The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-20
Who Wants to Change
 Ted Willian1s:?'- '-Cronin
By HARRY CRIMSON NEA Sports Editor

NGW Ol h \ANGGJ- hJOAAlCShAC dohSA Joe Cronin what change there was in Ted Williams.
 "Who wants to change him?" roared the manager of the Red Sox.
 Nevertheless there is a tremen- dous difference between the pre- and postwar Theodore Samuel Williams.
 Three years of Marine Corps avaition transformed the greatest hitter of the day from an irrespon- sible boy into a level-headed man. In training, he broke the gunnery record, qualified perfectly with eight cuts in as many passes at landing on a carrier. He did bit of in- structing, which gave him boise.
 T must have been a daffy kid" laughs the matured, mellowed Will Hams, who says he will be 28 this month, although the records shows he was born Oct 30, 1918. He re- calls his wanting to be a firemen in 194O, when he was the finest young hitter in baseball. Well, doesn't every kid?" he grins. My uncle was a fireman, you know"
 Another change in Williams is that he has picked up 14 pounds, transforming him from 8 larrup- ing light-heavyweight to a pound- ing heavyweight with 192 solid pounds spread over his towering six-foot three-inch frame. Williams is writing pieces ap- bearing on the first page of daily in baseball-nuts Boston, sure sign that he has attained the eminence to which his faultless swing and electrifying power are so richly en- titled.
 Although the Splendid Splinter is beginning to "see," as they say, he remains habitually inquisitive. He continues to put the vacuum on stickout hitters of the past, will talk about pitchers all day long Williams was signing testimon- ial for miniature rapid freezing machine while I chatted with him. The agent of the manufacturers had to take it apart, explain each part in detail
 With this you make ice cream in 40 seconds" he stated.
 That" said the major leagues home run and runs batted in leader, T will have to see"
 At home or in a hotel room, Will Hams is remindful of the playing professional golfer everlastingly stimulating swining a club or put ting. While he discussed arrange ments with the miniature rapid freez- ing machine man he took his matchless stance and cuts with a tightly wrapped up newspaper as bat. Everything he says and does runs to batting.
 When someone remarked that Birdie Tebbetts of the Tigers said Williams would bat 500 if he would bunt occasionally, the Kid for the first time revealed that at this early date he is thinking of managing. Smart fellow and catcher, Teb- betts" he remarked. I've frequently thought that if I ever manage, I'd like to have him as coach" While the Bosox as a group don't particularly care about the Brooklyn | front office and management and would prefer to tackle the Cardinals or Cubs in the World Series, Wn- Hams would happily settle for the Dodgers.
 Timber, which is the Kids newest of many nicknames, points out that there would be no day of in a repe- tition of the series of 30 years ago. There would be the short hop be- tween battlegrounds, etc. He has never seen Ebbets Field, but it must be lovely place. the latter, of course, in connection with the 297-foot right field foul line.
 Williams is not so certain he is benefited by short right field wall, however, for Fenway Park is the toughest for him and he has manu- factured most of his 3l home runs there.
 Bases on balls don't hurt or help batting average" asserts The Bat, but when the right field fence or stands is on the short side get nothing to hit. I don't seem to look | Aal1 as pig ana paO when the dlS- tance is 400 feet or more. Pitchers take a chance and get something I can put the wood on.'
 Williams has no intention of bunting, dragging or deliberately trying to hit to left field against trick defenses.
 T hit 4o6 in 194l without hav- ing to do that The fans come out to see me hit the ball a long way. In order to do this I have to concentrate on meeting the ball squarely and hit straight away, let ting the hits fall where they may. In this way, I'll spray ball into left field once in awhile.
 Cleveland had us beat 2-l on the last road trip when I came up in the ninth. There was the defense