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Old Grover Cleveland Alexander Tells a Few Things About Baseball '(By SCOOP.)To appreciate Grover Cleveland Alexander, once the idol of countless numbers of fans and whose pitching made history in the major league, one must meet him.Reams have been written concerning “Old Pets'* when he was under the big tent. Bales, batches and bundles of copy have been penned since he left the big show and became a member of the House of David.And of all the words written, none was wasted, a* the big fellow is everything that has been said abou| him.The writer still has a vivid picture of him, that memorable Sunday afternoon in St. Louis in the fourth game of the world series against the New York Yankees, when he strode across the field, nonchalantly, to take his place on the mound in a most crucial period of the game. Three Yankee runners on base—the world series in sight. He faced Lazzeri, a most dangerous batter. Two were gone. One bad pitch meant victory. But Alexander, always cool under fire, pitched three balls to push ’em up Tony and the side was retired. St. Louis went on to win its first world serie*.And when the big fellow mounted the rubber, Sunday, in his game against the Dubuque All-Stars he was the same Alexander in form and in spirit—a little aged, however—that be was in that great battle for the title in 1926.Always Liked Diamond.I just couidn t watch a ball game from the grandstand. he chirps. And that is the reason why I am playing baseball today. Because I loved the game from a kid on and still do.”And he makes no task of his labors on the mound. He has grace and form in his deliveries. But he still can pitch that ball any place over that rubber and with plenty of stuff on it.Speaking of the big league race, as the teams are coming down the home stretch, Alexander stated that the New York Giants were in” and that there isn’t any doubt about that. As to the Detroit Tigers, the once big league star said that the title of the American league hinged upon the present series between the Bengali and the New York Yankees.Old Pete” as he is more familiarly known in the baseball vernacular, to his former team mates and sport writers in the big time, blames the automobile, the radio and the movies for the unmistakable decline in baseball.Different NowadaysThere's no getting away from the fact that the kids aren't playing thegame as much as they used to. the renowned pitcher said. “And of course.” he continued, the gams doesn't interest them as much as the money. Now before a contract is tendered a protege the first thing he asks is, ’How much am I going to get,* and If the amount Is not in big figures he simply won’t sign.Alexander's report, after four years of touring, from coast to coast and from Canada to the gulf, reveals why major league clubs cannot obtain suitable athletes from the minors for love or money.“Too many amusements and too convenient transportation. says Old Pete, “when I was a boy at St. Paul, Neb., there was no way of jumping over to the next town to see what was over there. You had to stay put and we played baseball because we liked it.”While Alexander does not believe Young America’s turning away from the sport will ever effect the big show as it has the minors he fears that the standard of play never again will be as high as It was during his 20-year stay in the National league. The big fellow rather enjoys riding about the country, pitching here and there. The game still has a Teal kick in it for mm. And he still feels that he could win a lot of baseball games in the AA class.No Beard for Alex Unlike his teammates from the House of David, Alexander doesn't grow a beard or does he permit his tresses to grow long. I couldn't wear those whiskers, he said, I didn’t need whiskers when I was good.”And the hig fellow is not without his humor. He gets a real kick out of baseball, also the opposition he meets and the umpires.He related a story of a game he pitched in Connecticut and It happens to deal with an umpire.‘1 had two strikes and two balls on the batter he said. I sliced the corner with a pitch and the nmpire called it a ball. I knew It was in there. I threw another one in the same spot and the umps called that one a ball. I couldn’t imagine what it was all about. With the count three and two there w as nothing left, and t didn’t dare try for a corner, but had to throw one down the slot. I did and the batter swung and missed,“I happened to be the first batter up in our half of the Inning. So when I stepped to the plate I asked the umpire what was wrong with the two balls I had pitched, cnttlng the corner, which he had called balls.Only half of the ball cut the corner,” replied the umpire.ifit
Newspaper Details
Dubuque Telegraph Herald And Times Journal
Dubuque, Iowa, US
Mon, Sep 17, 1934
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Michael W.
NA, 31 Jul 2023
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