Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-03
WIN, LOSE OR
6NAV By FRANCIS STANN
The Elusive One
CLEARWATER.

CLEARWATER FLA, APRIL St has long been custo-
mary for ndoent baseball writers and vocal pulse
with tape recorders to themselves the west coast of
Florida and lie in wait for such ouanders Dodgers
Athletics and Senators to invade the Clearwater Peters
Tampa area Thus there must have been 20
of these citizens sitting the Brooklyn the first day
the Dodgers showed.
They waiting pick brains of Walter Aston
Trouble was there was no Aston This strange,
municative in hiding
Jack Tghe the Tigers and Birdie Tebbes of the Reds
are pure delights. Ditto Bobby Bragan the Pirates AL
Lopez of the White sox and Chuck Dresser
Walt Aston something else his grlimpiest day. Joe
Mccarthy never unreceptive.
The newspaper watch began about noon when the
Dodgers began to suit up for with the Phies One
by one they appeared on the field snider Reese
Hodges Furlo -. Campanela Newcombe. But
Aston 1t two hours before time and the woudbe
brain pickers settled down to wait out the
$3.50
ONCE ASTON STUCK his head out of the Brooklyn
dressing room He quickly withdrew
I'm going into the dressing ROOM" one of the
energetic walters said land tell Walt there lot of
guys who want to talk to him."
He knows it." Brooklyn newspaperman warned
Two minutes later the emssary returned Now Alstons
not even in the clubhouse he reported doefuly
be hiding"
pretend I'm all the rest of US one man suggested
"You pretend Aston Wen get the inter-
view. Ready?
DO you think, Walt" he asked you'll miss Jackie
Robinson?"
THAT depends" spoke up man. "on what the other
fellows do"
DO you think Newcombe can win 81 games agan?"
well it's hard to say"
SIS Roy Campanea the downgrade, or did he Just
have of season."
He says his hand is better after his operation"
THE SILLY STAGE SOON passed and the game was
dropped Then Brooklyn writer pointed to a Negro who
had come into view That's Valdes" he said land from
what gather he's going to stick of the pitchers
He's not the official roster yet but he did pretty good
at Portland last year"
valdes, originally known in baseball Gutierrez is
tall guy with the thinnest legs in baseball They
straight down and his ankles the widest part farng
out before his feet duck into his shoes.
One of the Dodgers the bench obviously amused at
the gripping by the press said, I'VE call him Fungo Legs
But he's got pretty good stuff"
YOU SOUND FAMILIAR" man from Washington
said to him. Weren't you in the Senator chain did you
have tryout?"
Valdes shrugged
HE had tryout with Washington first baSeman,"
said the man from Brooklyn
Vades said, "One month"
what year it?" asked the from Washington
about 1851, wasn't it?"
Il don't remember" vades said "Fifty-one yes maybe"
who was the manager-Bucky Harris?"
II don't remember"
But the tryout with Washington Was it in
orlando2"
81 don't remember the place" Valdes said at
long ago. catcher beckoned and valdes up
THERE WAS STILL no sign of the elusive Aston and
of the press contingent neted looked at his watch
i've had it. men" he announced This guy Just isn't
going to appear I'm going Tor the Phlies dugout
and talk with Mayo Smith"
BY twos and threes the Others most of them followed
There they talked with Smith, the time rug salesman
who the Phils Patiently he replied to the same
questions he'd heard for six weeks.
Then 1t game time The dugouts had TO be cleared
of all except players All of sudden Walt Aston appeared
the Dodger bench Apparently he carries timepiece