Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-04
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New Toast of Milwaukee

AT THE BRAVES SPRING TRAINING camp at
Bradenton, Fla, it seemed as If Manager Fred Haney
and his coaches had the Casey" their minds
Probably hangover from the World Series with Stenges
Yankees
"If we get into inheld trouble" Haney would say,
we've got Casey Wise We lucky to get Casey from
the Cubs"
There was very little mention of Mel Roach, yet the
ex-University of Virginia quarterback has been big
why the Mlwaukees have at long last opened
some daylight in the National League race.
Back July IT, you may recall Red Schoendenst
busted finger After good start, Red had been in
slump and the fans riding him-the same Good
OF Red" who the 1857 pennant-and the Braves
were going nowhere At least, they weren't outclassing
the field, as were the Yankees.
Then, from out Of the blue, Mel Roach took charge
of Schoendenst's second-base job.
UNTIL MEL WAS CRIPPLED and put out of action
for the year by Daryl Spencer yesterday the 35yearod
Schoendenst wondering If he'd get his job back
As f-n, Roach batting 309 with lot of his hits
coming in the clutch Red is ready to go again. but the
Braves sorry because they won't have Mel available
during the homestretch and probably the World Series
Roach made only one error at second base in three
weeks Before taking Schoendensts post, he'd been
played sparingly at first base, leftfed and rghtfeld
This mentioned only suggest that Mel gets around
More important is that Roach is time ''bonus
baby" The Braves him $4,000, such to
sign back in 1883 Mel still attending classes at the
University of Virginia and starring in three major sports
football, baseball and basketball.
The Braves sheared a year of eligibility of Roach
by signing him but Vrginas president Colgate Darden
took occasion to commend both Roach and the Braves
President Darden great believer in bigtime sports
mentioned Roachs fine scholastic record and compli-
mented the Braves allowing the young man from
Richmond to complete his education.
PEOPLE BEGAN TO FORGET about Roach after he
Joined the Braves Under the rules in those days bonus
player couldn't be farmed out Roach rode the bench
and baed six times from 1858 to 1885, Bob Wolf of the
Milwaukee Journal relates Then he went into the
ice He had been active in the Naval ROTC at Virginia
"He came back last year. after playing at Atlanta
and Jacksonville Naturally he wasn't going to much
action-not with Mathews and Logan and Schoendienst
and either Adcock Tore in the nheld Sure he rode
the bench but ahead Of this kid during spring training
Casey Wise. Now you don't hear much Of Casey"
Some of Roach's best friends think that Mel would
have quit baseball If he hadn't got this chance One who
prefers to remain anonymous said, After ALL Mel has
been pro since 53 and he's been in the service and
there was Schoendiens and a couple of others ahead
Of him.
81 don't know if Mel really meant to quit. He didn't
tell me way or the other. But If Mel serious
about not getting a chance could see his point Of
view He one of the best all-round athletes that
Virginia ever produced"
BILL wRANEK, WHO is a sort of public relations
director emeritus for Virginia, was saying over the
telephone
MY guess is that Roach was the best quarterback
had during Art Guepes regime at Charlottes-
vile He the varsity when he a freshman and
starred sophomore Then Mel either hurt got
a little gun-shy junior. That was the year he
alternated at quarterback"
Mel had one year Of baseball basketball and football
left at Virginia and he might well have surpassed all
previous feats in these sports had not the Braves, with
their bonus, made him ineligible.
I'VE lost real good athlete" Wranek says. That
was all right, guess the way the Braves did it. But
what folks in the country couldn't figure out what
became of Mel, even allowing for military service"
Lately they've been able to follow their boy Now he's
the shelf but he has the toast of Milwaukee in the
Braves take-charge drive.