Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-17
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, FRANCE, SIAM
And q Few Others

IT IS NOT PRECISELY true that we are running out
of Hall Of Fame material in the baseball industry There
are, Of Sam Rice and few Others notably Hack
Wilson and Burleigh Grimes. Lesser performers have
preceded this trio
The hitter today who drives across 100 runs in
season Is acclaimed, and expects raise in salary Hack
Wilson drove 100 for the Cubs In 1880 The
best any American Lacquer did Lou Gehrigs
1s4 runs for the Yankees in 1891.
Burleigh orimes7 fair country pitcher All he
did was to win 270 games.
They belong in the Hail Of Fame not only because
Of their achievements but also because when they
riding high they coloful figures who epltomzed the
game
1t is unfortunate that wilson. now dead. later had
his troubles But when Hack at his peak, he
dandy. So was Grimes.
IT IS DEPRESSING to read that Jimmy Foxx down
IN Florida. Is described destitute" He Is the Hall
Of Fame at cooperstOwn. N. Y. Quite properly he
elected early The pity Is that baseball couldn't him
after his playing days ended.
On the strength Of his home runs alone, Foxx
great player He was better than fair hand at first
base and at third. This nice going for big Mary
land farmboy with more muscles than he needed be-
cause he q catcher in the first place
The record book shows that Is players have hit
300 home Foxx is surpassed only by Babe Ruth
The Babe hit TIA homers in "a years. while Foxx hit 534
In 20 years.
Twice Foxx touched the so mark and along with
Hank Greenberg the closest to matching beat
Ing Ruth's record Of 90 homers set in 1921.
In 1882 Foxx hit So homers for the old Philadelphia
Athletics In 1888 Fox had so homers for the Red Sox
the season Greenberg got his So homers for the
Tigers Wilson hit So for the Cubs in 1880
In the record books at Boston, well Philadelphia
Fox Is top man.
THE FELLOW SHOULD BE the batting instructor for
some ball club because It follows he has the skill and
know-how You don't get base hits muscles alone.
although they help.
Foxx. like Ted williams was an avid student Of hit
ting Perhaps he not dedicated Theodore. but
Foxx also studied pitchers and he scared them, too
This is not TO play down fellow like Roy Sewers
who came up with good year with the Senator'S and
wants to be paid for It, but Foxx In 1929 hit 80 home
runs and then he continued for dozen consecutive
seasons in which he hit 80 or more home
Old hat, perhaps is the story Of how Lefty Gomez.
the colorful Yankee southpaw, discarded his eye
glasses.
Pitching against the Red sox one day. Gomez called
time, walked from the mound to the bench and deposited
his spectacles.
II Just got look at Jimmy Foxx through the glasses"
he explained. 'ItSenough to brighten man to death"
FOXx WAS FRIGHTENING to pitcher, a tall, we'll
muscled who waved his bat like wand. Lots Of
times he struck out but the pitcher who famed him In
variably wondered II he wasn't living borrowed time
Foxx had his big chance to beat Ruths record In
1882 He missed three home yet two Of the most
reliable baseball historians Of ALL Fred Lieb and Al Hirsh
berg have pointed out that fate and fences prevented
Fosx from hitting, perhaps SO homers.
Lieb, who was operating out OF st. Louis, reported
that ve times that that had been erected
in front Of the rghtfeld pavilion in old sportsmans
Park prevented Foxx liners from being home Ruth
didn't have that barrier in ~.
Hrshberg has testified that in 1892 Foxx would have
had at least three other homers had not been
erected in left field at Cleveland.
He was whale of ball player and remains whale
of guy The trouble with Jimmy could baseball