Evening star., 1961-03-24
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS sTANN
Ralph Houk of the Yankees

Stengel already has faded misty specter here at the
abandoned training base of the New York
Yankees Casey belongs to the nostalgia past along with
Ruth and Gehrg. Their names brought up remins-
Gently in the late evening bull sessions but by day 1t
business usual and the Yankees managed by Ralph
Houk, look no different.
In their familiar pin-strped fannels they carry the
stamp Of class the mark of professionals They are the
team to beat in the American League and among baseball
there is little doubt but what the husky decorated
World War II warrior will turn out to be competent
manager.
Once in a while wde-eyed innocent will walk into
the Yankee camp and question Houks credentials why
Houk?" he will ask. "He better than third
string catcher in his playing days. The ldtimers smile
toleranty They remember couple other Yankee man
ayers. Miller Higgins never was close to being star
player and Joe Mccarthy never played in big league
game. Between them, they won IA pennants.
Houk is rugged tobacco chewing who true to
the code, reluctant to speak when he coach
under stenge Now boss he speaks freely and frankly
although succinctly Nobody could be like Casey" he
grins. There's no future for an imitator."
ALMOST FROM THE DAY he retired as an active
player Houk tapped to be stengels 1t
great secret The Yankees knew it. from veterans like
Yogi Berra down to the kids They didn't know that Senge
would be fired after winning his 10th pennant but
day
This day Houk was asked he felt that he were under
extraordinary pressure Everybody would like to
the Yankees the way the question put "but do
you feel that you've got to win? Do you feel that whatever
you do you'll be compared to stengel?"
Ralph chews on a question before he answers. He
chewed thoughtfully. Frankly" he replied, II hadn't
thought of it. Anyway I've got to do it my way"
Houk's position is not without precedent Chuck
Dresser quit the Brooklyn Dodgers in huff after winning
the 1853 National League pennant The Dodgers
bgname candidates and appointed Walter Aston the
successor.
Aston wasn't even player Of Houks stature In fact
he'd appeared in big league game only once striking out
in his only time at bat He only finished second with
huthe WAS ined and he's
three pennants and the only world championships
the history Of Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
%" =
HOUK WAS ASKING on the bench about Bud zipfel
the Yankee farmland who claimed for 900 by the
Senators ~He's the best-ooking young player in
camp" visitor from Pompano Beach ventured
Figures" Ralph said, shooting stream Of amber
Juice at the dugout steps. "Im sorry we lost him."
Then why did the Yankees put him the expend-
able list?"
"In order to protect all the pitchers could" Houk
said Besides zpfe had only played in Class We
gambling that could sneak him through the draft.
Somebody the Washington club had good information"
Houk record saying he'd like to have Of two
exYankees back the club, namely Gene Woodling or
Dale Long He admits his bench is not strong and wants
big pnch-hter. He get either probably, If he
offers Johnny Blanchard his lethanded batting catcher
Cetus Boyer, his third baseman, part of DEAL
Boyer is my third baseman," he said, "and can't
give up Blanchard with Yogi Berra and Elston How
the club My catchers the most valuable part
of the Yankee team" l
RARELY HAS ANY CLUB carried three better catchers
and probably has any threesome been versatile
mobile. II can't give up catcher" Houk explained.
"A three do many things Berra play the OUT
field Howard. Blanchard play first base and
so can Howard"
"WE WERE HURT by the expansion" Houk went on.
1--WE lost Long and Bob Cerv to Washington and Los An
geles Gil McDougald, who played all over the nfed,
retired On top of that lost Bobby Shant in the draft
and that leaves shy in the bupen Otherwise have
complaints"
Mickey Mantle happened to be in the batting practice
cage. Roger Maris Berra Bill Showron and Tony Kubek
were waiting their turns Houk indeed have serious
complaints No other club in the American League has
nucleus like the Yankees hard core.
Houk won't predict pennant, although Stengel did a
couple of times in his later years Instead Ralph sad T
look for four-cub It'll be between U.s. Baltimore,
Cleveland and Chicago It won't be easy for the winner
Houk disagrees with critics who say the good clubs
especially the Yankees will faen up the two new teams
Sec WIN, LOSE OR DRAW. Page. d.