Evening star., 1961-03-28
WIN, LOSE OR
DKAW By FRANCIS srAAA
Orioles Still Hurtinq


MIAMI Mar. 2S--It has to be a dubious reflection
on the American League that the Baltimore Orioles led the
race as late as last September and finally wound up
second with one of the worst outfelds in the majors His
tory stresses that club win without good bats and
sure hands in the outfied The Orioles almost rewrote
history.
The great bah clubs all had crack outfields Hooper,
Speaker and Lewis Ruth MeuSel and Combs Sim
mons Haas and Miller DiMaggio, Keller and Hen
rich There were American League ouflds only and not
all Of the better ones, either. Baltimores 1860 outed
was from hunger and Paul Raper Richards the first
to admit it.
Now the Orioles paradng to the post with another
questionable outfield They dependent their in
field for and their crack young pitchers for low
scoring games On it smacks of the same story as
last year.
says Jackie Brandt probably will open in centerfeld but
wei have to play the other fields by There are about
eight guys to choose among. The trouble B stands
out above the next one"
YEAR AGO RICHARDS had three more or less reg
uar outfielders Gene Woodlng, Brandt and Willie Tasby
He traded TaSby to the Red Sox for Gene Stephens on
June 10 and disposed of Woodng via the expansion draft
In December He does not regret either of these
IF Woodlng doesn't hit real good he hurts you in the
field Richards says Gene Baltimores top-hitting
outeder with 2S3 but that wasn't enough for Paul 1.-THE
people in Washington few SURPRISES Richards
predicts referring to the Senators acquisition OF both
Woodling and Tasby. "A ground ball between Brooks
Robinson and Ron Hansen apt to be good for two
bases as not"
The lean Texan can't explain the deart of outfielders
in the Baltimore organization during period when the
Orioles rich in pitchers and innelders zone of
those cycles guess" Paul comments holowy. He is
privately distressed by this weakness because with
long-ban hitter in the outfieder-a Rocky Colavto,
Roger Maris, an AL Kaine or Jim Lemon-he feels
his club could take it all.
Too much of burden is placed on Baltmore's in
feders three of whom outhit Woodling last year.
THE ORIOLES HAVE SUBLIME faith in Richards
ability to with solution Veterans and kids alike
regard him the best manager in the business They
watch him with awe and respect.
Richards is the master of the thoughtful walk He
walks like movie with 48 frames to the second ~Theres
reason for that thoughtful walk Jim Busby says He
walks slow but those wheels turning like crazy in
his head"
OF all the Orioles perhaps Busby knows the boss best
Jim, recently taken off the active list and appointed
coach broke into the majors under Richards at Chicago
When he finally gets to where he is walking" Jim ex-
plains, hes got what he has to say all prepared"
How Is he to play for? Does he chew you out when
you goof?"
He chews out umpires," Jim laughs "But when his
players make mistake he waits heard Richards
baw out player in front of anybody else He waits and
sends for you and talks over the matter in private"
One year with the White Sox Busby recalls Richards
hardly spoke to him. Il doing well and don't guess
Paul addressed half dozen words all season. He
doesn't often tell player that he's doing good lob but
he tells other people,.
RICHARDS POWERS of concentration amaze his men
and boys No matter what he does be it BRIDGE scrabble
crossword puzzles golf baseball he goes all out Have
you ever seen him do crossword puzze?" Busby asks
He does the toughest like he's writing letter
"One day on the golf course he missed 3-foot putt
After he finished his round Paul hired caddie and for
two solid hours pracced that putt-same distance
same hole"
Umpres and ball players agree that no man in base
ball match Richards vocabulary when he thinks an
umpire missed call. There was one dissenter Busby
recalls.
Two years ago was with the Red Sox," he relates
"A Boston newspaperman said You've played for Rich
ards and now you're playing with Ted Williams I've got
81 bet that Williams vocabulary ripper and racer than
Richards in any argument We've decided to let you be
the sole judge Let know after you hear williams at
( his best.
"The season wasn't half when Ted Tipped his lid
listened closely and then sent this guy telegram that
read: You lose ST. Williams isn't bad but he is over
! Matched"