Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 April 1943 — Page 15

"fender to

"Member when a bespectacled baseball player was a rarity? Not now. The Cleveland Indians have four of ‘em. Left to right are Jack Salveson, pitcher; Russ Peters, infielder; Mel Harder and

. Paul Calvert, pitchers.

SPORTS

All By Eddie Ash

WHEN the Pittsburgh Pirates are mentioned, base‘ball fans naturally think of Hans Wagner, baseball's

all-time No. 1 shortstop. . .

« The old “Flying Dutch-

man” is 69 but he has kept step with the Buc players down through the years and is alert to everything in

the game.

There aren't many of his kind around. . . . He reiuses to sur-

« « . Broug high the present day stars, Wagner? him; a sts

he {ould paste that old potato up

. Hand vizyed his last season of major league 7... .It was his 21st campaign and . « He batted .300 or

§ only part of it. #17 successive years. The big Dutchman also knew

on the.base paths and was always well up in stolen bases..... He pilfered 61 in 1907, » In the 1909 world series between Pittsburgh and Detroit the fans in both cities were agog

huge hands and rugged figure made fof stars on the infield. . .. And how

3 and is a coach of the club he made famous yeats ago. up in baseballs’ old school, Wagner nevertheless has. regard’ for the current style of play and

at the dish!

how to step

Hans Wagner

over what Wagner and Ty Cobb, who were the two stars of the

country that season, would do.

. « « But when the series ended, with

the Pirates on top, four games to three, there was ho doubt of the “Flying Dutchman” having all the better of the argument. Ownie Bush, Indianapolis’ president-manager, played shortstop

for Detroit in the 1909 world series.

Speaker Calls on His Old Club : TRIS SPEAKER, baseball's “Grey Eagle,” was an Indianapolis

visitor yesterday. . .

. He called on the Cleveland Indians and

watched them go through the practice paces at Victory field. » « » Speaker piloted the Cleveland club to a only pennant and

world championship. .e

. That was in#1920,

In the sdries Cleveland defeated Brooklyn, four games to two,

wipning the first, fourth, fifth and sixth games. . time batting average in the major leagues was .345: , . fo He (faanaged

3 Speajer’s all-

Cleveland from midseason 1919 through 1926. Prior | to playing for Cleveland, Speaker was the middie\nfan in the Boston American’s super outfield, playing between Duffy Lewis and Harry Hooper. ...He could go far and make ’em “look easy by his graceful manner of dragging in the long ones.

: New Cage Cuts. Tribe Overhead

THE Indianapolis club management has put together a super colossal batting cage. which will pay for itself in time. ... Balls fouled into the stands in batting practice cost a pretty penny over

a season and this new structure is their source.” . .

designed to “check the fouls at

. The hitter is practically penned in.

Might be a bright idea to Wheel it out when Vernon George Washington, St. Paul's bat-throwing outfielder, goes up to hit in the Saints’ games at Victory field this season. ... When George's

bat slips it goes for distance.

When Washington played on the Indianapolis club his favorite bat throw was into the visitors’ dugout and players cleared out on

his appearance at the plate,

All Is Conlusion at Meeting Of Pro Grid League Moguls

By TOMMY DEVINE United Press Staff Correspondent CHICAGO, April 6.—The order of business for a crucial meeting of the National Football league beocame as confusing today as some of the offensive formations employed in the professional grid league. ~The original schedule called for the annual player draft as the

opening highlight of the: meeting, but Pred Mandel, owner of the

Detroit Lions, went into the inaugural session determined to block the

the selection of 200 collegiate players. He seeks postponement of the draft until Thursday. Mandel attempted last week to get the player draft postponed, but was defeated in a telegraphic poll conducted by President Elmer Layden. However, he will make a motion from the floor at the outset of today’s meeting and was confident he had garnered.the necessary support to put off the selection. ‘The stocky Lions owner's ostensible reason for desiring a postponement was . the illness of his new coach Gus Dorais. Dorais is at his De-

® troit home recuperating from a skull

fracture and there was no assurance he would be able to come here

““show their hands” by m cut statements of their operating

tions personally. Thus the move generally Was con-

_strued as one designed to “stall”

the draft until after a general business meeting was held at which time all clubs would be forced to clear-

sor: the. 18

convened yesterday that two or four clubs would disband and ask that their territorial rights be “frozen” for the duration.

