Evening star., 1960-12-12
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS sTAAN
Time and Memories Are Enemies


BOSTON Dec 12-Time and memories will be the twin
enemies of Ed Dohery and Mickey Vernon of the Senators
and Fred Haney of the Los Angeles Angels tomorrow when
they draw from the 12Opayer list to stock the American
Leagues two new franchises.
the years could be peeled back-and If only of the
Hedging organizations coud ehooSe-t wouldn't be bad
ball club the Senators Ange would put the field An
almost certain pennant conte der matter of fact
But it is fantasy of this sort that must be guarded
against, Rookie Manager We non keeps reminding him
self Il knew the best known players the list when they
were good some great Mickey says You've to remember
that time has taken toll.
There's point in loading up veterans because
they had it once. Doherty and intend to claim just
enough older players to give balance and pick younger
prospects possible You know for example, that Ted Ku
szewsk can't play full And what good is old
ball player when he runs out of gas? You can't send him
to farm team. You want kids to stock your farms"
BUT TO INDULGE the imagination to give free rein to
the caprcious pretty good pitching nucleus would have
out of Don Newcombe Bobby shantz. Ned Carver,
Billy Hoeft and even Don Larsen.
Roll back the years to 1856 and Newcombe PIT
pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers Turn back the cal
endar and Shantz PAT for the Philadelphia Athletics
in SO and the AIS most valuable player
Upend the. hourgass and Hoeft was 2O-l4 for the
Tigers in Sc and Carver 2012 for the ST. Louis Browns
in 81. Go back to SO and Larsen was lis with the
Yankees for whom he additionally pitched the only per-
feet game in World Series history.
Tomorrow they will cost $4,000 apiece if claimed and
alas is worth such price But in their peak
Newcombe Shantz Carver Hoet and Larsen aggregated
fctonal 0245 record You don't Just win pennants at
that pace, you breeze.
SPEAKING OF BIG KLU, there was a time when
$4,000 would only have been down payment for Mr.
Muscles Like in 1854 when Theodore batted 326 for
Cincinnati hit 40 homers and drove 149 runs Oh
he priceless over fouryear stretch with the Red
legs-1953-56-when he hit over 800, knocked in
than 100 each season and hit 49, 49, Al and IS home
But Kuszewski is SO years old now overweight pain
fully slow and with suspect back to boot.
Ten years ago Billy Goodman, one OF the few active
players with lifetime Of 300 or better led the
AL in batting with 1854 He was hitting pest for
the Red Sox and handy not brilliant nfleder because
he could play all four positions But Billy is over the
hill, like the rest of the name" expendables.
Eddie Yost is on the list and he's still nuisance Win
his bases balls But go back to 1880 ana ne was as
good third baseman there was in the league WIN
295 batting average stronger and faster feet than
he has now.
NONE OF THE AVAILABLE shortstop veterans ever
threatened to make the Hall OF Fame in their best days
but the Joe DeMaestr of the AS in 53 could make all
the plays, even If he batted only 255 And Billy Klaus
was drawback to the Red Sox in SIS when he hit 283
In AL President Joe Cronins office here tomorrow at
last four onceformidabe ouelders repeatedly will be up
for grabs They aren't what they used to be- but
upon time Gene Wooding hitting 1921 for Cleveland
over season. Hank Bauer helping to win nine pen
nants for the Yankees, Bob Cerv 305 hitter with
SO homerS and 104 RIBS at Kansas City and Jim Rivera
was batting in high 280s for the White Sox and running
bases and throwing in to inspire Rogers Horns
by to call him "the only ball player today I'd pay to
watch"
The best known among the catchers were an ordinary
lot even In their palmiest days. although years ago
Clint Courtney hit 800 for Washington and could
throw and receive better than Nor was Red Wilson
to be confused with Mickey Cochrane although years
ago he hit 299 for the Tigers.
Those were years and records to remember perhaps
but to be put aside when tomorrows moment of truth
arrives AS Vernon and Doherty agree take few and
leave a few. Especially at $4,000 apiece