Show McLemore Says Says Says- South Sees New NewIn Ty ly In Rucker er By HENRY McLEMORE AUGUSTA Ga April 9 UP uP- uP For a solid quarter of ofa a century this part of the solid south has been on the search for another Tyrus Raymond Cobb to fly its colors in big league baseball From Tybee's Light to Rabun's Rabun Gap not a youngster has been overlooked Now at long last it seems as if the red clay country has come up with a rookie whose feet wont won't turn t to clay when the hard high ones whistle tle up to the plate or theres there's a base to be stolen in the clutch or a long longone longone longone one to be pulled down by the flagpole in deepest center Ty Started Here HereIt It It was right here in Augusta that Cobb first sharpened his steel on the base paths and right here they are taking time even for golf to talk of Johnny Rucker Ruck Ruck- er of the Crabapple Georgia Ruckers who will be lead lead- lead of f man and for the New York Giants this season They will tell you that if U the he Giants bought Johnny on a make good basis basis' from the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern league then the Polo Grounders might just a M at well go ahead and make out a check forthe forthe for lor the r remainder of the they pledged the Atlanta team it if the country boy delivered And he is a country country- bo boy You gotta be a country boy when your home address is Crabapple It was from a town like Crabapple that a little litle Georgia boy I know once made a visit to Atlanta He arrived on the outskirts of the city just as darkness fell and the lights in the city came on Can Take It Johnny Rucker may have a similar similar simi simi- lar f feeling eling of awe the first time he walks out before people at the Polo grounds b but t those who know him say it wont won't get him down I Hell show the Giant fans more speed on the bases and more speed and grace in the outfield than they have seen for a long long time Ed Danforth sports editor of the Atlanta Journal and a baseball critic who watched Johnny all last season said to me There isn't a faster man in baseball baseball base base- ball today Hell He'll steal 15 or 20 bases without ever getting dust duston duston duston on his pants And he can go clean to Yonkers for a fly ball And hit too Hes He's so fast last getting down to first that he can beat out anything that bounces more than once Give him two or three bounces bounces' and hes he's liable to try for a double Paul Richards a former Giant catcher and now manager of the Atlanta team is another who doesn't think there is a man in either major league with as fine a turn of speed as Rucker Hes a rabbit Richards says and what a pair of legs Best Mule Iule Handler All the Georgians who know him figure hell he'll get along with his fellow major league players They base this on the fact that Johnny has a reputation of being the best mule handler in north Georgia a section that is filled with good mule handlers A fellow who can handle a mule a Georgian Georgi n told me is just naturally bound to get along with anything or anybody A mule develops patience tact and understanding un un- un- un in a man And Johnny can do as much with a mule as Red Pollard can with Whoa |