$440 Each

The Caps lost the Calder cup, but fattened up their purses fo the tune of $440 Hal Jackson and Adam Brown who were recalled to Detroit before the play-offs with Buffalo, 11 other players, { Manager Herbie Lewis and Trainer Les Tooke divided the $6800. American league “pot.” All but Jackson and. Brown shared in the $1000 bonus posted by James Nortis Sr., co.owner. Joe Fisher, Connie : Brown and Bill Quackenbush are

joining the parent Detroit Red

The old Gray Eagle looks 'em over. Tris Speaker, the famed outfielder, seems delighted with what the Tribe showed in yester-

day’ s wotkout here.

sassafras league, prepared to square the first of a two-game series.

out yesterday and spent more than two hours on the gréensward, mainly in’ batting practice, The park was wind swept and the players kept in motion as much as possible to avoid catching the chilblains. It was a fine day for coffee royales, if you had the coffee. Lou Boudreau’s ‘Indians pitched camp at Purdue university on March 15 and utilized the fieldhouse there when weather was too frigid for outdoor drills. And they didn’t 'sée too much of the big outdoors on the banks of the Wabash. But they are about as far along in conditioning as the rest of the northern-trained big league clubs and have until April 21—American league opening day—to put on the finishing touches. Cleveland's Indianapolis schedule: Today—Pittsburgh Pirates. Tomorrow—Pittsburgh Pirates. Thursday—Indianapolis Indians. Friday—Indianapolis Indians. Saturday—Cincinnati Reds. Sunday=—Cincinnati Reds. Cleveland and the Reds will remain over in Indianapolis next Monday to fill a service date at Ft. Harrison where they will stage a special exhibition for the soldiers.”

Pirates One Up Frankie Frisch’s Pirates are Muncie-trained and already are oneup on Cleveland. The teams met in the Magic City last Saturday and the Bucs won, 4-3, in 10 innings. A

.|second -game scheduled in ‘Muncie

‘Sunday was called off on account of weather, : . Both clubs, like all other league ball teams this year, are approaching the néw season with their fingers crossed. Selective service is whittling away on the player ranks and no manager knows exactly what hell have on hand by midseason. As a matter of fact, some players now in training are tagged to report to Uncle Sam before opening day. ; 2 that as it may, the major and minor league managers are doing a good job readying the boys up in "northern climes. There has been a lot. of blarney spread about conditioning ball players north of the Eastman-Landis line but it's a safe guess all clubs will tear out for Florida, California or Texas after the war. There is no substitute.

Mound Staff Looks Good

Manager Boudreau is fairly well satisfied ‘with the progress of his pitching staff. Al Milnar and Jim Bagby apparently are ahead of their mates, although Lou is registering no. complaints on the condition of the other hurlers. Cleveland pitchers assigned to toil against the Pirates toddy are Mel Harder, Al Smith and Chubby Dean. the Cleveland Indians are Pitchers Ray Poat, Joe Heving and Mike Naymick. Poat won 15 games for the Hoosier Redskins last year. Former Indianapolis Indians with the Pirates are Bill Baker, catcher, and Jimmy Wasdell, outfielder.

WLIN(

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Fred Estle, Capital Pa cisessese 129 Orville Berry, Celeb Rody cisecees 877 Jim Hickey, Court House ........ ceves 675 Ed Wright, Transportation ..... ssces 665 Bruce Mitchell, Bell Telephone 687

sebrensssnsen

sevsnceee

for the Stanley ‘cup 88

ale

Game time was set at 2:30 and all of

Cleveland’s games here are to start at that hour. The American league Indians held their first Victory field work-

Former Indianapolis Indians with|’

(Cleveland Indians and Pirates To Open 2-Game Series Today; Other Tilts All This Week

By EDDIE ASH Big. league baseball. was Indianapolis’ sport dish today as the Cleveland .Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates, hardy members of the Hoosier

off at Victory field this afternoon in

Commando on Armory Bill

Maurice Chappelle of Newark and Rene La Belle of Toronto engage in headline action to top tonight's three-bout grappling card at the armory. They are junior heavies of the skilled and speedy types and meet for two falls out of three. They drew in a 30-minute tussle here a month ago, the encounter being one of the best ever staged at the N. Pennsylvania .st. arena. An added feature on tonight's program is the appearance of Sergt. Vic Holbrock who teaches .commando tactics at Camp MacArthur, San Pedro, Cal. He opposes the rough and tumble ‘Roland (Long Bay) Kirchmeyer, a 255 pounder from Tulsa. Holbrook established an outstanding record here last summer and just prior to enlisting in the armed forces. He scales 233. Stanley Bursch of Des Moines and Billy Thom of Bloomington, Ind., junior heavies, open the action

