Evening star., 1951-04-26

FRANCIS s'ann roster of the New York Yankees
repeatedly paying $4,000 for his contract assuming his
salary investing bundle This spring
he signed Wakefield to provisional contrac$ the
pending adjustment after it determined how much
he helped the Oaks.
ONE OF THE WEST COASTS top sportswriters, Jack
Donald, quotes Wakefield the missing follows
They deducted cents for Federal oldage pension
cent for State unemployment Then he added
Every club to get rid Everybody can't
be wrong. 1t must be something about me-"
This the same humility Wakefield showed in December Of
949 after the Tigers gave at last and traded him
Yankees for Rookie Baseman Kryhosk big out
fielder often of arrogance indifference during
six active years with the Tigers wrote public letter apoogzng
to the fans of Detroit for having let them down.
The Yankees, who thought they could Wakefield
place the fading Charley Keller quickly up the
He appeared in the lineup when the
Chicago White Sox interest trading Dick the
Yankee front office jumped at the chance.
But there gimmick The Sox didn't want to pay his
$4,000 salary Legally his couldn't be slashed and Com
missioner Happy Chandler voided the trade suspected
the Yankees were paying part of his salary.
SO THE ONETIME University Michigan went home
to Ann Arbor sat his porch and waited just doing
Along Laws with his proposition Swallowing
pride Wakefield went to the Coast League vowng prove
that he belonged in the majors
With the exactly ball of fire as indicated
by his provisional 81 contract but this spring stormy petrol
thought he doing all right ct hitting during
training" Dick complained ut started Mel
OFT kept the bench"'
OFT, the old Giant who's managing the Oaks Wake
field five times as pinchhtter He walked once, hles
Wakefield isn't bitter however Coast reporters "r
Laws made free agent" he pointed out that's break
could have been assigned to the Oakland
I'd have to be suspended As got chance
to sign with major league club that regular out
fielder"
ALL OF WHICH MAY be optimism of the highest order
For six years the Tigers with original of
than $4,000 in the fellow with Wakefield before giving
up The Yankees threw in the sponge something six
weeks The White SoX refused
rated him $1-a-year provisional player.
It for other Wakefield be remembered as
one of modern basebas great engma more SO than
signed on the Wolverine by the Tigers big fellow
had promise of everynga classic powerful batting stroke
speed, good arm
In his first real pro-1942-he bated 345 for
Beaumont of the Texas League That enough the
Tigers; they stamped him ready ready
He came up to the parent club in 943 and baed 6 leading
the American League in times bat and doubles
In 1914 he batting 1855 when he went into the Navy
and he hasn't been of much value since wasn't one of the
real casualties like Phil Marchdon nor was he in the
service long enough to get rusty like
Feer Joe D Maggie Ted Williams Johnny Pesky and others
THE ONLY FULL SEASON of big league ball Wakefield
missed was 194and then there's that the
country But when he sprung by Navy he didn't have
It, He hit only 268 in 1916, 2S3 in 276 in 1948
The Tigers running out of patience They gave him
final shot in 1949 duly average and reluctantly
quit the fellow
Now he's obless for the successive spring He talks
OF playing regularly in the majors but it seem likely
now year ago Pacific Coast team flyer on him.
This year?
This year. far, Wakehelds had one offer A Class
team called Lawton of the State League made Mitch
Richard declined with thanks so far as is known still is
sitting on his front porch