Evening star., 1960-07-08
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCE, s7Auu
Objection DisoIIowed

READER CALLS to protest the naming OF Stan Mu-
Sal (batng 289 to the National League Astar
squad and to lesser extent question Ted Williams seec-
ton to the American League team This is times for
MuSal and 16 for Williams he aments Cant they play
without these old foks What's wrong with picking Richie
AShburn Yves Covington?"
This almost too easy The are several In the
first place. the object of the AStar games is money most
of it to insure life of sppered for pensoned BALL
players AShburn of the Cubs Covngon of the Braves
nice fellows and strong the flag and motherhood
But even their batting averages don't necessarily spell out
box office ;
The last ssmiocal averages showed AShburn hitting
tidy 1893 and Covington up among the MI leaders with
3l9 Musial is nowhere close and hasn't even been
played regularly by Soly Hemus but at age Stan
remains Tie Man. somebody special Williams has
impressive batting average although his play has been
limited but critic claims that in the field ard on the
bases the old gaffer (42 next month"; is a liability.
Forgotten conveniently overlooked the fact that
Williams hasn't been much fyhawk hasn't thrown out
many runners and hasn't stolen bases for years
isn't paid his magnificent salary for versatility He Ted
Williams.
CONTRARY TO OPINION shared by many sentiment
isn't the deciding factor in the tapping of by MI
Manager Walt Aston and Williams by Skipper AL Lopez
Oh it plays part perhaps But younger stronger
with established clutch performances behind them and
the box-oce appeal available there doubt
that MssrS Aston and Lopez would choose differently
1t didn't hurt Musials when the sites were an
nounced Kansas City and New York Both American
League cities and presumably hungering for last look
land how many last looks will there be at Stan and Ted
at this National League legend
Another factor Old they and despite what the
records show MuSia with only four homers for example,
these two guys still break up ball game with single
Swipe AnStar managers set big store by the long ball
hters Excepting the pitchers, you count the fin
gers of hand the All-Stars each of the 3Oman
squads who don't represent home threats every time
they go to the plate.
SIGNIFICANT TOO perhans 4 the Difference AlStnn
like Lopez showed to the club top in his league Amer
four of the Yankees and then Lopez the White added
The National League players selected only two Of the
Pittsburgh Pirates against Milwaukee to start
But Aston took full cognzance the redhot Pirates when
it came to picking the other % pitchers and utility
The manager the erratic world champion Dodgers
picked Pitchers Roy Face, Bob Friend and Vern Law;
Catcher Smoky Burgess Shortstop Dick Groat and Out
fielder Bob Clemente.
Along with Second BaSeman Bill MazeroSki and Left
fielder Bob Skinner who chosen by ballot these give
the Bucs eight AStar representatives and top honors
1t was considered an oddity when the Cleveland In
dans runnerSup to the White last year and red hot
this season. failed to land single starter But how about
the Dodgers Who knocked off the White SoX in the SO
World Series? They didn't score either in the original bal
long 1t remained for their Aston, to make sure
there few Los Angeles uniforms on the fields
At that when he merely named Pitchers Johnny Pod
res and Stan Williams plus such utility men as Norm
Laker and Charlie Neal he pretty sparng He had to
pad out the Dodger representation matter of fact by
nominating Ed Palmqust and Joe Pgnatano as batting
practice pitcher and catcher, respectively.