Show w 1 Backseat i i. i t I I ug j i By Frank K Baker J L Telegram Sports Editor I Yankees Had to Sign Ruth This Year As was expected Babe Ruth came cameto cameto cameto to terms with Colonel Jake Jakc of the New York Yankees without any casualties on either cither side I r The 5 signing i g n i 11 g brought an nn end to the latest of theo the o 0 often t f t ten e n repeated P Ruth Ruppert coni contract con con- t i tract squabbles the sincerity of which has hus often r been doubted b by i ic f c bas baseball e ball men Some of the traditional i lines were missing from the act this year rear For one thing Ruppert did not Ruth ultimate his ace nce nor did baseballs baseball's greatest player attraction attra- attra tion Hon threaten to quit organized baseball baseball baseball base base- ball as he has hilS so often done J This is the first time in Ruths Ruth's s Career career career ca ca- reer that he has accepted a salary salar reduction reduction reduction re re- re- re and likewise the first time in ten years for the Babe to be wor workIng working work work- ing for the Yankee firm under a one- one year contract But But pa pay paychecks paychecks checks are quite scarce this year so the Bambino really has no reason to complain for tor roughly speaking hell he'll still sUll draw for each afternoons afternoon's work The Yankee front office on the theother theother theother other hand should feel gratified at nt atthe atthe the ease case of the negotiations The to Ruth Yankees in truth had sign The Giants are re gaining in popularity In New York and the Ruppert crew minus Ruth is a decidedly less attractive tive club Mickey Cochrane Should Be in Old Form Mickey Cochrane has severed relations relations rela rela- with an annoying set of tonsils and reports that his strained back is all right again so Connie Mack is expecting sparkling performances 11 from his star backstop again this summer I No one felt more keenly than Mickey Mick Mick- ey the criticism fired tired at him during I Ithe the 1931 worlds world's series when the king of ot catchers was nowhere near his best form Mickey Micke made no j alibis but he didn't waste any time I in heading for a hospital after the I series was over He has regained a alot alot alot lot of ot weight and says he le feels like a new nev man From Connie Mack clear down the theline theline I line the As A's rely so much on Cochrane Cochrane Cochrane Coch Coch- rane that they dont don't mince words i about their delight at Mickey's apparent apparent ap ap- ap- ap J parent return to form torm Without question question question ques ques- tion he lie is the nerve center the spark I that ign ignites the fighting spirit of the American league champions The Athletics didn't fall tall from their high estate a as al world champions champions cham cham- until the led opposition opposition led by fighting firMing Pepper Martin who had barely lost the scratches of the bush leagues leagues happened happened to find Mickey off form and capitalized it by running the ba bases es with more or less wild abandon Pepper Trying to Live Up to Reputation But what about that same Pepper Martin who rose to in last I falls fall's classic What is the fate rei reserved reserved re- re served for tor him i P this summer Will wm Willit f it be hero or clown Early exhibition games in the south w would 0 U 1 d indicate that the Wild Mustang feels he must live Hye up to tot t. t t that hat Ii a t x and in so trying i he is pressing until until un un- un- un til hes he's just a most S ordinary player Martin Pepper is a fair ball Lall player He flared into five brilliance at a n critical period period- during a world series serIes but but he is not nota a Babe Ruth a Burleigh Grimes or ora ora ora a Lefty Grove He has known how howit it il feels to be great for an hour or so Now hes he's in danger of fading back t to mediocrity or even becoming ludicrous ludicrous ludi ludi- crous for tor a spell In trying to look better than he is is Pepper is not only going to look worse but will also become a sorry figure as is he goes about the effort Cheers Greet aree Martin tin tinOn On Trips to Bat but Bat but When Pepper first came to bat against one of the hopefuls poured into a R pitchers pitcher's uniform on Connie Macks Mack's training squad he got a n big hand from the crowd He struck out swinging at a third strike that he couldn't have hit with wilh an antiaircraft gun Martin not only spent a miserable afternoon vainly stabbing at wild pitches but his antics in the outfield were ere anything but spectacular for he fell down chasing several fly balls The cheers changed to jeers toward the end of the game and showing his frame rame of mind Pepper quarreled violently with the umpire who called a strike on him the him the only good one offered him all afternoon and afternoon and flung his bat disgustedly toward the dug dug- out It was most plain that the Wild Mustang 1 was wu trying might and main to live up to the reputation indicated by the cheers that we welcomed welcomed wel wel- corned his first rat appear appearance to b bat t. t Such z zealous pressing is a bad habit Branch Ricke Rickey boss of the champion Cardinals recently told training camp scribes that the wraps raps would be taken off Martin Martin Mar Mar- tin this summer lummer Unless the Pepper Pepper Pepper Pep Pep- per refuses to be kidded that beis he be heIs heis is a great chap it is a safe bet that when the wraps are removed Instead of a Wild Horse there ma may just be a 3 Shetland pony und un un- d |