Sak £5

PAGEN

Victory Fie id

Something new has been added to home plate ‘at Victory field. There'll be no more dodging of foul tips during batting practice. As you can see, this new-fangled cage keeps the old pill from

going wild.

Golfers to Aid War Fund Drive

‘NEW YORK, April 6 (U. P.).— The United’ State Golf. association today went all out in an appeal to the country’s links devotees to get behind a unified dfive for the benefit. of the Red Cross and the national war fund. A three-ply program of week-end golf tournaments last year brought a total of $101,301 for the Red Cross. The U. 8S. G. A. plans to duplicate that series in 1943 and

will spread to the country’s 5400 courses, This year benefit tournament on Memorial day and Independence day week-ends will be held for the Red Cross. The Labor day holiday receipts will be turned over to the national war fund.

Detroit Track Adds Big Races

DETROIT, April 6 (U, P.).—Four $10,000 handicaps and a total of $920,000 in purses today made the 73-day meeting of the Detroit racing association one of the most ambitious programs in the country. Clarence Lehr, general manager of hte track, said purse distribution would be increased 25 per cent over last year. The four top races are: Summer Handicap, June 26; Test Handicap, July 5; Governor's Handicap, July 14; Frontier Handicap, Aug. 7.

Awards Scheduled

Members of the International Harvester and Lukas-Harold basketball teams, which. were outstanding in competition at the Northwestern community center, will receive trophies at a program at the center at 8 o'clock tomorrow

at 8:30 o'clock.

night.

Solters.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. April 6 (U. P.).—Manager Steve O’Neill of the Detroit Tigers indicated today that the club would close a deal with Cleveland or Pittsburgh soon to replace Pitcher Hal Manders. General Manager Jack Zeller began negotiations with the clubs soon after Manders was ordered by his draft board to go back to his farm or face induction into the army.

* BLOOMINGTON, Ind. April 6 (U., P.)—Manager Bill .McKechnie scheduled Bob Malloy, Vernon Stone and Clyde Shoun to pitch for the Cincinnati Reds against the Chicago Cubs in their exhibition game today.

Cubs Meet Reds

FRENCH LICK, Ind. April 6 (U. P.)—Jake Mooty, Paul Erickson and Ray Prim pitch for the Chicago Cubs in an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds today. Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis has ordered Manager Jimmy Wilson to answer an inquiry regarding his clash with Umpire Art Passarella last week. Wilson was ejected for protesting a decision in an exhibition game.

Harris Maps Trade | HERSHEY, Pa., April 6 (U. P.).

—Trade winds whipped up inter-

THEY PLAYED THE GAME : . . NO. 8. (

Larry Lajoie Had Gallic Grace Plus Nonchalance of Charley Gehringer

By HARRY GRAYSON NEA Sports Editor NAPOLEON LAJOIE had jet ‘black hair and brown eyes sparkling out of an olive complexion. The greatest of all second basemen stood 6 feet 1 and weighed 195 pounds. He was a handsome man, Larry Lajoie—pronounced Lazhoway— had Gallic grace plus the ‘nonchalance of Charley Gehringer. Every move was a picture of . effortless - rhythm. The Big Frenchman made everything look so ridiculously simple that you got the impression he wasn’t trying. : Rogers Hornsby reminded you of Lajoie at bat. Lajoie’s shillalah was almost as thick along the. handle ‘as it was on the tradition‘al fat end. He stood well away from the plate and back in the batter's box, but not as far as Hornsby. As recently as 1034, when he was 59, the American league lured Lajoie out of retirement to record the perfection of his batting style in its official motion picture. Like Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner and Hornsby, Lajoie gripped the bat with his hands a few inches apart, and ready to be switched with the pitch. No pitcher ever passed the man ahead to get at the French Devil, as Clark Griffiith called him. : Hornsby, who broke in as LaJoie faded, easily could have lifted a lot of his ideas from the Frenchman—all but the strange one that he could beat the horses. Lajoie thought only of his batting. . Like Hornsby, he would not read on trains or in bed or attend movies for fear that he would injure his microscopic eyes. 88 8 3 Third Basemen Wise

