Evening star., 1954-10-03
Manager Says Tribe
Was Cold and Giants
Played Beautiful Ball
BY she Asseelused Pros,

Played Beautiful Ball
BY ihe Asseeiussd Press
CLEVELAND. Oct. 2.-Man-
ager AL Lopez Of the Indians
says he won't spend the winter
replaying the World Series.
They were hot and we were
, cold. We were licked by a cham
pionship team" the quiet Lopez
declared in the stiffness of his
private Office after today's final
defeat by the Giants.
II can't replay 1t. wouldn't
know Of anything I could do
different. I gave my best three
pitchers and came back with
Bob Lemon" Lopez said.
"a lot Of things hurt us. That
first game hurt us. The catch
Of Willie Mays. Our lack Of
hitting. AL Rosen's leg and
Larry Doby's back. But they
always played beautiful ball."
In searching for an individual
star on the team that had beaten
him. Lopez never once mem
toned Dusty Rhodes.
Likes Thompson and Dark.
IT think it would have to be
Hank Thompson. or AL Dark
or all the way around. They
all were very good"
Lopez accepted condolences
from Commissioner Ford, Frick
and viii Harridge. president of
the American League.
There's not much a guy can
say at a time like this" Frick
told Lopez. II know your fellows
didn't play as well as they can.
If you had a few more games
you might have gotten some
where. It looked like they were
beginning to come"
Frick ask e d Lopez to con-
gratulate First Baseman Vic
Wertz on his behalf. Wertz was
the only bright spot in the In
dians' attack throughout the
Series and wound UP today with
a double and a single in four
times up.
Wertz Set on Big Year.
"I'm glad I could help" Vic
said. "but we didn't win. I'm just
getting the feel of this first base
job and we're going to work out
something extra for me early
next year.
II gotta master this one and |
I'm confident can. I'm gonna |
have a big year next year. just |
you wait and see, "I'll take
dancing lessons If I have to so
that I hop around out there"
Wertz figured in two contro-
versial plays today, both preced-
ing his double in the second |
inning. With the count 3 and |
2, he apparently was hit by an |
inside pitch, but Umpire John |
Stevens didn't agree.
II knew it hit me-" Wertz said, |
"but all he could say was,
Show me just one place. There |
was a big red spot right here
on my hand but he couldn't see
it. He said the ball only hit the
bat"
On the next pitch Wertz sent
towering fly down the left
field line that fell close enough
to kick chalkdust. The umpires
to a man called it foul and they
were greeted by a tremendous
chorus of boos. On the next |
pitch Wertz doubled.
Surprised by Ant0nelli.
Lopez was propped back in a
chair as he patiently discussed
the collapse of his American
League champions.
Did anything about the Giants
surprise him?
Maybe Johnny Antonelli. I
didn't know much about him,
but he was much better than I
thought.
"This club of mine is a lot |
better than it showed. The only
time we looked this bad" Lopez
said, was in a series in Chicago |
before the All-Star Game.
'I didn't learn anything about |
the club didn't know. Wen try |
to strengthen the team any place |
1t needs it."
He wouldn't be pinned down |
on specific positions.
1--WE didn't want any alibis |
ahead Of time. Actually I didn't |
think Rosen was hurt that bad.
And we didn't want to say any
thing about Dolby having a bad
shoulder. I don't even mean 'em
now as alibis. We were beaten
by a good team"
The players dressed slowly, |
talking little. Nobody seemed
mad, or even particularly dis
gusted.
"If we'd won that first game,
it might have been a lot differ
ent," Lopez continued. ''They
gained momentum and we got
colder. In fact, they got real
cocky, but we couldn't do any |
thing about It,"
Il