Show T THERE HERE seems to be an opinion A around that major league baseballs baseball's baseballs baseball's baseballs baseball's base base- balls ball's playing standards reached a anew anew anew new low in the season just closed This is a point hard to prove and I doubt that it is true 1 In h the ebb and flow how of the last 40 years weve we've looked at a long parade of stars We also have peered at a still longer parade of f pretty sour ball bail clubs and that goes for tor hitt hitting g pitching j J. J Gordon and fielding No one can doubt that the four war years held back many a budding budding budding bud bud- ding rookie lifted from minor league training to war service Some of these were killed Many more were wounded All were removed removed re re- re- re moved moed from training action at vital years 19 years 19 to 23 This doesn't include such veterans veterans veterans veter veter- ans as Hank Greenberg who lost five years Bobby Feller Johnny Mize and so many others who were halted in their prime Many 1 of these have had remarkable remarkable remarkable remark remark- able comebacks Greenberg comebacks Greenberg leading the run home-run makers last season Ted Williams three years away from baseball leading his league in practically every department where a bat figures Joe Gordon Johnny Mize challenging Babe Ruths Ruth's incredible in credible figure of 60 home runs in ina ina ina a year yea not to overlook Walker Cooper And what two seasons seasons meaning meaning 1946 and 1947 can 1947 can you recall that produced a longer list of young stars Ewell Blackwell Ralph Kner Kiner Kiner Ki- Ki ner Yogi Berra Bobby Thompson Jackie Robinson Spider Jorgenson Spec Shea Earl Bruce Edwards and many other first or year second-year men Always Been That Way There have been bad major league ball clubs this season and many rather sour big league ball players But this has happened since Uncle Abner Doubleday had his dream The Phillies in last place are a afar afar atar far tar better bunch than the tail-end tail Phillies of years we still rem remember And I could give you the names of many other clubs in the past that were strictly moth-eaten moth of many other ball players who were not even good minor leaguers To listen and to read you might think at times there were no good ball players left What about Harry Barry Walker Williams Joe DiMaggio Pee Wee Vee Reese Ed Pete Reiser Mize Willard Marshall Marshall- most of the Cardinals Cooper Cardinals Cooper Gordon Gordon Gordon Gor Gor- don Bob Feller Tommy Henrich Benrich Augie Galan Bob Elliott George Kell Grady Hatton Johnny Sain Sam Warren Spahn and many more who would have been good in any past baseball season It is pleasant for those growing older to look back on the glories of the past when they too were young But they overlook one major point that that practically every athletic achievement that can be timed or measured has known a long bug run of broken records lU Modern Athlete Better Practically every past athletic record has been smashed year after year You cant can't measure football football football foot foot- ball baseball golf or tennis by the clock or the tape But in all games that can be timed and taped there has been a big improvement Other Other Oth Oth- er games must depend upon opinions opinIons opinions ions which are about as st stable ble as will o will the the Those talking and writing of baseballs baseball's baseballs baseball's baseballs baseball's base base- balls ball's past glory have forgotten teams that couldn't draw into the gate teams gate teams that couldn't draw in games Baseball in 19 17 has been far br from flawless or spotless but it has been one of the most interesting campaigns yet offered One answer is an attendance total for all aU parks that will reach or pass 20 million where In tn many past years a Ii nine million total was rated an exceptional exceptional exceptional turnout Baseball always has had one weakness This was the average condition of its players Few ball ballplayers ballplayers ballplayers players keep in the condition needed needed needed need need- ed to play 35 exhibition and pennant pennant pennant pen pen- nant games games games-a a total close to games a year Poor condition accounts accounts ac ac accounts counts for so many bad legs arm trouble back trouble and other ills and ailments that afflict so many of the hired men Keeping in Shape One famous athletic trainer told me recently that he could take a tail end team and get it into condition condition condition condi condi- tion that would net a pennant He probably meant If I could get it into condition Which he probably A ball player should live on his Jags just about all the year round This statement was given me by Ty Cobb and Joe i 1 Medwick dwick Cobb went in for tor hunting Medwick t for or golf I dont don't believe either ever got out of shape You know Cobbs Cobb's rec rec- ord And look at Medwick's amazing amazing amax amax- ing work this season long after he to be through supposed was v vI I I |