Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-13
WIN, LOSE OR
DkAW By FRANCIS s1AAN


WHEN HORACE STONEHAM speaks of moving the
Giants from New York to- possibly, San Francisco he
mentions that antquated ball park, lack of parking
facilities and bad weather have been working against his
ball club.
He doesn't mention the Yankees Specifically, he doesn't
refer to Babe Ruth, Joe Daggio and Mickey Mantle Yet
this trio the years stole the show the Giants
and made them New York's second" ball club
Each was or is attraction in himself Ruth of course
was superb No other bapayer Ty Cobb compared
as drawing card 1t was the Babe who broke the Giants
stronghold in the Big Town. which had heretofore regarded
the Polo Grounders as the true team in New York,
The Giants had many great balplayers but
Ruth None had the magnetism of the large with the
spindly legs Mel OFT hit 5l home runs during his years
with the Giants and he batted home 1850 runsmore than
Rogers Hornsby Yet Mel the drawing card that
Ruth was.
AFTER RUTH CAME DIMAGGIO Here was a somewhat
different performer His grace beyond flaw He moved
as no other fielder Ruth was fine outeder with terrific
arm. DIMaggio was better.
DiMag didn't hit home runs on such grandiose scale
as Ruth but stretch he hit safely Sc consecutive
games record And he good the box office People
paid to see DiMaggio bat and field
After while there were knowing critics who began
TO revise their an-time oued-Ruh, Iris Speaker and
Cooo They began to substitute Daggio for Speaker on
the strength that Joe was bigger powerful
the plate and besides he could do all the things the
field that Speaker did Perhaps even BETTER
The Giants had nobody to match DiMaggio True they
came up with Willie Mays great hy-chaser and a real
good hitter in streaky fashion in DiMaggos final year
But the Yankees again topped the Polo Grounders When
DMaggio began to wear out they up with Mantle
MANTLE WAS A PUMPKIN out of Oklahoma and at
nrS the Yankees didn't know If he shotstop or an
ouheder 1t was obvious however he had muscles and
the way he bats both right and efthanded inques fans
Mantle too, is Ruth, although he has been known
10 outdrive the Babe and certainly he strikes harder than
DMagglo Mantle is little bit Of everything He hits from
both sides Of the plate His speed fantastic Mantle lacks
the personality of Ruth and the grace of DMaggo but he
too, is box Office
The Giants have nobody quite like him One admires
Mays but one doesn't necessarily make trip to the Polo
Grounds just to watch him perform
One did for Ruth and for DiMappio .rd for
Mantle Inereoy may lie the Of the Giants decline
In popularity
If THE GIANTS MOVE to San Francisco-and the
Dodgers to Los Angees-he Pacific Coast League
VIII De ruined as SUCH But what will be the indemntvo
some sources claim 1t will approximately 81 million
notnng cheap as in the ST. Louis Boston and
odlumore III would wreck eight-club league" IL is
argued and probably would Take out Los Angeles and
san francisco and you take most of the others too
mus the Pacific Coast League becomes Glass B or C.
IL was interesting to hear indirectly from paul Eapan
owner OF the San Francisco club and the Seals stadium
ASKED what value he would place on Pacific Coast
franchise Pagan replied:
II you're talking about the San Francisco franchise
~ isn worth anything All it amounts to is franchise To
Throw money out the window, and what good is thatp
Inc value OF a franchise in any business must ho
computed on its earning capacity If has no earnno
capacity, then it is liability and worthless"
Mr. Pagan made a point that no Pacific Coast .aouo
ciuoS MADE money last year Two or three MIGHT
broken even, he acknowledged but there Is no nroet
in that" ~ 10 "o pront