Show e G RICE T TIME pIME IME supposed to be endless also can work in hi a hurry It can make or break you in a week or a month Or even in a da day In Inthe Inthe Inthe the course of a year it can turn everything upside down Especially in baseball This thought happened along as we looked over the records of 1946 and 1947 as the roulette wheel of fate kept spin spin- ning Wing For one example a year ago Mickey Vernon of the Senators Senators Sena Sena- rI R tors led both big leagues with a ru batting average It Vernon was reported that Larry MacPhail had offered for Vernons Vernon's contract contract contract con con- tract as at that time the Yankees had no hitting hard-hitting first baseman In sight Vernon is now around place among American league hitters not including over 50 hitters in the N. N L. L which would leave Mickey in ina a spot close to the mark A year ago there were wordy arguments arguments arguments ments as to whether Bob Feller of Cleveland or Hal of Detroit Detroit Detroit De De- De- De troit was the greater pitcher Bob Feller is now v in hi about place among the winners and Hal N New New- ew- ew houser's ranking is in A year ago Dave Ferriss was on his way to winning 25 games At this writing Dave occupies the spot on the pitching side A year ago Howie Pollet and Murry Murry Mur- Mur ry Dickson were the two Cardinal stars close to the top Pollet was wasa a game 20 winner Currently Dickson Dick- Dick DIckson Dickson son has been in the slot and Pollet Pollet Pollet Pol- Pol let down as low as place among those who throw a baseball for a living These are just a few of many examples examples examples ex ex- ex- ex amples to show what the Old Doc with the sharp scythe can slip sUp you when he feels in the mood He can lift lilt you up and up-and and he can also yank you down at even greater speed He doesn't seem to care They Go Up and Down Old Doc Time Is a temperamental mug He doesn't bother about names or reputations He lets nature take its course I interviewed him once and this is all he had to say II As As this old world goes roun noun and roun noun Some go up and some go down This can happen in hi baseball more than any game I know Up and down down- I down and up A year ago Vernon I hit above and George McQuinn was around Now with Vernon I at McQuinn has been close to most of the year A combined shift of some points Even more I But there are always a few who hang on looking the Old Doc in hi the eye One of these is Ted Williams of the Red Sox There seems to be bea ben a n vague idea around that Ted has i taken a dip this season Id I'd like to take the same brand of dip I They have built up a defense I against Williams that was supposed supposed supposed sup sup- posed to wreck him He may not be the annihilator of other seasons but he is still up there challenging for the run home-run title in hi the A. A L. L the batting leadership and the runs- runs in batted-in honors I would say that in an off year for so many stars Ted Williams is doing a great job Other r Old Timers So is Joe DiMaggio in spite of numerous ailments Joe DiMaggio is still the top artist in hi baseball A few of those who starred last season are still delivering One of these is Kiner of the Pirates Pirates Pirates Pi Pi- Pi- Pi rates who led the National League in the run home-run roundup a year ago and is likely to lead it again Johnny Mize always a power hitter hitter hitter hit hit- ter is still shooting his salvos So SoIs Sois Sois is Hank Greenberg But so far 1947 1917 has been featured by stars unknown a year ago One is Ewell Blackwell of the Reds with witha a game 20 season In his pocket Blackwell has been rated far above Feller and with a 1 weaker weak weak- er ball club The tall taU and lanky one the human No 1 Iron has been the pitcher of the year Another leading star is Harry Walker of the Phillies Eddie Dyer one of baseballs baseball's smartest traded him to the Phillies in exchange for forRon forRon forRon Ron Northey At which point Harry Walker Dixie Walkers Walker's brother promptly took charge of the batting mark in both leagues Working with witha a n tail-end tail ball club Walker Valker has been one of the seasons season's star performers So has Blackwell You heard few rumors about Blackwell and Harry Walker a year ago But they have driven the stars of 1946 into into- the gravel ditch Young Yankee Stars The team feature of the year has been the number of winning performers performers performers per per- formers George Weiss of the Yankee farm arm system has rushed to Yankee help This list includes Yogi Berra Ber- Ber ra Frank Shea Allie Clark Vic Rashi and a few others who have carried the Yankees along With almost no advance up build-up the Yankee farm system has been far better than that of the Dodgers rated last spring as the best |