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Show A NY time you crawl out on the end of a limb, you've got to be ready for the limb to crack. We moved into that position recently when we attempted to name an all-time all-time National league outfield. In the wake of this nomination we "heard the shots fired around the world," includ- Ing the South Pacific Pa-cific and the European Euro-pean front. Our nominations were Fred Clarke of the Pirates, Terry Moore of the Cardinals, Cardi-nals, Mel Ott of the Giants and Jimmy Sheckard of the Dodgers and the Cubs. n to Then the fusillade Grantiand Rice opened "What about Zach Wheat of the Dodgers?" "What about Ross Young of the Giants?" Gi-ants?" "What about Stan Musial of the Cardinals?" There were others George Burns of the Giants, Mike Donlin of the Giants, Wildfire Schulte of the Cubs, Circus Solly Hofman of the same team, Roush of Cincinnati, Cincin-nati, Klein of Philadelphia, not forgetting for-getting Paul Waner of Pittsburgh and Brooklyn, Medwick of the Cardinals, Car-dinals, Dodgers and Giants. These were among the leading counter-attacks thrown at our top selections, covering only the last 40 years. That's as far back as we feel like walking, or looking. In spite of the heavy barrage thrown in our direction, we still stick with our original pick, admitting that Mike Donlin, Zach Whet, Paul Waner Wa-ner and Pep Young would be serious challengers. Here is our testimony: Fred Clarke and Jimmy Sheckard, old-timers, old-timers, are better than the modern crowd knows. Far, better. Terry Moore is the best defensive outfielder outfield-er the National league ever looked at, a ball player with a fiery spirit who was also a strong man on the offensive side, a normal .300 hitter. I don't have to tell you any more about Mel Ott, the lone National leaguer who could match the best of the A.L. in power. Leave off Mel Ott and you slip in a machine gun for a howitzer or a navy 16-incher. American League Better I can name you two sets of American Ameri-can league outfielders who for total value outclass the pick of the National. Na-tional. Here they are: No. 1 Cobb, Ruth, Speaker. No. 2 Joe Jackson, DiMaggio, Di-Maggio, Ted Williams. This second American league outfield out-field is much better than any top outfield we can pick from the National. Na-tional. There can't be any argument over Cobb, Speaker and Ruth, or Ruth, Cobb and Speaker. And they have only a brief nod over Jackson, DiMaggio and Williams, especially on the run-making side. I don't believe my fervid assaulters assault-ers can pick a National league outfield out-field as good as the second American Ameri-can league trio I have named. Those who think they can would make poor scouts. Bill Dickey will tell you that Ted Williams was the greatest hitter he ever saw and Bill played with Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio. DiMaggio was something more than a great hitter. Joe was a great ball player, about 50-50 with Tris Speaker on defense. de-fense. Into Deeper Trouble Here is a race where we ran a poor last. A marine sergeant sent us this problem from somewhere in the Pa. cific, a problem starting an uproar with several hundred dollars bet: It seems that with two out the next man up took a swing at the third strike. He missed the strike but the ball struck his shoulder, bounded away, and he ran to first. The marine sergeant claimed he was out. The infantry didn't think so. I agreed with the infantry. Trusting Trust-ing foolishly to memory and intuition, intui-tion, I figured he must be safe. I wrote the sergeant to this effect. Now, Ford Frick, president of the National league, writes me that I was wrong. "The batter was out," he says, "If on a third strike the ball touches any part of the batter, he is out automatically." auto-matically." I still can't understand why, as on a third strike the batter can run on a ball thrown into the dirt or on a wild pitch. I only hope the marine sergeant doesn't sue me and I can only promise prom-ise that on the next matter of rules I will consult Ford Frick before attempting at-tempting to make any decision. Golf for Cripples The most remarkable golfer I recall re-call was one who had both arms cut off just at the two shoulders. Ha swung the club head with the shaft of his club held between the chin and neck. I've forgotten his name but he used to play around 100. There have also been cases of men totally blind playing at least fairly well with caddies to show them the right line and estimate, the distance for the next shot. One blind Canadian Canadi-an soldier broke a hundred. |