Evening star., 1960-12-21
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s1AAn.
Artie Nehf Little Giant
By FRANCIS STANN

QUITE FEW PITCHERS won more big league games
than the late Artie Nehs total Of 1884, little
lefthander was at his peak there weren't many any,
who were better in the clutch
The little giant was New York Giant in his pamiest
days. and those here who remember the 1924 World Series
hetwcen the Senators and Giants must remember Nehf
He was the AS winner in IL innings the great Walter
Johnson in the opener In Grifnth Stadium tough luck
2-1 loser to Tom Zachary in the sixth game despite
fourhter) and the most effective pitcher either
with 183 earned-run average. " -~ ->
Are was past 80 and pitching in his fourth straight
World Series in the "a opener Yet there enough hero
worship in Nehf and little boy too to be proudest
Of hitting safely agans1a the immortal johnson.
Nehf who fought doggedly at the plate as when
the mound tagged the Big Train for three hits that
October T. One, short fly that Centerheder Earl Nc
Nicely couldn't hold, kept inning rally alive and
enabled Nehf to score the tying run.
....
THE VETERAN BASEBALL author Fred Lieb who
Of the official scorers still likes to tell the story
of his taxi ride from Grifith Stadium with Nehf He
seemed moody and questions in monosylables
Lieb recounts
Finally he couldn't hold it any longer and hurted
out what was on his mind Hey, he said think you
scorers robbed me of hit should have been credited
with three
Il told Are that gave him three hits There was
no question about any Of them told him.
You did?' he said. Why, they told on the bench
one mad been scored as an error His face beamed life
was worth living Say he went when fellow gets
three bits of Walter Johnson he see them in the
box score" "a
+.
NEH CANE OUT Of Rose Poly in Indiana spent three
years in the minors and then up to the Boston
Braves. In 1919 Manager John McGraw of the Giants
tried and failed to buy Rogers Hornsby from the Cardinals
Shortly afterward he purchased Nehf
The price vas reported by OOO which would
have been the biggest cash sale in baseball history ess
than ve months aterJanuary 1920-the Red Sox sold
Babe Ruth to the Yankees for the then of
$l25OOO0 Other records claim that Nehf brought $4,000
in cash. plus Pitchers Cecil Causey Joe Oeschger John
Paul Jones and Catcher George ONeill
Either way Artie came cheap because he was a main
stay OF the Giants staf that reeled of four National
League pennantS in succession, l921-1924
When the Yankees won the f1rst two games from the
Giants in the 21 series, Are the of the second
by 80 to Waite Hoy Three Giant and Bob Meuses
steal Of home hurt.
HoYT AND NEHF met again in the hfth game in
this last OF the ve-out-of-nine World Ssfes and the
Yankees won again 81 But in the eighth and nai game
Nehf beat Hoyt 10, on unearned Although twice
beaten Artie had pitched magnhceny allowing only Is
hits As for HOyt he allowed only two runs in HIS three
starts-both unearned. b ~ y" sxs'
The final game of the 81 series had dramatic wind
up. Nehf retired Ruth. who batted for Waly Ppu I'd
open the ninth But Aaron ward walked and then FRANK
Baker, old but still dangerous slashed wicked drive
toward rightheld.
Johnny Rawlings, Stopgap player, was the Giants
second baseman He knocked the ball down on the out
field grass and threw out Baker So sure was Ward that
Baker had hit safely that he rounded second and
Tor third He didn't quite make li Bong George Kelly
Cdusnt MIN WIN perfect throw to frankie FriSch and
the Series over.
NEHF STARTED the 20 series with the Yankees and
the Giants won an uphill. SO victory although Reever
Rosy Ryan received the credit But as in M Arte nailed
down the last and decisive victory So
In rs, another Giants-Yankees meeting Nehf won a
-O decision In the third game beating Sam Jones on
nomer by the aging but efervescent Casey Stenge who
also nao won the opener for the Giants with an inside
tne-park home run. But in the sixth and final game
Are tired after only two days Of rest began to lose
Al Lead Ryan relieved only lose all of it. although
Nehf was charged with the defeat - Y
IL was 10 little AreS credit that in four consecutive
World Series he finished ~ in games Because he never
had one easy day not on the II runs the Giants gave
him In eight starts.