The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1955-10-29
SPORTS
Rickey's Retirement
Big Blow TO Baseball
Continued From Page One
onDerry and Leo Kiley It's the same story all over


This kid was the talk baseball when he fr came up
Inen the Army grabbed him for his peacete stretch And
IS the same player.
Hickey not blaming it all on the Army, by a long
since World War II - ~ ~
Even the smartest of baseball can't put their hng
Here in New England the indifference toward high school
NJ tiquesSonsny one Of the contributing factors
Most SCHOOL officials merely accept baseball team
let 1t go at that
Most colleges still give major attention to base
pan OUT iack OF nigh school enthusiasm is also TAX
ing Its toll On the college Mines Many young men with
nloden talents are not going out college baseball
simply because they did not participate in high
school and feel is too late in their
Some shake their heads and blame It on eevision Not
80 much that teleVon keeping boys away parks
10 clues with big league clubs.
So you take your pick and your guess NAV be the
Baseball today;
nnoer IN baseball history stepping out picture pre-
because he cannot discover the right young men to
put Pittsburg on top
There was hint in Rickeys announcement that
he may take one bold stem before THROWING IN tbs
towel and admitting defeat.
He told reporters he hopes to remain with Pitts
Durg IN some other capacity - maybe a scout
u that is true then still keep your eyes peeled
on Pittsburg. The inmatiOn is that hickey will drop
all details of running the club and start out on a
personal tour Of the American sandlots
Up to this stage his career it has been Rckevs nro
eeoue 70 nave the scouts bring in their talent the farm
decision 'l1' ''ii'i
Now, If he brushes the scouts aside and takes matters
stories ever written eN spun
74year-od still in love with the game going from
village to village watching the kids backyards and fields
running and throwing and swinging bat honing that
future. ~ VI O1i0
We hope the old fellow comes through But his snces
IN picking out budding stars of 10 will be of no avail
II tney lose what they've got when the army them
Baseball might itself great favor il it sent Pickev
down to Washington and had talk with the
Army Department regarding the handling of hall navers
We doubt that the public offer much cri-
tfciSm II well known baseball individuals were as
signed TO recreational duties during their Of
military service
The marines have been noted for their outstand
ing footban teams at Quantico 1t eleven
at Great Lakes which trimmed a great Notre Dame
team not many years ago.
There could be criticism therefore if Young bovs with
future were used az morale builders and to play
baseball for their army post
This might be real answer to baseba1s nresert lille
and while the subject being discussed at the Pen
tagon they might inquire why ball players out of the
People are accustomed to expect that army life brings
anout the development Of young mans physique
you see photos OF trim sleek youngsters on recruiting
posters Perfect specimens Of manhood All muscle and no
the service. ' -
Al Young Frank Baumman of the Red sox was so
tat and clumsy when he returned baseball that he
couldn't throw baseball with speed
The front office took look at him and i'm
medately sent him down to louisville for a reducing
Ted Williams of the service overweebt
for the first time in his fe
There's something wrong with service regulations
nowadays that putting ball players out of shape in
stead of into it,
If men like Hickey, accompanied with Clark Griffith
connie Mack and few other faithu with army
ocas all the disturbing would soon be corrected
Meanwhile, baseball talent must still be developed al
the grassroots "
enthusiasm among youngsters so great as II
is IN the Little Leagues of today
Parents who waited to watching their how
on the high school nine hockng to the Little
League games for the thrill OF seeing their of 10 or
fourteen get his feel of ball and bat
Here the true basis for future stars normal amount
OF baseball talent still there the enthusiasm of young
tots can be retained they will carry them into high
school and later into college
But here again the major league must
play part 1t would be helpful, wouldn't you saw
II the Red SOx management, for example, sent down
rev balls and bats present the kids We
know how proud these kids would be If they walked
into their nom dad some afternoon and flashed
bat that was sent to him by their Red Sox
idols
What we're trying to say u.s. that there's real lob Of
pubic relations to be done in the form psychology
Our Little Leagues unquesonably the incubators OF
future major league stars
All the eevision sets America won't keep those kids
away from the oa park they given help through
attention. IN acquiring love for baseball early in life
Between their youth and the keenness old man Hickey
there could be the brightest days the great
national past time.
ISTANBUL There few glaSsful of sherry with
large landowners and few tiny ladder leaning against
landless farmers in Turkey -a peace ofrerlng TO mis-