Evening star., 1939-08-13
Glamour Of Big Show
Doesn't Awe Eager,
Ambitious Ted
Foxx, Youngsters Idol,
Is Biggest Booster
Of Freshman Star
BY E. HARRY CROCKETT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

and "Whizzer Williams" and he
refers to himself as just plain Ted
Williams. or The Kid" which Is
just what he is-a skinny, gangling,
lovable kid, already one of the most
colorful figures in big league base
ball and probably due to become
one of the all-time greats of the
game.
This 6-foot, 3-inch, 16e-pound
Red Sox rookie, who leads the
American League in runs batted in,
stands among the leading home run
blasters, bats better than 300 and
Is every inch ball player. And he's
only 20 years old.
He's eager, ambitious. courteous,
confident and practically bubbling
over with schoolboy enthusiasm.
Only few months out d the minor
league class. he's hailed as "boy-
wonder" but is admittedly still
starry-eyed over the new wonders
OF young major league career.
Ted had his lanky form curled up
on spare rubbing table in the Red
Sox clubhouse when his interviewer
was introduced by the great James
Double x" Foxx.
Erratic as to Dress.
Notable as somewhat erratic in
his choice of clothes-he was given
his first necktie earlier in the sea-
son by Manager Joe Cronin-young
Ted wore light tan sandals of woven
leather, pleated, dark brown trousers
and canary yellow polo shirt.
Il like sports clothes and good
clothes" he said but I can't wear
'em well because I'm too stringy, too
skinny"
just a short time before, the Red
Sox first baseman had whispered
his candid opinion of Williams.
You know" Foxx had said. "a
player can improve his fielding a
lot but he's either hitter, or he's
not a hitter. Ted's a great, natural
hitter. He's got power, good eyes
and everything he needs Some day
he'll be one of the greatest hitters
IN the game. He likes to have fun
and sometimes lets his temper get
out of hand, but he's a great kid
and has wonderful future"
Ted seemed just as enthusiastic
about helping his interviewer as
he is about hitting homers.
Gosh, I hope I can give you
what you want" he said, but this
business of being interviewed is
kind of tough. If I talk too much
you'll think I'm punk and If
don't say enough you'll think I'm
dumb. Well, anyway, I'll tell YOU
whatever you want to know. if I
can"
Youngster Is Confident.
That's the kind of a boy Ted
Williams is. Always ready to oblige,
he's so enthusiastic he actually be-
gins to sputter as new thoughts
go racing through his handsome
head. He's supremely confident,
noisily demonstrative at times, but
always just a big kid.
He resents being called a "bush-
er,"-" Cause I'm not a busher any
more, I'm big league ball player"
and denied emphatically that he's
the "screwball' he's been painted.
Has he found big league pitch
ing better, or harder to hit, than
the minor league variety on which
he thrived before joining the Red
Sox this year?
NO" said the youthful slugger
thoughtfully, ''it's really not much
different. OF course, there are more
pitchers in the majors who can
throw them a little harder than
minor leaguers, but it's not much
different.
II think these major league pitch
ers are lot smarter and have much
better control than most of those
in the minors, but after all, it's
the same kind Of baseball, isn't
it,"
Does Ted consider himself su-
per ballplayer, or just young man
on the good side of lucky break?
Gee, Mister, that's kind of put
ting me on the spot isn't it? Natu-
rally I consider myself a pretty
good player and I also think I've
been very lucky. I'm lucky to be
working for the best baseball club
owner in the world and one of the
finest managers. I'm lucky to be
working with such real guy as
Jimmy Foxx, too"
Here, Thumpin' Theodore really
became enthusiastic in his eagerness
to make it clear that he considers
Double x" the "swellest guy in the
world"
Foxx His Idol.
"You know" he said, "a lot of
people ask me who I want to pat
tern myself after. Well, when it
comes to hitting baseball, Jim is
the one man I want to follow, but
even if he never hit baseball he'd
still be the one I'd like to pattern
myself after as a man"
Those words seemed to come right
from young Ted's heart.
Jimmy Foxx is one real guy. He's
always giving me friendly advice. "
Ted got right down to business
when he was asked to give a per-
sonal account of what he thinks of
his own batting ability.
Now I'm not perfect by any
means" he started. "Left-handed
pitchers give me plenty of trouble
and some of the smart slow ball
pitchers are still hard for me to
figure out.
But let me tell you one thing,
he fairly shouted as his thoughts
obviously ran a lap ahead of his
vocal organs, I've never seen a
pitcher yet that could put fast
ball by me. They can work me out
or maybe fool me, but can hit any
body's fast one and I'm beginning
to wise up to the teasers, too.
'The fact that I know I can hit
the fast ones and that have plenty
Of power gives me a lot of con-
fidence. I'm not the best hitter II
the world-nownere near as gooc
as Jimmy Foxx-but I really be-
lieye that some day Ill be an out.