Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-19
THE BASEBALL
BEA T
Veeck Picks Most CoIorfuI
BY BURTON HAWKINS

DETROIT, JULY 19-Bill Week. with his love of such
pranks as pinch hitting midget, and the showmanshp
tactics he employed club owner has been of the
colorul figures connected with baseball He was
asked to the club he'd most like to from the
standpoint of gate appea-players who could pack EN-
in through combination of class, eccenrctes and the
varied elements which combine to create color.
1.-The first guy of course, is Babe Ruth" Veeck de-
clared HE perSoned color He could stay out all night
into the clubhouse and bet couple of thousand
horse slam EN- out of sight give the fans thrill
striking out He coorful trottng around the bases
with those mncng steps of his He kind of grotesque
figure, but kids loved him and he loved kids. He's the
rightfelder.
"The centerfelder has to be Hack Wilson," Bill
tnued. He coorful the field with those belly
slides and he kept himself in the newspapers by betting
guys in train stations and going into the stands after
heckers. He makes the team if for other than
he once posed for picture with AL Capone.
Ted Williams plays left" veeck said land I'd want
him just he is-fouling of balls into the seats to try
to hit razzng FANS splitting toward the press box calling
politicians gutess. Yep, give williams and wouldn't
try to restrain him. In fact I'd encourage him to pop
off all subjects.
art SHIRES GOES to first base Called himself
Whataman painted it on the side of his automobile
fought his manager, Lena Blackburne biting off piece
of his nose in the and baed George Trafton
Chicago Bears bruiser, in the ring.
400 hitting wouldn't hurt at the gate and his horse play
ing helps, too.
Rabbit Meanwhile is the shortstop, with his basket
catches at the waist turning cartwheels the basenes
and that sort of stuff And off the field he was zany
Went into a hotel dining once on Ash Wednesday
with coal scutte loaded with ashes Sprnklng them over
eveybodys food And he challenged Is cab drivers in one
night Only fellow in history to lose 10 bouts in such
short period of time.
Pepper Martin with his recklessness on the bases
thu Nod nonI NTH fhA
Gashouse Gang Cardinals and driving racing
petitivey and for fun, gets the call at third base.
"Give me two catchers. Ernie lombard makes it on
appearance alone. He behemoth who simply didn't
look the part. The other is Role Hemsley the pre-
Alcoholics Anonymous Role who wound up in three jals
in three different boroughs in New York night The
Hemsley who walked into hotel lobby with bottle of
whisky in hand, bottle of settler water in the other
asked three dignifed old ladies to join him in drink
and when they refused, sprayed them with setzer
THE PITCHERS WOULD have to be satchel Paige
Grover Cleveland Alexander RUDE Waddell, Bobo New
Dizzy Dean Pat Malone, Lefty Gomez and Nick AL
trock who also qualities as coach Newsom and Dean
could take of the loud popping off with Gomez
inserting wittcms here and there Malone and Alexander
could take Of most of the drinking Alexander fire.
quenty had to stick his head in tub of ice water he
could stagger to the mound.
Gomez gets in for looking at airplanes while pitch
ing and for that incident when he went to bat against
Bob Teller, lit match as the sun was sinking and
asked by the umpire What's the matter, can't you
see him?
Yeah Gomez said, but Just want to be sure he
can see me-
Il love that sort Of thing. Waddell might not show
up. If he saw anything the way to the park that
interested him, chances he wouldn't He'd rather fish
than pitch and sometimes did Paige? He's my boy. The
marvel of the baseball world ageess eccentric and the
complete master Of his craft.
Give me pnch-hitters," Week pleaded. "Ty
Cobb gets in for hating everybody cutting up and
hghting EN- If they got in his way. Babe Herman, who
took his kids to the ball park, forgot them and drove
home without them; who stuck lighted cigars in his
pockets; who. when asked If he was going to buy his
son an encyclopedia, answered Hell, no, he can walk
Just like did when a kid
Paul Waner has to be a pinch-hitter, too After
difficult night he got hit rounded second and set
sail for third He slid into the bulpen plate Wrgley
Field, so feet beyond third base