Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-04
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV BY FRANCIS STANN
The Book Says

ACCORDING TO THE BOOK, the Cincinnati Reds don't
belong where they are today in the National League
that matter the book says Mickey 298 hitter
But the Redsand Mantle tooare doing their heave
the book out of the window
Cincinnati finished 2312 games of first place last
year. winding up fifth. The Reds haven't been any higher
than fifth since 1914 and haven't pennant since 40
But the time has apparently, to view the Sc Reds
with respect
AS the major leagues approach the halfway mark it's
evident the National League going to be ding
Birdie Tebbetts the philosopher Connecticut neatly
summed it up when he said
ANY manager who doesn't take vacation after this
race needs the money"
1T WAS GENERALLY CONCEDED by the so-caled
experts that Cincinnati couldn't the because of
shortage of pitching. There much question
about the Reds hitting Probably the besbang BROOKLYN
club in history only nosed out Cincinnati at the plate
season-2n to 270 On the other hand the Reds led the
L. in base hits had two of the six players who hit
more homes (Waly Post and Ted Kuszewsk had four of
the dozen 300 hters three of the 10 who
and four of the top Is smuggling percentage leaders
1t was awesome batting order Manager TebbettS was
pecing together in Florida last February March Post
Kuszewsk Gus Bell and Ray Jabonsk hters of range
and consistency Then there the cacherS Smokey
Burgess and Ed Baley-and both home hitterS
There was one day when Tebbett standing behind the
batting cage at Tampa, said
Il need left fielder and pitcher-maybe pitchers
If I get those, we'll be tough"
IN TAMPA THE REDS used two diamonds at Plant Field
where the Senators of "a and Us trained
On occasion TebbeS heard especially
the bat from the adjoining diamond.
Without turning his head the htters
ing, he asked newSpaperman
"Right-handed or left-handed?"
Right-handed," said the other, who had been looking
in the other direction.
Then got to be wally Post or that new guy Robin
Nobody else batting right handed ball that hard
this ball club any other"
Turned out it Robinson, sore-armed young Negro
with swish in his swing IF he just throw the ball back
to second base from left field Birdie sad Frank Robinson
is my leftfelder."
Robinson, it so happens, only ranking member
of CincinnaS homerhappy batting order but Al-Star
too No. dear reader, this is not Jackie Robinson
1T WAS PITCHING, REALLY, that bothered Tebbetts
Probably still does Joe Nuxha I've got Birdie saying
back in those days Hes the best ehander in the National
League. (NuXhall 1912, pitched five ShutoutS.)
i've got Hersh Freeman the relief pitcher in the
business Now if the rest mainly Johnny Kppstein could
deliver
You don't really have deep pitching staff reporter
is recalled to have stated "Nuxhall Fowler . Freeman
he can't relieve every day"
"Klippsten could be the guy to shore us up" TebbeS
replied. Some day he might be good pitcher"
Kippstein used to work for the Chicago He never
Jared very we'll He was loser after he shifted to Gin
cinnat Yet today he's IA pitcher and the touted
hall pitched as WELL the Reds could be off and running
KLIPPSTEIN is A 29-YEAR-OLD pitcher who attended
Montgomery Blair High School in his youth the high
irony is that he had been usher Griffith Stadium
begging for chance to show his
"GoLy' Johnny was saying year ago, Il wanted
to pitch for Washington used to down from the
stands and ask if somebodya coach just anybody-woud
look at me- was Is.
Nobody seemed interested and guess was a flop
didn't win big the Cubs and apparently am not doing
the Reds much good"
He's doing EN- good When and if Nuxlfal begins
to win the Reds be tough to beat And more popular
victory may be hard to imagine.