Evening star., 1958-07-08
!, WIN, LOSE OR
tDRAW }, FRANCE, SIAM
The Searching Test

BALTIMORE, July 8.-some 20 years ago Lefty Gomez
regarded the ASar Game perhaps the most searching
Of tests for pitcher. You're asked to pitch beyond
three innings" Ell Goof admitted but you never face
weak hitter, nobody you let up on Even World
Series there's usually $50 hitter two in the lineup
There have been exceptional pitching perform
ances in A-Star history notably Carl Hubbes feat in
1884 OF striking out in succession Babe Ruth Lou Gehrg
Jimmy Foxx AL Simmons and Joe Cronin But there also
was the 1916 game which pitchers like Claude PasSeau
Kirby Higbe, Ewell Blackwell and Rip sewen couldn't
prevent an American League runaway, 1870
There III decision in l949 and an lie affair
in 1854 and some really hne pitchers including War
rem Spahn Mel Parne, Virgil Trucks, Vie RaSchi Don
Newcombe, HOWE Polet, Preacher Roe Blackwell Robin
Roberts, Johnny Antonell Bob Lemon and few others
took their Jumps
NICK ALTROCK, coach emeritus of the Senators was
bleeding for the modern pitchers the other day. although
not in connection with the A-Star Game Il don't think
odays pitchers are better than the odtimers Nick said
nnt baseball now is hiters game with night ball
Did the old southpaw star for Chicagos Hitless
Wonders have the Los Angeles Coliseum in mind?
mot especially" Altrock said although they shouldn't
be playing in park with eft1ed fence only $50 feet
from home plate Man, what some of the old-tmers
would have done in that they were playing today
Who, for instance? Hornsby2 Foxx?
I keep thinking of guy who wasn't in the American
League, or not for long, anyway" Nick replied "Not big
hitter, either Gayvy Cravath is who mean Gavvy used
TO hit lot OF medum-long high flies to efteld If he
we're playing today for the Dodgers in Los Angeles he
might hit 60 or IS home runs Maybe more.
Joe jackson would have been sensational too For
that matter there's fellow playing now Ray Boone who
might be big star if he played for the Dodgers"
TITS A HITTERS GAME. Altrock was saying, because
all legislation the past years has against the
pitcher "A real big factor is the baseball the umpres
keep tossing into the games today" Nick pointed out
we uSed onv tunn hase-
balls game.
IF ball went into the crowd nobody thought of
keeping it. like they do The fans just threw the balls
back onto the field We could spit on the ball. shine it up
rough 1t up, nick it with spikes Now if there's
blemish on the ball. it's thrown out and the pitcher gets
one"
For all the edge the modern hitter has going for him.
Nick would like to have what Walter Johnson would
have done in the night-bal era.
IF the htters couldn't see his fast ball in broad
daylight what could they have under the ghts I'd
say he'd have won well over 500 games more than
Cy Youngs Sill With good ball club Walter would have
won many more than Young
You know, it's funny thing. Christy Mathewson
great pitcher I'm not saying he wasn't. But if
johnson had been those good Giant teams the same
time Mahewson I'd bet you'd hardly have heard much
about Christy He'd always have been the No. guy"
THERE NEVER WAS pitcher with the perfect form
OF Johnson Nick thinks Il remember back in 1918 when
Won So anu loSC recolect rightly johnson
lost ve OF his games by 10 scores With any kind of
ball club he might have those five games and
finished with Ala record, Think of that"
Altrock who is pushing 3d. chucked as he recalled
his rSt sight of the rookie Johnson In that store suit
and iron hat he really rube" Nick said Il remem-
Der when Washington and the White Sox were playing
series and Johnson who'd Just joined the Senator's was
pitching batting practice.
Il thought was pretty good hitter, for pitcher
Joe Cantlon, who managing Washington yelled out
Hey NICK! Why don't youtake lick at that big rube?
I picked up bat and Walter threw me pitch that
approached the plate belt high have rose two
feet just tossed the bat apd told canon that his
own players could take batting practice against that
But the Big Train the notable exception in
ArockS book For most every other pitcher the cards
are stacked these days-stacked against him.
j.