Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-15
WIN, LOSE OR
LNAW BY FRANCIS sTANN
.EyeYbody,s Got to Get Jom-Up'


LAKELAND. Fla, Mar A-For reasons not wholly
valid there was strong backing ago for the Detroit
Tigers to challenge and perhaps upset the Yankees
There Of that broad talk The Las Vegas bet
ting line Detroit at 6 Broadway puts the Tigers at
and In their training camp, Willis Patrick Norman won't
even talk about flag.
I'VE have get the first division before we be
a contender" Norman says II think have chance to
do 1t. but always try to be realistic"
Bill Norman is a hefty, 48-year-old career minor
Lacquer who probably the least known Of all managers Of
the moment Even Jack Tighe whom he succeeded last
season, was famous by comparison.
Norman played in most Of the old unfamiliar places
Laurel, Miss, Muskogee st. Paul Dallas
Knoxville Elmira half dozen others In lsSl-32
the White Sox took brief looks at him and sent him back
His language peppered with phrases that strange,
perhaps cornbal.
For instance 'IM tell you what the trouble has been.
We've been able to get all the players going jamup.
at the time If all get jam-up, that's the answer"
THE LISTENER THUS is invited to interpret what
jaup means but anyone who has studied under Casey
Stenge finds Norman easy to understand When Norman
wishes to refer to hitter who drives In runs he calls him
big stick And his philosophy is simple not unlike that
to be heard at a cub scout meeting.
'They still play the game between those foul lines"
Bill says. You can't win pennant in January or on
speakers srostrum Here ne may or may not have been
referring to the Tigers acquisition Of those two good relief
ptchers-Don Mossi and Ray Narleski-from Cleveland
The Tigers finished fifth in SO. half game back Of
the Indians and they games from the Yankees
m than other club In fact they won IL games from
every team except Cleveland go and Washington ts)
They played better for Norman (5649) than for Tghe
t21-2s. finishing with an even 500 for the season.
Obviously. the Tigers have been lacking something for
years they haven't pennant since l945 and
have finished as high as fourth only time 1885,
Some critics have accused them of failing to hustle insist
ing this has been true despite succession Of managers
Red Rolfe Fred Hutchinson, Bucky Harris, Tghe and
Norman.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE of lack Of team play
this club last year, Norman insists "A the players did
their best for They gave 100 per cent Nevertheless,
Norman okayed the winter deals which brought to the
Tigers such Narlesk Mos Eddie Yost Rocky Bridges
and Lou Berberet.
ST On paper the Tigers look dangerous mainly because
they have Al Kaline. Harvey Kuenn, the sick-heding
Frank Boiling and four potential starters in Frank Larry
Jim Burning Foyack and Billy Hoeft This is not to
mention the bulpen strength Whether the Detroits
win be dangerous the field depends in large measure
on the two ex-Senators, Yost and Bridges.
Yost slowed down quite bit last year with Washington,
after II full parts Others the Tigers
frankly gambling that change of uniform will make
difference. "He looks good" Norman says Of Eddie "and
IT'S to him driving other managers pitchers
crazy with those bases balls We need good year from
Yost and Bridges"
Rocky as you may remember, was on his way to his
best until pitched bali by Larry now his team
mate broke his jaw last summer Unlike Bob Cerv VI the
Athletics who bounced back from the same type OF injury
and played outsandngy while his jaws wired
Bridges recovered slowly He out for weeks, lost
strength and never regained his form.
THE KIND OF SHORTSTOP Bridges playing until
his injury has got to help Detroit year the Tigers
full of enthusiasm the acquisition of Billy Martin put
him at shortstop That mistake the part Of Tghe
and may have contributed to his dismissal.
81 coulda told the guy that was the one position Martin
oughn't play" Chuck Dresser said. Bucky Harris was
another who insisted that Martin couldn't play shortstop
as he could second and third bases.
When Norman the term "jam-up" he means.
no doubt season in which full potential Is realized.
Kalne many suspect hasn't reached his peak yet despite
winning the American League batting title in 1855 Still,
AIS 3l3 last year wasn't bad.
Kuenn successfully shifted from shortsop to center
field last year. averaged 3l9 and banged out ITO hits
Boiling and First Baseman Gail Harris hit better than
expected and Red Wilson, behind the plate was no draw
back although he could have been spelled by stronger
catcher.
Lou Berberet, still another ex-senator may be just
that No. catcher, lefthanded Wilson is right and
pretty good hitter in the Detroit park. OF the top
starting pitchers all except Foyack have been 2Ogame
winners and Foytack twice has won IS.
AS Norman quantity puts it. however everybodys
got to get jam-up At least that's what most listeners
comparing notes later, think he said.