Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-24
WIN, LOSE OR
GNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
The Comeback Kid

SOONER OR LATER the Associated Press will be asking
for the sports comeback 1856 and will anybody second
the nomination of Vic Werz? 1t isn't BaldyS fault the
Indians aren't closer to the in the American League
AS far as average is concerned, Wertz isn't pushing
Mantle Williams But those % home and his hety
total powerful credentials especially
for guy who less than year ago stricken with polio.
may be recalled that Werz only 81 now, was rushed
to hospital late last and for time the Cleveland
Ball Club despaired of his e much less his career For
weeks sympathetic FANS remembering his herocS In the
World Series flooded the hospital with letters AS he
began to improve Vic vowed IN be back"
But few believed him. Certainly the Indians didn't even
when Wertz reported for spring training
OVER THE WINTER the Tribe attempted to trade for
Mickey When that deal fell through there was talk
permanently shifting Al Rosen to first base After ALL
how many polio victims return to play big league ball?
Any way you look at it, WertZ has had strange almost
fantastic When he out of the military service
in 1916 he'd played less than season of minor league ball
NonetheleSs he became regular with Buao ana oaIteo
30 in his first full In those days he had hair and was
an outfelder.
Vic went to Detroit the following year there became
part what lot of critics reckessly called the finest
young outeld in baseball Johnny Groth and Hoot Evers
his running mates and for spell they did, indeed
look highly impressive.
Although all carry lifetime averages in the .28Os the
patrol Wer, and Groth quite lived up to
expectations and inevitably they began to be traded
VERT WAS SENT to the old ST. Louis Browns in 1882
He became property of Baltimore in 1854 and then the
Orioles pulled real goo With the explanation that Batl-
more Stadium was too big Vic they traded him to Cleve-
land for Bob Chakales June of that year.
The Indians pennant bound but they had no trSt
Wertz elected He no ball OF fire during
the regular but he helped to win the nag IL was
during the World Series against the Giants that he really
got hot The National Leaguers swept four straight games
but it wasn't Werz fault He MI. Wonderful that fa
In a sense, Wertz made legend of Willie Mays. The
pitchers couldn't fool him. In the first inning OF
the opening game he ped two runs In the fourth
sixth he singled In the tenth he doubled-his fourth
h-but the blow that millions of fans remember best was
the one that wasn't base hit.
In the eighth inning, with two on base and the score
tied at %, Werz to bat and Giant Manager Leo
Durocher hastily excused Sal Mage and called Tor Don
Lidde it Develops the only pitcher to retire
He did it spectacuarly that Vic was the only
Indian he faced
PERHAPS NOT EVEN Mickey Mantle ever creamed a
pitch harder From home plate to dead center IN the POLO
Grounds it's 1872 feet and Mays took off like scared RABBIT
Wertz swung The over-he shoulder catch he
made of the wall belongs among the all-time
One step and Mays might have had TO pay
his way back into the park.
That should have been the ball game AS turned out
it might have decided the Series On pinch homer that
was apologize compared with wertz drive Dusty Rhodes
broke it up 10th and the Giants went on from there
in straight sets wound up with 500 batting
average batted exactly one-hird OF CeveandS
The Indians team average, despite Vcs enoeaVorS
a 100
That Series is remembered here for another On
the eve of the opener Richards then managing the
Sox predicting victory for the National League
This commonplace but Richards couldn't see where
the Indians would bother the Giants pitchers.
There's only dangerous hitter in the Cleveland
lineup" Paul said That's Vic Wertz.'
"Wertz?" quered surprised listener. Hes only 257
hitter this year"
DOESN'T make any difference" Richards drawed
the guy the Giants have got to get out He's pro-
Turned out Werz the only 800 hitting regular on
the Cleveland club. And one wasn't enough.