Evening star., 1960-05-02
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS STANN
Luck o. the Irish

THE LUCK o. THE IRISH is not always good as any
son of the ould sod will attest and Danny Murtaughs
was all bad last But things to be picking
up for the doughty Cet and his Pittsburgh
Pirates. Ever since the BucS gathered at Fort Myers
Fla back in February they have been the hottest club
baseball.
Il don't care what critics say, I've got good
club Murtaugh insisted in Florida. Its got CUTS and
its got class. All we need is of luck. Well not
luck, exactly, but our share of breaks"
Having finished a surprise runnerup to the Mil
waukee Braves in 1853 the Pirates picked by
orecasters to win in So largely the strength CT youth
the rise. Instead they finished fourth, nine games
back of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Up to now the Bucs have no complaints the luck
They're second in National League team hitting
second in fielding and tops in pitching They have indi
vidua leaders neareaders in every department And
they're out in front.
1T WASN'T ALL bad luck" Murtaugh confesses
-Four of big men-Friend Mazerosk Groa and Virdon
had bad years. least not good But We had
lot of injuries and tough breaks, too"
Bob Friend, who was 22-game winner in 58,
S19 last year. He reported badly overweight for some
This spring he has shed at least 10 pounds and
away winging Bill Mazerosk the second baseman with
the magical hands in So spent the winter packing the
poundage the mistaken belief that he could boost his
home output of 49, He not only fell of to seven
but discovered that he couldn't field much either
with all that weight So Mazeroski like Friend, simmed
down.
I'VE unlucky last season, too" Murtaugh was
quick to remind and all earlier this spring Take
the game that Haddx pitched for instance Look at what
happened to Bob Skinner Gene Baker, Hank Foes, Bob
Clemente, Curt Raydon and George Witt"
Baker rated valuable utility nfieder failed to
spond to knee surgery and didn't play Skinner into
wall hurt himself and fully recovered, losing AZ
points his batting average to 279 Foies and Clemente
both out for month. Witt and Raydon, who as
rockies had combined 17-6 III SO, failed to win game
because of Raydon didn't throw pitch and
Witt was OF
MURTAUGH IN REFERRING to Harvey Haddix was
calling up the the little souhpaws colossal summer nights
effort when he pitched IL perfect innings against the
Braves, only to lose to O. after 3th-inning
That's the kind of year it was Danny lamented
"And yet, despite it ALL made hell of at the top
clubs in August People forget that came from way
back to within 312 games of the lead"
The latest averages recommend the Pirates club
to watch Catcher Smokey Burgess who always could hit
is at 438 Clemente is rolling along at 377 Skinner at
327 and Groa at 349 Three of the NILS top four pitchers
in ERA PratesVernon Law Joe Gibbon and Friend
The Bucs have yet to meet up with the Dodgers and
San Francisco Giants this but not ali of their wins
have been the Phlies and Redlegs In four
with the highly rated Braves the Pirates have three
suggesting that nothing else, they don't hold anybody
In awe.
NOR DOES MURTAUGH impress easily. Danny-O may
not have been great player in his day but he
scrappy one and witty too Clyde Mccullough the Sem
ators coach, tells story of Dodger-Prate game in
Brooklyn years ago when Muraugh and Mccullough
playing for the BUGS.
Beans Reardon the plate umpire called out Muir
taugh strikes and Danny tipped his lid You're out
of the game, tool" beloved Reardon.
After loud argument Murtaugh walked toward the
dugout then suddenly retraced his steps said out"
Reardon repeated his neck veins swelling "Out out!"
Beansle Danny said softly "do you know what you've
Just done? Look around you There's Furo in right
Held for Brooklyn and Aoros in left There's Lavagetto
on third base and Jackie Robinson second Mccullough
is the hitter
DO you realize, Beanse that when you threw me out
you've left yourself the only Irishman the field? You're
all alone, Beansie, all alone"