Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-20
WIN, LOSE OR
HNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Prisons Progress

TAMPA, FLA. MAR. 2O-A year ago vada Prison.
skinny-egged 19year-od Negro to the Cincinnati
Reds camp directly from with ViSala of the Cali
forna League which is Glass 1t in the nature of
reward Sutng in big league camp for having signed
in the Reds organization Vada wasn't supposed to stay
long
Birdie Tebbetts managing Cincinnati and when
the exhibition began he played Pinson in the out
field In his first game Pnson beat out bunt against
the White Sox four scouts from rival clubs sitting in
the stands clicked vada going from home to first base
in 3.3 seconds
This did not displease Manager Tebbetts and he
fused to send PnSon to Seattle for further seasoning
scheduled opened the National League with the
kid. In his second game Pinson hit grand home
run against Pittsburgh
This is crazy, hoping Glass kid can make the
jump Birdie admitted, but in this boys I just
have to see."
On May IL. Tebbetts noting vadas nervousness and
inexperence finally sent him to Seattle.
MAYO SMITH IS MANAGING the Reds this spring
and he is Just enthusiastic Pnson Tebbets
More So If anything because vada has played
in fast minor league companyand it wasn't too fast for
him. Indeed Pinson burned up the Pacific Coast League
with 34s average and 81 stolen bases tops in the circuit
despite only 124 games.
I've got to open with Pinson in center" Smith says,
He's just too fast and has too much potential" AS
result Smith has moved the veteran Gus Bell who had
been playing center for the Reds. to rightfeld.
Perhaps voice that speaks with authority than
Mayo Smiths at the moment belongs Fred Hutchinson
who managing the ST. Louis Cardinals a year ago.
Then he fired and returned to Seattle where he had
plenty of opportunity to watch Prisons progress
You've got to like his chances OF staying up this year
and Tor long long time, Hutchinson says. Hes still
little green in the outed and he makes occasional mis-
takes at the plate But this kid so fast that he out
run lot of his outfelding mistakes"
HUTCH is NOT GIVEN to extrayagant praise possibly
because 20 years ago Fred himself up to the big
leagues after great with Seattle and found that
his Coast League credentials weren't good enough.
He pitcher and the Detroit Tigers paid large
sum of money for Hutch who had led the Coast League
in 1888 with 257 record But the following spring with
the Tigers the fast ball baed htters in the minors
wasn't good enough The Tigers shipped him TO Toledo
and twice to Buffalo Then came four-year hitch in
the Navy
1t wasn't until 1916 that Fred came to Detroit to stay
and when he made the grade it changed pitcher
The fast ball became waste pitch and Hutch
firmed spot pitcher throwing up lot of junk
But have to like Prisons record in the Coast League"
Hutchinson says. His is different from mine He
does too many things well to miss"
THIS is A QUIET YOUNG MAN of whom much is said
and written but little by teammates would back
Vada in foot against Mickey Mantle If they had to
hook their Jewels but Pinson won't be drawn into any
such controversy When he talks he speaks of how it
year ago how scared he to find himself on big
league club.
ut was all so sudden" Vada says. Il looked around
and there was in the major leagues didn't know my
showed but guess did My friends told me-
PnSon has no running form probably because he never
went out for track at McCymonds High School in Oakland
Calf AS matter of fact Vada runs like Groucho Marx
walks He's stopped and his feet slap the ground fiat
footedly
Hes as deceptive I've seen, vows Johnny
Wander Meer the old pitcher turned coach whats more
he's got pretty good power for sort of skinny kid On
some fast men-Richie Ashburn for example-an nfeld
tighten up play close Ineders can't do it on Pnson
who's liable to the ball down their threats or hit it
by EN-"
In the Reds first game of the spring they from
behind in the last inning to beat the White Sox 450
foot single that cleared the fence with the bases loaded
PinSon hit the ball. but instead OF receiving credit for
grand sammer all he got single because he passed
a teammate second base.
THAT my fault" Vada admitted Il it was
out of the park when hit the ball but just put my
head down and 1t won't happen again. III tell you
that"