Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-19

Birdie Recalls
Cash Rewards
BY MORRIS slEeEC

PHOENIX, ARIz, Mar 19,-on the day the
$4,000 odeo Of Rodeos opened here the honor of win
ming ropng prize easily went to Orlando Cepeda who
wasn't even In Phoenix
From his holdout hideaway in Puerto Rico, the big
home-run hitter finally conned the Giants into $475OO
bounty summering in the mainland The Giants VINO
tried to cut his pay admitted the settlement represented
a token" raise estimated at $1,000 to $4,000.
"Cepeda said It hurt his pride not to get raise the
Giants announcement read "The matter now settled
Birdie Tebbetts the tomato-faced new skipper who
had shued his Indians from Tucson for continual
ton of the spring with the Giants was reading
about the incident in the Cleveland dugout
TT AMUSED BIRDIE, who didn't amuse easily last
year while managing Milwaukee to fifth place 1t also
reminded him of slightly similar incident In the case OF
Birdie Tebbetts the Boston Red Sox years ago wneh
Tebbetts was a card-carryng catcher in the American
League.
Tebbetts had come off a bad year when Joe Cronin
then minding the store for Tom Yawkey, the Boston
owner called TebbettS in to talk money Ths was Ia
vore subject for Birdie though he was IN no posi-
ton to ask for raise the $4,000 he had received
81 went in expecting the worst, but hoping TO get
draw" Tebbetts said To BRIDES establishment Cronin
who spending somebody elses money oiiereo MN
the same contract again.
THERE'S WHERE MY pride came up" Tebbetts
laughed 81 asked him to write 1t up for $OOO IL raise
ACDpCSVo 49,
commissioner would never approve contract with that
odd-fgure amount.
Hell I never knew you had to be paid in even
amounts" Tebbetts continued But I insisted. Joe
wouldn't bulge He went into his pocket took out 500
bill and told me it mine If agreed to the round
figure, $4,000"
Tebbetts, who came in meekly, demanded the extra
buck be written into the agreement Cronn couldn't
derstand how anybody in his right mind particularly
fellow like TebbettS who draw sharp bargain, could
reject 500 and fight for only ST.
pride Just pride" Tebbetts countered. i've always
gotten raise every year played ball II you write that
extra buck into the contract walk out Of here and
honestly tell reporters got small raise Let them guess
how much 1t was"
And with that, Cronn gave in.
THERE WERE MORE pressing problems for many Of
the reporters wrapped around Birdie like tarpauin but
those had to wait for another cross-examnation time
Birdie recall-prone this day and he had another
money matter to dispose of.
Again the scene was Boston, but this time crcum-
stances more favorable for Birdie. He had good
and the Cronn-Yawkey team recognized it wher
Tebbetts summoned to the Fenway Park counting
house.
Millionaire Yawkey wanted Tebbetts to have more
money want to raise your salary that you make
$500 this year. Birdie Hows that2" asked Yawkey
who frequently hunting guides twice as much for
weeks labor
Birdie agreed the idea was good and he all fol
it. but first he'd have to consult side-rule type of
puter he had brought along He offseason nsur
salesman
ITO ENABLE ME to realize 81 500 take home" Teb
belts said after his compuer had supplied the answer
will require an $4,000 raise Taxes, you know"
Yawkey left the and again Tebbetts and Cronir
were left to iron out their money differences Afte
manipulating the slide rule to CronnS satisfaction Teb
belts got the $4,000 hike written into his contract An
other year and another win for Birdie.
Before Cronin submitted, he made one demand o
Tebbetts you've got to give that damn computer,
Cronin demanded Tebbetts figured at $4,000 it
bargain Several years later when TebbettS became ex
ecutve vice president of the Braves in charge Of sgnn
players, he got package from Boston.
"It was from Cronn. He returned my computer Sug
gested to figure out the salaries of players"