Milford chronicle., 1962-04-27

Baltimore scout, saw Powell play
high school ball in Florida.
Il couldn't believe my eyes when
/ first saw him." Holman told
this writer during the 1859 winter
meetings in st. Petersburg. He's
another Babe Ruth"
Hofmann's first appraisal I'll
goes. Everyone seems to be climb
ing aboard the Boog bandwagon.
And that includes Manager Billy
Hitchcock, George (Twinkletoes)
Selkirk, who replaced Ruth in
right field in Yankee Stadium, and
Clyde King, who managed Powell
last year at Rochester where the
6-foot-4 kid of 235 pounds hit 80
home runs, drove in SO runs and
batted 320,
Powell not only has the creden-
tials, he has the looks, especially
when his big bat (it feels small to
him) meets that little white horse
hide. He also pulls the ball just
as Ruth did and hits booming
homers that will require Baltimore
writer's to carry tape measures.
Watch him hit" enthuses
Hitchcock. "He will open the sea-
son in left field Nobody is back
of him. He's good defensively, runs
well for big man and throws just
fine"
Says Selkirk, now field CO.
ordinator of the 0rioles:
Powell is the best young hitter
l ever saw"
Adds King, who will pilot
Rochester again this year:
"Powell's greatest asset is his
natural ability. He taught himself
l held a meeting at Rochester,
and Powell was there. Different
fellows were telling him how to
grip the bat when he was in a bit
of a slump I told them, Don't say
anything to Powell about. hitting.
81 was tickled to death to see a
boy develop the way he did.
"Boog's going to be great one
some day. Sure he famed 11S
times in 142 games last year. But
with age and experience he won't
fan 100 times, even in the b e
leagues, if he plays 100 or more
games.
''The last two months last year
he hit close to 400. He had one
streak of IL at bats where he hit
Is of II balls on the nose. He had
five home runs, four doubles, the
rest singles. He went IL for IL. 1t
was the greatest hitting streak |
ever saw, and it was against all
kinds of pitching"
Hofmann first saw Powell in a
Florida state high school tourna-
ment in 1852
81 signed for a $4,000 bonus,
plus salary, over a three-y r
period" says Powell.
"They all call me Boog. Dad
nicknamed me that I'm not sure
when. My father was my biggest
asset through the years. He en-
couraged me without pushing me.
81 pitched in the Little Leagues
and went to the World Series at
Williamsport, Pa, in 1854 when I
was 13. /. was so in tournament
play. Schenectady beat us out.
81 won about IA games all that
year."
What about his one hit in 13
trips for Baltimore last fall?
1T won the ball game, 3-2. |
drove in the winning run with a
single off Bill Stafford, Sept. 27 or
28, in New York.
Last Nov. 20 | broke my wrist
sliding in an Institutional game. II
was a hairline fracture on my
right wrist. 1t doesn't bother me
They used good precaution by
making me keep the cast on from
Nov 20 to Dec. %.
ST did a~lot of fishing and skin
diving around Key West where |
live. I was born in Lakeland.
spear fish with a mask and snor-
kel. We get lot of Holsters in
feet of water We fish in 25 to 80
feet of water. | have a couple OF
buddies. l never 20 alone. | don't
even fish alone-not in a boat. |
don't believe in it.
81 signed as an outfielder but
Baltimore converted me into LIST
baseman for two years. Then Jim
Gentle came along and it was
pretty evident that / couldn't play
first base for a couple of years. So
they put me back in the outfield. 2
Babe Ruth was that way He be-
gan as a pitcher. made fame on
the mound, too. He also was a
fair hand at first base. But Babe
made his living as a right fielder.
Il don't really care where I
play" says Powell, 'just SO l
play"