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Show if! IF THERE was a matter of million dollars at stake and you, is manager, had to pick the great-jst great-jst one-game pitcher for a particu- ar contest what hurler would you elect? Years ago I asked Connie Mack this question and he had ready answer. His pick was Charles Mbert Bender, the Chippewa Chief, the wiry Indian who was not only a great pitcher but always at his best when the blue chips were on the line. "We've had some pretty fair pitchers pitch-ers on the Athletics in our time," Bonnie said. "I nean Rube Wad- yT ieli. Lefty Grove, f ! Eddie Plank, Herb U 1- . 1 P e n n o c k, George J Earnshaw, and i iinny others. Some ,,-spS 4 Df these undoubted- XSJITS ' ly had more stuff tmli t than Chief Bender X if V. had. But Bender r4jf- Was always at his ".V. 2f peak in a game you VksiitaSSm had to win. On that Granlland Rice Dne day you knew tie would be at his best and the mil lion dollars would only key him up not let him down. I "I know there have been better pitchers over a season or through many years. But in a pinch where the pressure was heavy, where the stake was high, Bender was a hard man to beat. And he would be Just as cool and as relaxed for a million as he would be for a dime." After this talk, I put the same problem up to Frank Frlsch, one of the smartest men baseball has ever produced, one of its greatest competitors. Picks Dizzy Dean "Bender was a little before my day," Frank said. "Under the con-ditions con-ditions you have named I think my pick would be Dizzy Dean. Dizzy Diz-zy was not only a great pitcher, but he also loved the spotlight Also the pressure. His biggest thrill was In meeting Carl HubbelL But, competing compet-ing against any star pitcher delighted de-lighted Dean. And don't forget that I Dizzy had everything a great pitch-' pitch-' er needs blazing speed a fine ' curve ball change of pace good control and above all unbeatable ! confidence in Dizzy Dean, j "With a million dollars at stake Dlzty would have been unbeatable, at least as close to unbeatable under un-der such conditions as anyone I ever saw. For he would have revelled at such a chance. Even a billion dollars would never have bothered Ole Diz. That's what I mean by naming such a pitcher." Remember this is not a matter of naming the game's greatest pitcher pitch-er through a season or through many years. It is the matter of naming the pitcher you would select under the heaviest sort of pressure for one vitally important game. Christy Mathewson, In his prime, belongs in this class. Few people today remember the Matty who pitched three successive shutouts against the Athletics In the 1905 World Series. The million dollars would never have bothered Matty. He lost the Giant-Cub play-off In 1908 probably the most Important single game ever played but how many know he tackled this game with an arm so sore and tired that he could barely bare-ly lift It when he began warming up. For that season Matty had won 37 games, and saved 12 others. Great Old Alex I'll give you another tough million mil-lion dollar competitor in or out of condition. His name Is Grover Cleveland Alexander. Here was as great a combination of heart, head and arm as I have ever seen. As a rookie In 1911 he won 28 games. Alex was another who took new inspiration from a tough spot, even In his fading years when he was In no shape to handle the Job. But he still handled It, as Tony Laiterl of the Yankees remembers In the 1!)26 World series when Alex fanned him with the bases full. And there Is Ed Walsh of the White Sox-the pitcher Ty Cobb names as the greatest of all time for a period of five years. Walsh was a 40 game winner and at his best in a hot spot. So here we hBve named such blue chip stars as Bend er, Dean, Mathewson, Aleander and Walsh. And there Is always Carl Hubbcll. These "big dough" entries were sure to be at their best for one big game one vital contest. I have another nomination who belongs in this listing: Walter Johnson, John-son, winner of 400 games with a weak-hitting Washington club. 0,11 Kin Styles We were talking with Dumb Dan Morgan, who has only been mixed up with the ring game for a trifle more than 50 years, about various ring styles. Dumb Dan brought up Lee Oma, possibly the best heavy-welpht heavy-welpht on the home front. "Oma Is an odd one to the present pres-ent generation." Morgan said, "with his way of dropping both hands, walking by an opponent as if taking a stroll, looking over one shoulder as he goes by, and then suddenly turning and leading the attack. |