Evening star., 1958-07-09
WIN. LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s7Auu
Pure Genius and Billy O'DeH

THE ALL-STAR CROWD was pro-American League
but pro-Baltimore Orioles. AS such the
sweay clients began to actively dislike Casey stengel
early as the fifth inning
The score was tied at 33 and the Americans had the
bases loaded with one out Casey's man. Bill Skowron
at bat The National Leagues pitcher Bob Friend
of the Pirates, mean one for a righthanded hitter
The book" called for Manager Stenge to resort to
percentages and dramatics at this point Why not
Williams to pinch-ht for Skowron? The fans expected
It, They wanted to see the games most coorful hitter
when the chips were down.
But skowron batted and ended the inning by drilling
into double play and Stengel, quaint lkeable old
geezer everywhere else, was persona non grata
NOW 1T WAS THE SIXTH inning score stin tied and
Frank Malone had led off with a single. 1t was Gus
Triandos turn at bat You about Gus He's Balti-
mores big catcher and batting gun The pride and joy
OF the bluefn crab belt
Gus started toward the plate and was called back by
StengeL Immediately the crowd emitted tremendous
ooo And as Yogi Berra who happens to be CaSeys per-
sona pride and JOY took Gus place the boos grew louder
"Ya start va bum pitching" yelled an irate Gus
TONER referring to Bob Turey who lasted one and two
thirds innings. "Ya don't yank your bum Skowron)
for Williams when it's the ball game Now you put up
new bum Of your own for real hitter"
Berra, batting only 228, popped out feebly on the
first pitch but instead of being dmayed the Baltmoreans
screamed with ecSacy. there had been roof on the
stadium they might have blown it off, They had second
guessed Stenge forgetting that he their" manager
for day and remembering only that he the regular
season genius of the Orioles ormentors the Yankees
BUT Boos DON'T PANIC an old pro like stenge
although the paths he chooses toward genius often are
devious Early Wynn of the White Sox who had twired
one perfect inning and who is pretty good switch
oatsman for pitcher lifted for pinch hitter after
Frank Thomas, National League third baseman. had
messed up Ted Williams ground ball to move Malone
to second base
Stengel sent up you guessed it another one
OF MS Yankees. Gil McDougald no less who had been
IN horrible batting slump went to bat for WYNN And
cDougao singled home Malone with what proved to be
the winning run in AS game You'd have thought the
natives had decried the strategy by the lack of en-
thuSasm.
Now stengels pure genius came to the surface The
NauonaS still had solid bank of righthanded hitters in
the lineup Mays and Walls and Aaron and BANKS and
Inomas and MazeroSki and Crandal So or Case who
doesn't give fig for the book" called in new pitcher
to replace Wynn
Book" baseball dictated righthander perhaps his
own Hyne Duren But stenge beckoned for southpaw-
Billy ODeu OF the Orioles no less.
ODELL is rs YEARS OLD and last year he had
modest 4lO record Casey figured it was time he grew up
Billy had the potential.
ODeH had the stuff to down the last nine National
League htters in order They went down as fast as thew
came up and the rival bench there was poor Fred
Haney Sadded with nothing else on the bench except
lefthanded hitters Moryn of the Cubs Roseboro of
the Dodgers, Ashburn of the Phiies Mathews of the
Braves and Grove Of the Reds
Now 1t was over and the Americans were showering
and giving interviews and eating sandwiches and kosher
pickles and drinking beer in the clubhouse Berra who
had pnch-ht so neecvely for Trandos walked over to
big Gus
Gee, what town." Yogi said Il didn't have no
knife on your throat You know don't think they like
me in Baltimore"
TRIANDOS LAUGHED EASILY. Forget it. Yogi" he
said "oDe took of the hook And Casey sending I'D
McDougald didn't hurt"
The Genius himself suddenly appeared fully dressed
for the street and whatever celebrations might be on the
agenda although fully that today he was to appear
before Senator Kefauvers Antitrust and Monopoly Sub
See WIZ. LOSE OR DRAW, Page C-s