Evening star., 1952-03-10

an hour apiece And they would be hitting any
where between $50 and 800 at the time"
1t is Whitehis theory that farm systems not helping
the modern ball player "Those chains out of ne Earl
insisted I'm the beginning, it didn't like bad idea
Branch Hickey got head start and coraed of the up
coming players just prior to the war Then while the other
owners were trying to catch Rckey began selling off
of his He made himself lot of money he
improving the breed of ball player"
THIS REQUIRED ELABORATION whitehin realized it,
happening he continued "A club signs kid
tain length of time regardless of whether progressing
he should he's moved Not all of them ready the
majors-not by long shot-when they're brought up.
They're not mentally tuned for thing. They've been
giving high school kids anywhere $OO
bonuses W tney ngure They're rich and successes Before
any one OF those kids has ever played in big league he
feels he's made it.
"And many bonus babies have amounted to
anything? Go back and think the McCoys Wake
fields and the Pettts and Antonel they ability
let's say promise that's killed from the begin
ming by that carpet treatment What they think
money FIRST baseball second"
WH1TEHILs NOTION is that all baseball better
off there fewer farm clubs the minors
clubs" he said. That's the the old days
They developed their leagues
to another minor league of higher classification player
in order become good enough bring price, had
hard and learn his trade Maybe he didn't make much
money at first. But he lasted rule far longer than
the quck-money bonus boys"
Whtehll something like 230 major league
wins outstanding but wasn't mentioning himself In
stead pointed to Cobb Ruth Honsby Johnson and dozen
Others They got any big bonus sign contract
argued They didn't make decent salaries
few in the big leagues But brother they played
or 20 years and they made it in the end"
In Whitehils mind pitcher as Ed Lopat of the
Yankees is vanishing American There's guy" say
ing who's real craftsman Maybe he
stuff maybe he does throw lot of junk. But he knows
what he's doing He his ball game I've got
him"
WITEHIIL is NOT the only becoming increas
1ng apprecatve of Lopa pitcher steadily improving despite
the fact that he will be "a in June The chubby souhpaw
Series pretty close to being the best
Ted Williams was talking about Lopat day
The Red Sox sugger Lopat warming up game
muttered to Shortstop Phil Rizzuto of the Yankees:
There's that hinky-dinker again. can't hit him with
paddle AS Williams moved off, Rzzuto replied can
Ted did doubletake What Rizzuto talking about
They play the club Williams said "What do YOU
mean, can't hit him? When you Lopat?"
I'm batting practice" Rzzuto doesn't Just
throw that ball to be hit He adds pitch each year
and experiments on can't get loud foul off him."
Whitehl reminded of the incident, nodded with
standing That's what mean about Lopat being craftsman
lot of the old pitchers experimental own team
mates instead of showing that ball plate to be hit
into the seats Cobb Heilmann htters like that
used to- tell pitcher in batting practice put something
the ball. They liked do things the way which is why
they're in that Hall of Fame"