Evening star., 1949-06-17
'Wailkus Describes
Shooting by Girl
Asa Bad Dream
sy sAs A.sseiassd Press

InlSAAfo. JUNG At,-E1OSf
waitkus. In his first meeting with
reporters since o bobby -soxer shot
him early Wednesday. today de-
scribed his wounding as all like
q bad dream"
The star first baseman of the
Philadelphia National League
club. sat propped up In his hospi-
tal bed-four large stacks Of let
ters from fans ut his side-and
laughed and joked with reporters
about the shooting.
II don't know what got into
that silly honey. he said. Why
pick on q nice guy like me"
The silly honey" Is Ruth Ann
steinhagen. ls-year old typlst,
who worshipped the ballplayer
from afar for two years, sum-
moned him to her hotel room and
wounded him seriously with a a.
caliber rife.
Felony Court yesterday ordered
mental examination for the girl
when she was arraigned and plac-
ed her on SIS, 900 cash bond on O
charge of assault with intent to
murder Watkins.
Watkins told reporters he is
feeling much better" and said Of
the strange assault:
1T looks like / zigsed when ]
should have Jagged.
Il still haven't gotten over the
surprise of being shot. She must
be crazy
The shot into his chest did not
end the first baseman's playing
career but 1t may keep him out
of the Phillies' lineup for the re-
mainder Of this season. physicians
said.
DR.. L. L. Braun. team physician
for the Chicago Cubs. said it was
still uncertain" whether Watkins
will be back In the lineup for the
current pennant race. But I am
quite sure" the doctor said. he
will be back playing baseball. Just
when 1t will be ! cannot say"
Tells Of Shooting.
Waitkus gave this account Of
the shooting:
Il came into the hotel and found
a note for me In my mailbox.
called the room out Of curiosity.
This girl asked If I would see her.
Said 1t was important.
II went up to the room. She said
come in for just a minute I went
in and I said what do you want?'
She stepped aside and I went
over toward a window. looked
around and she had a rife In her
hand. I thought at first 1t was a
practical joke. I thought the
players had planned it.
"She said. You're not going to
bother me any more Then
whammy! ! think I asked her why
she shot me. It's awfully hazy. I
think then that she went to the
telephone. At that time thought
that the shooting was a case of
mistaken identity"
Reporters asked him II he had
known her before or If he had
received any notes from her be-
fore. He said. mo. I figured that
possibly she was q friend of a
friend. But that turned out to be
the wrong guess ''s''
Cold Looking Face.
Asked what her attitude was,
Watkins replied. "She had the
coolest looking face I ever saw-
absolutely no expression"
Told that he will be able to re-
turn TO baseball In the future,
Watkins smiled and said. Its a
little early to bow out" =
In the room were his father,
Steve Watkins. and brother-in-
law, Paul Kasperwicz. both Of
Melrose. Mass. and George Earn
shaw, a coach Of the Phillies.
Hospital attendants said that
Waitkus was much better after a
fine night with temperature Of
only 1909. Surgeons plan today
to extract some blood from his
right lung cavity with a suction
needle. They explained the bullet
had lacerated the right lung and
caused internal bleeding. The con-
dition was not considered serious.
Girls Hearing Delayed.
Waitkus, 2s. has been in the
major leagues since 1916. He
played with the Chicago Cubs
three years before he was traded
to the Phillies last winter. He
currently is leading National
League first basemen In the vot-
ing for the All-Star game next
month.
The hearing for Miss Stein
hagen on the assault charge was
continued to June 80 by Judge
Matthew D. Hartigan to await q
report Of q psychiatric examina-
ton by DR.. william H. Haines Of
the Cook County Behavior clinic.