Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-08
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, FRANCIS s14pp
Casey and the 400 Hitter

ST. PETERSBURG FLA, MAR. THE last 400 hitters
In the majors Ted Williams in the American League
in l941 and Bill Terry in the National in 1890 Williams
had just turned q when he finished with 406 and his
equal for wrist action reexes and batting eye hasn't
been seen since TerryS 4O1 happened % seasons ago.
win there ever be another 400? The question was
put to pretty shrewd baseball man-Casey Stengel
@Well I'd guess So" Casey said "A fellow like Mickey
Mantle might do it and maybe williams himself but
they've got to think of points and don't bother with leading
in home runs"
visitor to the Yankee bench said williams told me
few years ago that he expected to hit 400 again
and II anybody did it would be fast man who would
beat out lot of hits" sass
"wELL, NOW, THAT'S RIGHT" Stengel agreed, "and
speed help. But if Williams himself wanted to stand
up at the plate and just punch at pitches when he's
got the outfelders playing mile back guess he could
hit 400 again"
And Mantle?
"He's got the power and the speed that Williams
don't have, but like said the fellow who wants to hit
400 has got to think in terms of points you know,
average They don't want to think that way because
people tell them it big money to hit home
and knock in runs"
wouldn't 400 hitter be as big gate attraction
as the home run champion?" Stengel asked.
Casey shrugged and answered obliquey. 1T started
with Ruth hitting those so home runs" he said. HE
made all that money and got famous and everybody
else with muscles wants to be like the fellow and they
don't if they hit 1885, which is all right with them
they get home
"Now in order to bat AGO." Casey continued going
very light the StengeeSe during this little tete-a-tee
she's got to think like 400 hitter and 1t isn't easy
"HE'S GOT TO STAND UP there and the infeders
got to know he knock the ball down their threats II
they play close and the outfeders got to know he hit
It out of the park So they play Deep too and the fellow
instead of taking the big swing all the time hunts some
times or Slaps the ball in front of the outeders Then
If the ielders close, he crank up and make
em honest again.
II once saw Ruth just for gag bunt ball to third
base and the fellow playing there really at shortstop
Deep too and Ruth trots down to first laughing all the
way There isn't any play on him and If Ruth wanted,
maybe he could have real hard and got two bases
But Ruth don't want to do 1t all the timeWilliams could
do it. too-and they don't hit, 400.
"Now you take my man Mantle who hit .304 last year
but has AZ home He struck out 100 times and it
is hard to knock runs when you strike out Now
II Mantle don't make the big swing but does this way
graspng imaginary bat handle and pushing with his
hands, "he gets lot of hits to the opposite field and
maybe TO- IL times year he also hits the ball slow
the ground and beats 1t out.
TT don't take many extra hits to raise average
II you don't strike out 100 times"
1T DEVELOPS THAT STENCIL is an admrer of
Terry, his fellow-fnancer of Jacksonville Nov they
said that Terry didn't pull the ball enough Casey mused
but he could pull and hit the long ball If he wanted to-
But Terry 400 hitter up here" tapping his head
with crooked finger land he would spray the ball all
the outfeld
"And when Terry didn't hit to the outied he beat
out lot of neld hits because he don't look like it but he
could run go feet to first base good anybody else
and they don't throw him out"
bystander asked, Casey why don't you have heart
toheart talk with Mantle about hitting 400 the way you
describe? Wouldn't he be Just big drawing cardP"
The old gaffer hesitated Them in purest Stengeese,
he changed the subject:
NOW we openthe season tomorrow-look at CroSetti
teaching that d-we have the lineup except Kubek
which in the Army for short time defending our coun-
y-oh Lawrence Berra) is going catch batting practice
and our organization need to start spring
training SO early so they must know :"