Evening star., 1961-03-17
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS STANN
WiIIinq q Bone to Knit

FOSI MYERS, FLA, MAR. 1I-Ine purlStS analyze
Dick Groat in components and conclude that he is not
great Shortsop They take him apart piece by piece and
verify that he has limited range fair ar better
than average speed and little power Then they put him
back together and he up the champion Pittsburgh
Pirates catalyst He is their glue man"
The ex-Duke basketball and baseball star is a soft
spoken 3Oyear-old from Swssvae Pa who not only
the National Leagues batting champion last year. but also
the most valuable player No player in the league will
claim the Bucs could have without him
Groat likened to lou Boudreau. In many respects
Dicks 1860 season paraleed LOUIS smashing campaign in
194s when he led the Cleveland Indians to the American
League pennant and World Series victory the old
Boston Braves Boudreau slower afoot and his
hands looked too dainty for good shortsops but Lou
had the knack playing the htterS almost faultleSSy.
That was the year the late Clark Griffith, who in
varaby leaned toward the old timers, paid Boudreau
greaS tribute This one season he was the best shortop
saw Griff Sad "and that includes Honus Wagner"
GROAT WAS TALKING this day about the 80 cam
pagn especially when his left wrist broken on Sep
ember Did you think you'd be ready for the World
Series?" he was asked.
THE doctor said I'd have to the cast for four
weeks" Dick replied quietly THAT would have meant he
wouldn't take it off until the day before the series Nat
uray, wouldn't have been able to play The muscles
would have been too weak SO had to heal faster"
"You make it sound you willed your wrist to heal
faster" interviewer said.
Groat laughed I'm a sense guess did," he said.
began bargain with the doctor Take it off in 10 days
and Just look at it, asked him II 1t isn't all right then
put it back on.
He gave me an argument He said something about
waiting three weeks Then it was two weeks Finally we
compromised Is days don't know how it came to be
13 days. but that's what it was
II was waiting for the 18th day and he took 1t
Off He amazed He told me If exercised properly
could play in the series"
GROAT WEARS HIS BATTING title modestly While
his 1925 average falls far short of many championship
marks 1t is doubtful If many MI batting kings delivered
more key hits When he speaks of his hitting in the series
Dick Is apologetic.
IT didn't hit a lick" Groat said land my wrist was no
alibi It felt all right Just didn't hit"
This not entirely true His series average was only
4 but Groat the Pirate who drove Bobby Shanz out
Of the box in the memorable eighth inning Of the final
game.
Shantz was pitching like winner when Gino Cimon,
batting for Roy Face singled open the round The
was "a Yankees. Next Bill Virdons grounder which
bounced badly and struck Shortsop Tony Kubek in the
Adams apple. This was double-play ball, and Casey
Stenge had no thought of removing Shantz until Groat
singled to score Cimol
This may have been as big a turning point as anv
Stenge pulled Shantz in favor of Jim Coates and later
Ralph Terry. Neither could stem the tide.
Lew Burdette Of the Milwaukee Braves the pitcher
who struck down Groa but the captain Of the Pirates
holds him bameesS Frankly he said II froze at the
plate The pitch that hit wasn't that bad started to
move into it and simply froze The ball coming at my
head and threw left hand just in time. It my
fault"
BY THIS TIME the Pirates already we're pennant-
bound and Groa had performed enough deeds win the
most valuable player award Also the batting champion
ship although he had started the campaign poorly
1t pleaSeS Groat to know that he not only is the
third National League shorStop modern history to win
the hitting title but the third Pittsburgh Shortstop
Arky Vaughan of the 1885 Pirates and Wagner, who
eight times for the Bucs the only shorstops
who were batting champions.
Groat is dozed in Pittsburgh virtually his home town.
but cost him poSSeres money While other Pirate stars
mopped up with speech-makng and other public appear
anceS last winter Groat doing his snts for free
can charge my friends?" he asked "At that have
complaints The winning end of series today about
$4,000 pickup, even with no-charge appearances.
"The only thing that bothered that the last
26 days before left for spring training could supper
with my kids only three nights. And might not have
enjoyed those evenings the steel company represent
the of-eason hadn't stepped in and turned down
the banquet requests"
The purists pick him apart and downrate his sklls
Leave him whole and he play anybodys club And
be the leader.