rookie year OF
ls4s. Then he was big muscular las he still Isl kid OF
a. who up to the ST. Louis Browns via Springfield
the Three-I League Playing third and the out
field he batted $685. drove 81 and homered
l6 times
BOTH sHANTz AND SEWERS faced premature
examinations OF their of injuries
cialy Roy Whereas Bobby established star after
winning IS games for the Athletics in 1851 and "A in So
when he voted most valuable player in the American
League. Sievers merely highly promising rookie
when he came to grief
shantz got his bad break when he was struck on his
pitching wrist by fast ball The fracture healed but
Bobby up screamed and little heard OF the
miniature stylSt until this season. In fact Shanz only
a total OF Is games three-year stretch
No great honors befel Severs after his good start
Once he broke his shoulder while trying for diving
catch His throwing arm, too. went dead He was
liability in the outeld, nor could he make the long
hard throw from third base In desperation Roy became
fair hand at first base But he wasn't the good hitter
run-producer until he to Washington in
February Of 1854 in trade for the forgotten Gil Coan.
Then despite Of only 232 and 27 he topped
the l00-mark in batted in "a and SIS.
But 81 his real big year and the pity is that
much individual output went for naught.
THOSE WHO WILL HARK back to February and
March, when the training camps in Florida and else
where in session. will remember that Sievers almost
became member Of the White Sox. Al Lopez wanted
him and Cal Grifhth in mood to trade-at his
terms Cal didn't quite get his terms
I'D like TO have Sievers a pinch hitter Lopez
said in Florida. BY June the Sox manager knew, how
that he had Sievers the big guy would be playing
every day, especially since his throwing became
stronger. BY late September the Sox felt that Severs
had been in Chicago uniform from the outset they might
have One pennant. That's how much the White Sox
needed the kind of hitter that Sievers turned to
be in 1857.
Notified Of his award Shantz Enthusiastically said
Gosh, If you can't win for the Yankees who can you
win for?"
Sievers didn't but he couldn't be accused of i'm
modesty If he replied: We'll, for the Senator's"