Evening star., 1962-09-08

A BeIoted Tribute
To Pete RunneIs
By MORRIS sIEGEL

1T WAS CALLED to our attention by that affable
mountain of kindness and dignity Holman that not
enough space being devoted to a man in baseball
called Pete Instantly the thought suggested itself that
master pubcst Holman had not reading the right
papers The that this were pretty well full
Of stuff about Pete-Pee Quesada-but this is not the
man Holman had in mind.
Not that Pete" Holman said, "but Pete Runnels He's
leading the league in batting again. you know"
Joe's right Runnes for years one Of the leagues
better hiters and its batting champ only few
shades above anonymity conrased to and space
devoted to less deserving figures
There is no accounting for this. except that Pete
Runnels quiet elfeffacng rather coloess performer
who goes about his duties for the Sox with fanfare
and no protests He seldom has complained about anything
and when he did probably about not being able to
play ball because of the weather
PETE-HIS REAL NAME is James but he thinks Pete
sounds much better and the agreement rather universal
lis easily capable of making any ball club in either league
When it time for Ralph Houk to round out his All
Star squad here wasn't on it for some reason
known only to Houk. He was the leagues third leading
batter hen but Houk thought others deserving
and Pete didn't make it. Neither did Nanny Jimenez of
Kansas City, who led the league at All-star time
Today Pete is leading the league with average Of
don't hear much if anything about consistent Texan
who keeps swinging away year after year.
Pete does anything exciting in the show biz sense
OF the word He's not heavyweight hitter of the
singles type You heard peep about his off
field activities because there's been any Pees
no ssy, either. He merely knows how to mind his
business.
-5- HIS IDEA OF EXCITEMENT is to help the Red sox
win ball game and his teammates will tell you nobody
does it better for them Yet there's incongruy there
too In 1851 the after Runnes 800 led the American
League in batting, he couldn't make his ball
. club Honest
Mike Higgins, the podding Texan who manages Boston,
had Vic Wertz at first, Chuck Sching at second and
Frank Malone at third the three positions Runnes has
played in addition to spot of shortSop and nrequent
hitch in the outfeld The immediate thought that
the Red sox must be some shucks of ball club they
couldn't find place for the league batting champion
1t turned out the Red Sox weren't that good yet
nels still wasn't regular Naturally there offers
for Runnels, but when they the Red Sox wouldn't
think of it. "Runnes?" they asked You'll get him
from u.s. All the time Pete just sat there waiting for
chance to defend his batting title
EVENTUALLY HE GOT 1T and he wound up hitting
busneSslike BIT with strain. Petes of those odd
lot baplayers who swings professional bat yet seemingly
always has to make the team Perhaps the twopatoon
- system is the answer to the dilemma of Runnels
He has lifetime average of a shade under 300 and
how many around today who can make that state
ment? Somehow however Pete doesn't get enough
credit There many Others mostly guys
who bow in and out quickly.
But Runnels is always there doing his job efficiently
and quietly He did it for Washington for seven years
until somebody sent him up the river to Boston One Of
the fellows got in return Abe Pearson who's hav
ing whale of year for the Angels The other has long
since departed the scene first baseman the of
Norm Zauchin
AS usual nothing Pete has done at the moment calls
for instant recognition It's just Joe Holman sad the
fellow has gotten his proper due Maybe this be-
lated contribution is a start.