LAJOIE HIT the ball savagely and on a line. It was impossible for pitchers to pull the string on him. He'd pickle a slow ball. Third basemen-refused play

Ess

Larry Lajoie Today

plate and hit a waste ball when Lajoie - performed—from 1896 to 1916—and he was better than a green hand on the hit-and-run. He could always be depended on ‘to go through with the play, and made many a hit swinging the bat “with one hand or throwing the club. at a ball he - couldn’t reach. : If a pitcher stopped Lajoie a time or two on a good day, he would shorten his grip a little, It that didn’t work he'd shorten it- still more. ‘Anything to meet «the ball. Cleveland thought so, rach of

HAIR SPRINKLED with gray now, he winters at Lake Worth, Fla., summers at Mentor-on-the-Lake, hard by Cleveland. He made

a part time job of selling truck tires. \ Lajoie was a hack driver—livery .and all—at Woonsocket, R. I, in his youth. Charley Marston, owner of the Fall River club of the New England League, -used a worn envelope as a contract when he paid Lajoie $100 a month as a catcher in 1896. Scout Billy Nash of the Phillies wasn’t interested in Lajoie, although he was batting 429. He offered $1500 for Outfielder Phil Geler, and Marston was so well pleased that he threw in Lajoie. When Lajoie jumped to the American League, the owners of the Phillies obtained an injunction against his playing in Philadelphia, and the Athletics sent him te Cleveland. As long as the war between the National and American ‘leagues lasted, Lajoie - was prevented from appearing in Philadelphia.

Big Disappointment

LAJOIE gave up as a major league manager in 1908, when the Naps lost to Bill Dinneen in St. Louis and missed winning the pennant by half'a game That was his bitterest - disappointment. An attack of blood poisoning following a spike wound barely beat him out of the flag in: his first year as field marshal—1905. With all the brilliance of his 21-year. big league career, , and his lifetime batting average of .338, Lajoie was not on a pennant winner until he managed the Toronto club to the International rag in 1917, : Lajoie batted better than .300 for 15 years, led the American league and again showed the way in 1903 and 1904. He made more than 200 hits in “ach of five campaigns. He set the American league record for chances accepted by a ~ second baseman—988 in 1908. Larry Lajole could do it with-

Cubs and Sox Play Benefit; Tigers Negotiate for Hurler; 450-Foot Homer Is Belted

FRENCH LICK, Ind. April 8 (U. P.).—The Chicago White Sox play the Cubs in a Red Cross benefit game tomorrow and Manager Jimmy Dykes today assigned starting roles to both Wally Moses and Moose

The outfielders both reported late but have been working overtime in an effort to*round into playing shape. hopes that the general movement|”

est in the camp of the Philadel phia Phillies today as the squad prepared to meet an army team in an exhibition game. Manager Bucky Harris disclosed that he was after added infield strength and desired to swing a deal for an outfielder.

What a Homer!

WALLINGFORD, Conn. April 6 (U. P.).—Catcher Clide Kluttz was nicknamed “Clouter Kluttz” by his Boston Braves teammates today. Kluttz belted the longest homer of the Braves’ conditioning grind-— a 450-foot drive—with two men on in the second inning yesterday as the regulars and Yanningan tied 4-4 in six innings. Lefty Gomez was nicked for three runs in the first frame, but pitched runless ball in the next two innings.

Nats Keep Clary

WILMINGTON, Del, April 6 (U. P.).~Turned down in his bid for Ellis Clary, Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics today sought a new infielder from the Washington Senators to replace Jimmy Pofahl, who has refused to report after figuring in the deal for Bob Johnson. President Clark Griffith of the Senators refused Mack’s request for Clary, who will be the regular Washington shortstop this year.

After Lombardi

LAKEWOOD, N. J. April 6 (U. P.) —Although President Bob Quinn of the Boston Braves said he had “not heard” from Catcher Ernie Lombardi, Manager Mel Ott of the New York Giants said today he would try to obtain the chunky backstop. Lombardi recently asked the Braves to trade him, and Ott is in dire need of receivers since firststringer Harry Danning and substitute Ray Berres both face imminent army induction.

