Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-22
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
This Is Peter Pan

TAMPA MAR 22-The Peter Pan among ball players is
a sandy weaherbeaten guy with chaw of tobacco bullying
cheek Just about reach his 40h birthday he refuses
to grow old
got five more years. Slaughter Athletics
saying. Maybe I've got 10 because doesn't
anything Age is numeral What counts is how you
feel"
Up close in uniform Slaughter looks smaller than
his 1873 pounds Even the bat he holding bleached
vanished stick seemed undersze But when he swings in
the batting cage and in ball games Country does it with
authority
couple of weeks ago williams referred to himself
and Terminate Mickey Vernon both 81, the oldest
lars Slaughter thinking that Williams spoke carelessy
played games last year, he sad and batted S15 If
Lou (Boudreau wants 154 from I'll be glad to
oblge."
THIS NATIVE OF ROXBORO N c., loves baseball. Slaugh-
ter slides with the enthusiasm he had 81
into pro ball with Martinsvie of the BState
League Whereas Is standard to helmets at bat these
days, Slaughter disdains
batting practice pitchers good fast ball coming
up to the plate with kissing sound Slaughter waiting his
turn in the cage seemed to listen dreamiy.
I'm going to tell you just how feel" Country said Il
feel like we've few pretty good ball players this club
You of them right here, this There's
Simpson and Fngan and Lopez and that rookie, Pess
But" he finished, "f don't play every day in this
outed anybody eses outfeld got to know it's
damned fine outield"
1t is difficult to Immediately associate Slaughter with the
Athletics 1t hard when he so surprisingly became
in April of 1854 Slaughter always thought
of ST. Louis Cardinal Gas House Gang character.
THERE WAS ONLY time when emotion, not drive
prevailed That the day the Cardinals traded him. After
all those years Redbird playing and husing in the
tradition Pepper the Dean boys and the rest
Slaughter awoke to learn he involved in swap
Normally, traded to the Yankees considers himself
lucky. Slaughter broke wept Il affected" he
saying, "but you recover"
81 don't know why felt deeply about the Cardinals
guess it because belonged to the organization for
many years"
He asked perhaps for his dismay was
due to belief that he might manage maybe at Columbus
the parent club.
"Manage!" he snorted "Ive given it thought
Why manage years baseball left in me?"
SLAUGHTER NEVER QUITE CUT the mustard with the
Casey Stengel acknowledged that he happy to
the veteran his club but Eno used only parngy
and he wound up with 284 batting average, which isn't
his speed at all.
He finally got traded to Kansas City last May and the
35 he bated in keeping IVe got to play
day. he said. "A guy get old sitting the bench
Slyly he spoke in aferthought How the fellows
got traded for both times, doing?"
To his question pitcher named Mel Wright and
outelder Emil Tellinger forgotten The other
who included in the DEAL Bill Vrdon, pretty good
ball player although his 281 last "a points under
Slaughters average.
And when Country shipped to Kansas City by the
Yankees along with Johnny San the Yankees also gave
and gained Sonny Dixon pitcher who hasn't been
heard of since