Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-13
! WIN, LOSE OR
sDkAW By FRANCIS sTANN
If 1t Were Sentimental

IF THERE WERE SENTIMENTAL choice in the
National League, wouldn't the Pittsburgh Pirates be IT.?
Iney would be here because the Pirates haven't finished
higher than next-tolast since l949 and now all of sud-
den they have been taking of after the one so-caled
truly solid club in the circuit Milwaukee
Probably the Pirates won't catch the Braves this year
and nobody in his right mind in Pittsburgh betting they'll
do it.
Next year, could be-" Sports Editor AL Abrams of
the Post-Gazete was saying long distances Some
OF the Braves showing their ages they hadn't come
up with some good young pitchers we have seen here
in Pittsburgh I'd kind of like the Pirates chances Of catch
ing Milwaukee yet"
Danny Murtaugh, as you may know, is the MANAGER
since August 1957-when as a coach he relieved Bobby
Bragan When he played Danny was no ball of hre-and
how many of todays managers Hall of Fame stat
ure?-but he made living in pro ball player for some
II years before he began managing the minors coach
ing, and taking for Bragan.
ABRAMS, WHO HAS SEEN some pretty good Pirate
teams as well very bad Ones thinks of Murtaugh
this way:
Hes solid manager. Danny may not be an atten-
ton grabber Oh he'll argue the field when he feels
that ne has acase but Danny isn't the Durocher type
AL got to chuciing after this statement There was
time not SO long ago." he recalled, that Murtaugh did
come out and start rhubarb with Umpire Jocko Conlan
Conan looked at Danny and asked irrtaby, whats
this for? You haven't got any squawk"
This game is on TV in my home town in Chester
Pa Mutaugh etorted II just want the folks back there
to see me in afcoseup."
Some vers ions state that Danny was doing a benefit
for his bedrdhen mother She died about two ago
of cancer.
THE FACT THAT PITTSBURGH has done this well
is remarkable in that Muraugh doesn't have lefhanded
starting pitcher There only two southpaws on the
club and because they can't cut stretch both are
in the bupen. Roy Face had appeared in AZ games as
these lines written and had five and was credited
with saving l8 The other is Don Gross, Cincinnati
CASTOR.
THE Pirates have the pitching" Abrams said They've
got two good young ones in George Witt and Curt Raydon
to with the Big Three-Ron Kline vern Law and Bob
Friend. This Witt is real good. In appearance-and
don't say he makes his pitch explode like water-he
minds lot of old-timers of Johnson
"PittSburgh'S outheld is real good maybe the Ma
tonal Leagues best Bob Skinner in left Bill virdon in
center and Roberto Clemente in right all right They
hit and they field, Skinner.
"Murtaugh is weak in catching. He hasn't got good
hitting catcher You don't compare the defensive ined
with, say Cncnnatis Ted Kuszewsk and Dick Stuart
share first base because they have bats in the Dick
Groat okay at short and Frank Thomas outhelder
playing third base.
THE MOST UNDERRATED of all National Leaguers
is the second baseman Bill Mazerosk Hes got the best
hands and the best pivot Of anybody in the majors Abrams
says boldly ASK the Astar players of few weeks ago.
And he's pretty good hitter on top of it, too"
There used to be a time when the Pirates were SO
short and suy that witty people, like Joe Garagiola
inspired to crude jokes Il played for the Pirates in 1882
joe gagged never saw mloget lnneo until that year.
Branch Hickey, big boss, knew what he was doing
however He could get eight of those mdgets into
hotel rOom and save lot of money the road.
1--WE lost 80 Of our first AZ games" Garagiola on
And you know what went into a Sump!"
Lately the Pirates somewhat taller There are
lanky and just big and strapping Skinner
and Thomas and Raydon and Kuszewski and Stuart and
a few Others
The Pirates front Office, however, complains that it
won't make any money until the attendance dances
the million mark which is close to hand Ironc isn't it,
that the Senators show profit just above the
100000 mark at home and neVT stir up INTEREST,"