Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-13
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
The Mostest Giant

WILLIE HOWARD MAYS born to be described ad-
jectvey He came into the world with the butn instincts
and reexes of athlete. Leo Durocher maintains that
Willie is the greatest player he ever managed.
Durocher not easy manager to please and in his
Leo handled players the Dodgers and
Giants But just John McGraws avorites Chrsy
Mathewson and Ross Young, Willie Mays the pet
Durocher.
This is brought up because Willie at long last will be
display at Griffith Stadium tonight The Giants in
town to play the Senators and when think of the Giants
you think of Mays just instantly connect the Red Sox
with Ted Williams.
Nobody knows yet how great the fellow may become.
There dozens of topght baseball in both leagues
who that he could be the greatest What Willie has
eomplhed so far all in the books He has played the
equivalent of only three years in the majors and already
batting championship (both leagues, home title
Cboth leaguesJ and most valuable player award.
Willie is not yet rs years old.
IN HIS LAST DAYS the late Clark Griffith admitted that
above all others the player he most enjoyed watching
Mickey Mantle the Yankees "He doesn't beat us as
often Yogi Berra he would say land he isn't good
hitter as Ted Williams. But nobody else has Nantes
potential"
One day a visitor from New York asked
"Grif, how you talk about Mantle when there is
Willie Mays? We've get three centerheders York
Mays Duke snder and Maneand they rank in that order
I1 believe it, replied the old gentleman when get
good look at all three Of them"
The old gentleman died before saw much If any of
Mays but if he had him he certainly would have
Cured that Willie at least stands the threshold of
Grif liked ball players cut the pattern Of Mays
although he owned few that qualified.
WILLIE WILL HELP to pay for quite portion of the
Senators spring training tonight because he is that
kind Of drawing card Probably he stands alone in the Ma
tonal League boxofhce magnet Williams and per-
haps Herb Score Of Cleveland stick out in the American
isn't only Giant but the mostest Durocher
has given way to Bill Rgney manager and he left be-
hind him great ball club Take Mays and the Giants
Lorl>k %
Willie had up to the Giants in 1851 19year old
who had been batting incredible ATT for Minneapolis.
the year that Brooklyn managed by Dresen blew
a 13-game lead to the Giants and lost the pennant in
playof.
The next year Mays was called by the Army 1t wasn't
long afterward that able publicly proclaim
1.-THE Giants is dead" You might fault Chuck dramatically
but not facuay Without Willie the Giants were dead.
WISE MEN SAY there are two Willie Mays when it comes
to hitting There is the who hits home runs and the one
who hits for the big AS the story Durocher
played part in creating this two-sided batsman
Just about the only change Leo made in Mays
to modify his stance This midway in the 1854 season.
point which found Willie batting from full spread and
scarborough struck the ball 1t for longer
ride but Durocher suggested that Mays would hit for higher
he brought his feet together and stood sraghr
1t perhaps reckless Leos part for Mays hitting
1926 at the time and after 90 he ahead of Babe
Ruths 1927 home with 36 already out of the park
But Willie obedienty changed his stance Instantly the
home all but ceased In the next SIS games he smoe
only fve-one OF which was inside the park But
From that he Stroked for 1873 and An
shed the with 345 good enough to win both the
batting championship and the most valuable player award
$3.50
WILLIE BEGAN TO SPREAD little again last year. APP
parenty because he different hitter again. average
dropped to 319 but his total sweed and
he has observers thinking that before the Giants
Of the Polo Grounds for keeps in 1858 Mays will match
beat Ruth's mark of CO.
Could be- If he wants to bead on that record Or
maybe Just another batting title will suffice In any event
1t must be wonderful to be "a almost able call your
shots
And II this sounds like gee whiz piece. we'll gee whz