The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1955-08-13

guy more Defuddled as 1t goes along.
In one of his rare interviews given last Tuesday,
Ted Williams singled out Lou Boudreau as the man
who had done most for baseball during the past five
years.
Very next day, Boudreau announced he would no
longer use the shift against Ted.
Is this joint move, as they grow old to patch up
fued that was known to exist before ION LEFT Bod
ton Or are we listening to couple of practical SEN
sible baseball men who mostly interested in i'm
proving the game?
Or was the reported bitterness between them just
myth that never actually existed?
AS the late Will Rogers used to say; - All we
know is what we read in the papers
We are inclined to believe that one-wav fued did exist
with Williams becoming very bitter against Boudeau the day
ne first used the shift in Fenway while managing
Cleveland.
We inclined to belieue that Williams
becoming suddenly realistic in the past year. now real
ICES that Boudreau should not blamed for creating
The SHIFT i0aS chalange 1t detted Williams to
osat Boaareaas defense By hitting to left field Ard
HanS still sWung for the right side
Other managers copied Boudreaus shift against williams
overnight And IN matter of months Teds batting
dropped nearly fifty points.
Ted bitter, and the bitterness grew deeper when
5oudreau was signed to manage Boston.
Boudreau took in stride instead he urged williams to
change his timing and aim for the short left field fence
This, Williams refused to The unpleasant situation
dropped from the headlines when Williams called
release he supposedly plain he would not return to
the Red Sox while Boudreau manager.
True not the test of his decision never reached a
climax Boudreau was released Mike Higgins him.
And Williams signed his belaed contract with the
To williams credit he never once spoke unkindIy of
pictures of Williams informing Yawkey and they must
fire Boudreau or he'd quit for good.
That's the mag De al thought 1t to be bet,peen
! TED and Lou until the Son dTriUed Kansas City
Tuesday night for their three game series
dean ed oaq I ana 9 soS e Ss o sS
IKE lifelong pals They euen posed for pictures before
i the Tuesday night opener
Later came the exchange of interviews audng each
other to the skies.
Coming from Williams it was mild surprise From
BoIdreau it was only what could expected by those who
Il What williams said about Boudreau Of course was ab
continued the pattern by shifting players to conform with
league. 49,
The result been that batting averages Of ton Amer
can League duggers has dropped better than Is points
N games played against teams Boudreau has managed in the
N0' ave 'e8tS
Stripped of his subornes Williams the great student
OF baseball is now the first to admit it.
As for Boudreau, there may two-fold purpose for
dropping the shift against Ted
that n. srPp9 1d,t Of his s decision he points out The
year haze been to left field or through the middle
Hes intelligent enough to realize, also, that it's
cberS IN KC. 800 feet al0ag than the shorter left
Ile'G fence Which runs only $50 from the plate
There's also the practical side of to be con-
sidered He in Williams greatest attraction r base
pail The fans buy tickets to him hit
And whereas Kansas city going nowhere in partic-
uar this year Boudreau might strongly opposed
money - 1890
The cold facts that williams was handed lust one
intentional by Boudreaus pitchers in their recent series
ana tns came when sound baseball strategy demanded it.
So it's nice hear Ted speaking out about the
great qualities of the other.
We could be wrong but got a bunch that Teds
mastery OF hitting to all fields pleased than
Boudreau himself.
Bondreau a knopn pertectionst in his IDEAS
He demands it Of his players and adnltres 1t In
Others.
For gears Lou kneD that Ted merely
powerful long bail hitter Who could aim for the right
field bIeacherS and nothing else.
quite satisfied to have it that way when he was
rival manager sick at heart to great hitting
talents wasted manager in Boston.
He tried his best while with the sox, to have Ted hit
away from the shift without But the sight OF Ted
stepping inch two the box and blasting that
ball through the gap must give Lou the consong sasfac
ton knowing that his advice has finally been accepted
Other managers could give a helping hand to baseball
the moment they too, would apply Boudreaus phoso
ply it concerns Williams
There appears to be more truth than fiction the
port than American League club made financial
gesture of considerable proportions to lure Ted back into
uniform.
But What is there IN lurnq fans through
the gate match Williams in action II riyal pitchers
are giuen orders to pass him at every opportunity?
1t makes less sense, according to Boudreaui when
Dd