Evening star., 1960-04-15
WIN, LOSE OR.
DRAW 3, FRANCE, .1Auu
And Now Only Four

WELL, FRANK HOWARD one 81 million ball.
player who didn't lnger too long. On the of the
Los Angeles Dodgers opener the majors biggest physical
Specimen-6-foot7 and 243 pounds If he weighs
was farmed out to Spokane.
u Not so long Al Campans director of the Dodgers
scouting system, went on record as saying there were
only ve players in baseball today who were worth 81 mil
'on Howard was one for his potential" The others
might readily be guessed - Willie Mays. Hank Aaron,
Mickey Mantle and Ernie Banks
!, Il don't count pitchers" Campanis explained "Too
unpredictabe But he chose Howard alone of the Los
Angeles properties Some day he's going to break Babe
Ruths records declared in of those brokenrecord
statements.
Campanis talking at Vero Beach, Fla, where the
Dodgers trained and kept intact the elaborate rating
system instituted by Branch Rickey, the White
Father OF the Continental League Players established
ones and those coming up graded hitting
neldlng' throwing hitting for distance, speed, etc.
!, THE HIGHEST ANY balplayer can be scored is 80"
iCampans said. "The only so-caled perfect payer-at
,least the only to be rated at SOS Mays. So
"a 81 million balplayer. t...'..
/. Aaron Is, too but we don't him at 80. Hank
great batter but he doesn't run and throw like Mays
with all that power and being swch-htter as we'll
Mantle belongs in the 81 million he doesn't do
everything that Mays can do and neither can Banks
!, when include rookie like Howard in the Million
dollar class people look at kind of funny not
kidding Howards going to make it, Nobody in the
world can hit baseball far as he can"
I. These, then are the five Campanis rated as best
There is slightly lower echelon embracing Harvey
kuenn Luis Aparicio Ed Mathews, AL Kane and couple
OF Others but not including the American Leagues most
valuable player Nellie Fox.
:. "Fox is nice balplayer real hustler but he's not
In the million dollar class" Campanis explained.
>! ~ y
! SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE in 1859 Gabe Paul
vice president and general manager of the Cincinnati
Redlegs proposed offer of $5000OO for Harmon Kile-
brew OF the Senators Paul vowed that it legitimate
oner out in Florida other executives poohpoohed
ia publicity stunt.
Gabe is working for millionaire CPowel Crosey jro
but he's tied by the ghtest purse strings in the National
League one executive said Even Klebrew was worth
half million Paul couldn't put it up"
E, With the Punishment of Howard to the minors if
only on temporary basis, there remain only four
IL million players according CampaniS book and three
OF them-MayS, Aaron and Banks-are Negroes They're
working harder at the game is all can figure" Campanis
reported Mays does everything, and and Banks
do nearly everything. Mantle we'll he's got leg trouble
But what a potential!"
!. What potenal!" is an expression which has been
used before in the of Mantle There are knowledge
able baseball people who thnk that Mickey may be run
ming, out of potential.
!, n
/ Howard not only is the biggest PLAYER but the "a
yearod former A-Amerca basketball star also must be
one OF the most prodigious eaters modern baseball
Some OF the stories told of his enthusiasm caring for
I the inner man border the fantastic.
One Of the Dodgers invited Howard to his home at
Nero Beach last February in the innocent belief that
what with his World Series cut last October he could
anord to treat the gigantic rookie to meal
He ate whole pot roast by himself after he warmed
up HoWards teammate moaned. Then he finished with
4 . whole pie"
Howard undoubtedly will be back in the majors. His
record shows that he's too good the minors Spokane
us no great challenge because he batted sls there last
season. Is well S56 at Victoria But the young man
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