Cooper to Start

CAIRO, Ill, April 6 (U. P.).=— Manager Billy Southworth of the St. Louis Cardinals said today that Mort Cooper, his top-ranking righthander, would get the call to pitch against the Browns Satjrday to start a seven-game exhibition series at St. Louis.

Round Into Shape :

NEW YORK, April 6 (U. P.).~— Infielders Dolph Camilli and Arky Vaughan worked at top speed today in an effort to round into shape as the remainder of the Brooklyn Dodgers: drilled for their game with Yale university tomorrow.

AMATEUR NOTES

SQFFBALL e Fountain are A. & softball team will ‘Practice at Finch ark at 4 p. m. tomorrow. ' R rs pe rospects are asked to report to ght, catcher

or Sun-

and fleld manager. oes twilight in

day games contact Hyatt Johnson, Shelby st. MA-3075. ‘

FIGHT RESULTS , . By UNITED PRESS NEW YORK-—Georgie Kochan, soass spard, Knocked out Johnny” Morris, on ea outpointed Julio Re Gallucet,

169%,

134%, 139%, rtford, Conn. ( NEWARK. i, Con. 19: Eagles, 177%, d Billy Grant,

Waterbury, Conn., outpoin 169, = Ns. 7, (10).

—Bob Montgomery, 137, Tew york. out Roman Alvares,

Hr ork (4)

. 4 in

“Say — that's the mildest,

5 i

Bob Montgomery Ready for Beau

PHILADELPHIA, April 6 (U. P). —Bob Montgomery of Philadelphia today was “raring and feady to go” in his lightweight title bout with Champion Beau Jack in New York next month after kayoing Roman Alvarez of New York. Montgomery knocked out Alvarez

uled 10-round fight last night before a crowd of 7000 at the arena. The first punches Montgomery shot at the New Yorker's head—two left hooks and a right to the jaw— finished the bout 27 sceonds after the fourth round bell.

Bush Calls on Two Hurlers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. April 6.— Al Bronkhurst, newcomer, and Walter Tauscher, holdover, have been assigned to share the Indianapolis Indians’ pitching against the Cincinnati Reds here tomorrow,

hibitien game of the spring training season and they are far behind the

ever, the. Tribesters .hope “to play

they have five games in a row on their schedule. After meeting the Reds, the Redskins will move to Indianapolis for games with Cleveland Thursday and Friday and then go on to Lafayette to play the Chicago White Sox Saturday and Sunday.

Probable Lineup

Stewart Hofferth, newcomer, and Norman Schleuter, veteran, are to

Cincy tomorrow. The remainder of the lineup probably will find Gil English on first base; Fred Vaughn at second, Mickey Haslin on third and Eric McNair at short. Wayne Blackburn and Joe Moore will hold down two of the outfield posts and a spare pitther probably will perform in the right garden. Absentees from camp are Outfielder Willard Pike, Infielder Carl Fairly and Pitcher Jim Trexler. The Indians took on another sandlotter yesterday. He is Wilbur Stark, righthanded pitcher from Manchester, Ind. The rookie is here on trial for a “look” by Manager Ownie Bush. The young hurler stands 6 feet 3 inches and wears glasses on and off the field. John Hutchings, who figures to be the Indians’ righthanded ace, is slated to “go” against the Cleveland Indians in Indianapolis Thursday. He says he is in the “pink” and looks the part. He won four games in four starts late last season, The Tribesters held two routine workouts yesterday, alternating indoors and outdoors with Bill McKechnie’s Redlegs.

Enjoy a Real Spring Vacation

ICE SKATE

at the

COLISEUM

TWO SESSIONS DAILY 2130 to 5 and 8 to 10:30 P. M:

—————————————— BASEBALL Apr. T—Pittshurg vs. Cleveland Apr.8-3—indianapolis vs. Cleveland Apr.10-11—Cincinnati vs. Cleveland All Games 2:30 P. M. at

VICTORY FIELD

For Reservations or Information

Call Riley 4488

YOUR PIPE SPEAKS

coolest, best-

in the fourth round of their sched- .

It will be the Hoosiers’ first exw :

big leaguers in conditioning, HOw= .

themselves into shape.” At any rate, .

divide the Tribe catching against