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Show SCSI'S By Stevfe Molorvev7 SALT LAKE'S HERO SAN FRAKCISCO has its Willie Kiimra, Portland it Jim Poole . and Xcv York has it Jack Scott. Ssalt Lake i not without it baseball hero, either, for every man-sized, ivd-blooded Americnn city is lost without its diamond star to heap adulation upon. Despite the fact that Duffy Lewis, Oscar Vitt, Rudy Kallio, Paddy. Riglin and other starred for the Bees, there is only one real outstanding star of the whole year lor the Bees and that man is Paul Strand. Salt Lake may have had better player in the city than Strand, r bnt it never had a more incere, a cleaner, or more loyal young fellow in its history. Strand is the ideal athlete, even if he is a professional. He is one of the most clean living fellow on the team, he in gentlemanly lways,"ho deonn't drink, smoke or chew, and the best part of it all, he really loves to play baseball, and when he gets into the game, he is giving all of his strength, energy and talent every minute of the time. lhefact-lhat-Straad-hasjuBt-brokcn the world 'a-reconLJor, ' hits made in one season helps, of course, to make him popular, but it is tke man himself that the fans admire most. Never on the playing field, or off, has he been heard to utter an oath or to indulge in filthy language. While he is fighting all the time for the game and for his team, he is not 'an umpire baiter, and no reverses erer stop hi continual playing. Strand is supremely courageous. His playing has shown that. He has struggled under every sort of a handicap, even having to play first base, when the club was without a first Barker to do the work. . nis record shows hi bravery under adverse circumstance. Years ago Strand came to the Coast league as a pitcher. In Seattle, the very same place where he has just broken the world' hitting record. Strand pitched a perfect game no runs, no hits, no men reaching first base. After that he went up to the big show as a pitcher. lie didn't get away to such a big start, and aa a consequence was used as a pawn in a number of trades, but he never got going right as a pitcher. Finding his usefulness gone as a pitcher, Paul decided to atart over, so he hiked to the bushes, the very deepest of bushes, the Western Canadian league, than which there is no deeper, and started out as an outfielder. He made good and was signed up by Seattle, only to be dumped on to Salt Lake. When he arrived Strand was a clumsy performer. He didn't look particularly good in the field, nor especially threatening with the willow. He kept trying, liowcvrr, until now he i one of the j best fielder in the league and far aVad of the league in batting, j T tdp off a great yar, Strand added six hits to his long string, giving him !i89 hits, seven above the previous world's record. r He still has another day to go. V Speaking of heroes bring to mind the heroes of 1920, Sheeley, Johnson and Mulligan. When they were told to the White Sox, John Coek, secretary of the club, announced to The Telegram, for the public information, that the club would be recompensed for the player by talent from the White Sox. To another person he announced an-nounced that the deal was so favorable the team "could afford to play to empty stands all season." He wasn't disappointed. It did. a a a I THE END IS HERE npOpAY the curiaiu will be runfr down on the 1922 noli son of 1 the Pieific Coast league. Jt has been one of the most prosperous pros-perous ami one of the most satisfactory seasons ever experienced in the history of the league. From the very first week, when the teams got off to ft good start, unt.l the games yesterday the result was always in doubt, and at Inst six of the eight teams were fighting for places at the finish. The victory of San Francisco is the first in five years, since 1917. Tlat is a long time between pennants for California towns. Salt Lake hasn't had one since 1915 and none then. It was won 9 with a splendid team, one of the greatest minor league aggregations aggrega-tions atinre Sheeley, Johnson. Mulligan. Rumler. Maggert, Hood, Stroud and the rest of the old crowd. In "Willie Karam and Jimmy O'Connell the Seals have had two of the sweetest ball players ever to step into the spangles. Charlie See, Gene Valla and other youngsters are comers who have made the chip- what it is. All credit for Salt Lake's showing in the league must go to Duffy Lewis, the peppy skipper of the JWs Lewis has done wonders won-ders Mith what he has had. Minus a first-baseman, with a poor catching staff, a weak pitching staff and Sand going bad at short, Ivewis bas brought the club into the first division, mainly through the supnrhuman efforts of Paul Strand, Joe Wilhoit, Paddy Siglin, Oscar Vitt and himself. Vernon has a uniformly good team and as a result of the remarkable pitching of Jakie May is right up in the money. The rest of the teams have strnng along. Xxt year it will be a different tale. The Seals will be without Kamre and O'Connell, and although they have a coming star in Valla old timers like Ellison. Kilduff, Miller and some of the others can't do the whole thing. It is going to give the rest of the teams a chince. ' With a little rebuilding and considerable improvements, the Bees may be able to replace the SeaU next year. This fellow Siki may never mftke ft hit with us fti ft champion, but tiere art bound to be ft lot of good, thirsty Americans who will admire his method of training. |