Evening star., 1963-02-05
SEGH At LARGE
Medwick Hunkers
For Hall of Fame
By MORRIS sIEcEC

DUCKY MEDWICK HAS no quarrel with young ball
players only with young who vote
Hall of Fame candidates
Medwick insists he belongs He's,got good point The
record book certainly supports his candidacy 1t shows
lifetime average of 324 in the days when the ball wasn't
juced up with bergass whatever that gives
it the big ride today.
He MvP in the National League in 1897, the year
he ripped pitching for S74 average He led the league
three straight in knocking in and otherwise has
solid credentials for IA years of hardnosed campaigning
with possibly the most hard mob assembled in
baseball the Gashouse Gang of the ST. Louis Cardinals
He batted $50 or better for three straight years
Il don't want to be remembered as the guy who got
thrown out Of World Series game Medwick complained
at recent baseball banquet 81 don't want to be remem
bered kind of freak like Wrong Way Corrgan
that Roy Rege the guy who ran'the wrong way in the
Rose Bowl game
I want to be remembered" he said bitterly, "as Joe
Medwck, ball player. Am wrong?"
-
CHECK THE LIST of Cooperstown residents and it
dscloses any number Of candidates whose qualifications
are not nearly as distinguished Medwicks.
There's Rabbit Maranville, 25S cown-prone guy who
got in on his zany acts more than on his baseball skill
There's also Joe Tinker, 1858 and Johnny Evers, 27O,
probably the only pair to make basebas peary gates
because they memoriazed by poem
Jackie Robinson?" Medwick asked Good player, but
how many second basemen you suppose rate Coopers
town him2 He made it the first year he eligible
and he made principally because he the first Negro
player"
Medwick boysh 81 in the insurance business in
ST. Louis thinks baseball has blackisted him. How many
jobs have been offered?" he asked MY pals? Leo Du
rocher did he do anything for me when he had the
Dodgers and Giants? And could add many more names,
but what's the uSe?"
TAKE AWAY A FEW gray hairs few wrinkles and
couple of other signs of and it's easy to picture the
Medwck who the spirit of the swaShbuckling Gas
Housers There the Deans Pepper Martin Delaney
Collins Frisch and the rest but Medwick truly the
terror
"They are making big deal out of that new strike
zone" he snored II cared where the strike zone
wasn't looking to walk only to hit Didn't make no
difference to me- high low inside outside If liked
I'd take my rifle. And 1924 amt too bad"
Medwick keeps in touch with baseball these days as
batting coach for ST. Louis University Sometimes couple
Of the Cardinals will seek him out for tips When Jabonski
Repuki played here they called and asked me to
help But did go any of the players unless
they asked me-" Ducky declared.
It's been IS years since Medwick last suited up He's
been eligible for Cooperstown for 10 years and is impatient
with the progress of the campaign to get his shnge stuck
up where feels it rghtfuy belongs The young writer's
they just look at today players They ought to do
homework" he says
COOPERSTOWN IS MEDWICKS No. campaign.
couple of years ne got another phase of the Medwck
record Strengthened out 1t 25year drive, but he
finally got admission from Marv owen the other prin
cpa involved that Medwick was given bad rap In the
1884 World Series game which his expulsion.
At Detroit dinner three years ago honoring the prn
cpas 1884 series between the Gashousers and the
Tigers the voice of Third BaSeman owen pped in
Angeles Did Medwick slide into purpoSely?
Owen asked.
NO." Owen told the diners via ampifed telephone
hookup "it my fault the bag, taking as If
the throw coming to me- and Joe did what any good
runner would do. 1t was not his fault" They fought
briefly before umpires intervened.
The episode, coming in the seventh game which the
Cards won 1lO caused fruit barrage be showered at
Medwick when he went to leftfeld Play held up "a
minutes and finally Judge Lands ordered Medwck benched
so that the game could continue
Before eecting Medwick, Lands called Owen and
Ducky to his and asked owen he thought Medwick
slid into him purposely "Owen didn't answer" Joe said
until Is years later"