Evening star., 1961-02-22
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, FRANCE, ,rAu~
Something About Tom Sturdivont

l. POMPANO BEACH, Fla, Feb. 22.-At this point the
crying need Of the Washington Senators for few
etarting pitchers and Thomas Virgil Sturdivant II is
ready to accommodate.
Sturdivant hasn't done much these last three seasons
winning only total of eight games for the Yankees,
Athletics and Red sox but qualified observers feel he
better pitcher than he's shown. They remember sturd
vant the young who 1873 for the Yankees in
1856 and 1876 the next year. :.a" 1y
"Tn be darned II I know what happened" Sturdivant
says II haven't got single excuse aside from not pitch
ing enough thought had it made with the Yankees,
but things happened back in 1858 and lost my turn And
when lost my starting job lost the knack guess"
Casey stengel was managing the Yankees but Sturdi
want, who good-ooking, black haired guy of go holds
stengel blameess. Casey darned good manager"
Tom He really treated fine guess that just
didn't do what expected and the Yankees traded
to Kansas City" -.-.
: WHAT REALLY TORE IT for sturdvant probably was
rainy spell and hot streak by Whitley Ford Don Lar
and Bob Turley in '5s sturdivant the fourth
starter that season.
"As remember It," Tom says, Larsen pitched shut
out Then Ford did the Turey and then Larsen
back with a couple of low -hitters and then had
rainy spell 1t threw the pitching rotation out Of whack
with Ford, Larsen and Turley doing so wen Casey
went back to these guys don't blame him The result
that he used only three starters over long stretch and
wasn't one Of them"
The Yankees traded sturdivant, Johnny Knucks and
Jerry Lumpe to Kansas City for Ralph Terry and Hector
Lopez in May 1889 Having been on the disabled list with
bad for a month in 49, Sturdvant considered
risk On December 1885, the AS traded him to Boston
for Catcher Pete Daley.
< 'NOw wind UP on the same club with Daley" Tom
Rrfns "Taey put him the expandable list too when
washington and Los Angeles were given franchises"
BEING ON THE LIST didn't surprise him, sturdiyant
claims Apparently Itwasnt much help to the Red sox
he says ralthough think Bill Jurges the manager at
the time denoted me to the bullpen pretty quick
IT had only three starting shots last year all against
the old Washington club On opening day. wouldn't you
know IT, ran up against Camlo Pascual when he was
striking IS of guys and breaking record held by
Walter johnson. 1*
Then, not so much later pitched a two-hitter for
seven innings against Washington and that my last
start OF the season. was put In the bullpen.
II don't mind relieving. If that's what I'm good AZ
doing according to the brass it's okay with me- But
like to think I'm a starter
AFTER ALL I'm not baster My fast ball is what might
be called average throw sinkers knucklers and sders
my curve isn't anything do have control When I'm
pitching regularly won't walk more than one or Two
batters per game"
LAST WINTER AND SPRING sturdivant was pretty
sensational. The Red Sox rated him as their No. boy
The with which he retired htters was little short Of
remarkable once the season started" Boston baseball
writer's say, "he wasn't much"
Sturdivant puts 1t this way:
IT showed up extra early last winter for the Red Sox
guess was in camp early January the others
the club came much, much later.
"I was ahead of the hitters naturally, but things
leveled Off"
the first formal workout of the Senatorso show what
you do?" f9',f
mo problem Tom says II know, at last that I've go
asgood arm.
"rm fit and ready If this ball club wants startinl
pitelaw, I'm candidsee"