Show Wasn't in Majors Maiors Long But He Left a aM Mark ark to Shoot At By Harry Grayson NEA Sports Editor Edito Ferdinand Maurice had only two big years but left a mark for 1 pitchers to shoot at Records are made to be broken but the Lollapaloozas Lollapalooza's earned run average average of ot 0 90 registered for the New jn York Giants of 1916 seems des des- Of a Q tined to stand forever c Helping the Polo Grounders to S erles eries the pennant the following campaign campaign campaign cam cam- turned in another phenomenal E ERA R A in accounting for 21 victories victories vic vie tories as against seven defeats to lead the National National Na Na- league in winning percentage He was credited credited cred cred- with one of the two victories the men of ot John McGraw scored against the White Sox in a losing world series Southpaw was a carefree kid who never grew up Life to him was one grand sweet song He never felt that club rules should be be- applied to him He was a dark-complexioned dark chap with high cheekbones gray grayo grayeyes eyes brown hair inclined to be curly and a smile that rev revealed revealed- aleda a fine set of f teeth When there was spare time on on his hands could be found in the music room With Witha a package of handy he played the piano well and would pound one forever forever blue blue music and the jumping jive stuff so sa s popular today He sang a very high tenor held regular auditions for membership in his quartet sextet or octet depending depending depending depend depend- ing on the supply of talent At his best who stood 5 feet 11 and weighed pounds could pitch as good as anybody any any ny- ny body He was extremely fast had a curve to match Unbeatable in Winning innIng Streak When he had control like many another another another an an- other left-hander left was very very good and when he lacked it he could be horrid One year the Giants also had a pitcher named Rube Schauers who frequently relieved which is rain in German Heywood Broun then a baseball writer wrote It never but it Schauers had only one season of professional experience experience experience ex ex- ex- ex when h he reported to the Giants as a 20 year-old year kid in the fall of 1912 Sinister Dick KInsella Kinsella Kinsella Kin- Kin sella found him with Decatur of the Three-Eye Three where he appeared In no fewer than 51 games pitched innings struck out walked walled won 22 lost 20 Manager McGraw used him little in 14 13 and he had an E ERA R A of in 15 appeared in 30 games innings when he set his amazing E ERA R A of less than a run per nine innings That season 16 was one of the queerest the Gia Giants or any other club ever experienced Following Following Following Fol Fol- lowing a poor start the Giants without employing won 17 games in a row between May 9 and 29 Then they were mediocre until just before they swung into their final western trip Then with like no pitcher pitched before or since they won 26 games in between September 7 and 30 Strings of ot 17 and 26 a pitcher with an E ERA Ft A of and yet the Giants finished fourth Opponents Batted Rousing who previously had won three straight started and finished six games in the run of 26 26 four shutouts and only three runs scored who didn't mind the heat completed only eight of the games he started that year but r i j i 4 t I 1111 Real All Star Ferdie had his day was waa credited with nine victories and charged with only three losses Four victories were shutouts As many as batters were were able to collect only 79 hits for an incredibly low S hupp issued only 37 bases on balls an average of about one every four rounds He struck out 86 and of 22 runs scored only 14 were earned developed arm trouble was swapped t to- to the St. St Louis Cardinals in July 1919 He bagged 16 for the Red Birds in 20 went vent to Brooklyn InJune in inJune inJune June 21 He had a final big league whirl with the Chicago White Sox in 22 He drifted around the American association another eight years with a brief spell in Fort Worth at the fag end Ferdie wasn't in the chips very long but he certainly had his day Next Clark Griffith |