Evening star., 1963-05-08

Gene Green's 'sCuse
An Abnormal One
By MORRIS SIEGEL

GENE GREEN HAS staked out formidable early
claim to 1868 honors He is
flying in from Los Angeles today at his own expense
presumably to rejoin the Cleveland Indians.
His tranScontinenta change OF mind crlppleS the
comeback bid last year by Gene Coney of the Red
Sox who threatened to Jump all the way TO Bethehem
Conley got any farther than New YORK AS re-
su Robin Roberts of the Orioles eventually was de-
cared the winner merely for winning few baseball
games.
Green, at least, showed more sincerity than Conley
Normally the Indians despite their poor financial seasons
lately not in the habit of asking their employees 10
hop, skip and Jump around the country without ren-
bursting them for travel However, the case OF Green Is
not normal 1t rarely is.
INA MOMENT OF pque which was subsequently ag-
gravated after consulting sympathetic Los Angeles
tavern owner, Green suddenly mutined against the
Indians.
He decided to remain where the Angels don't fear
to tread and let the Indians on to washington with
out him. 1t wasn't case of Green having enough IL
was a case, he said, of not having enough.
OF the 586 official times the Indians had gone to bat
this year going into last nights game here Green had
visited the plate only four times. He delivered twice.
with a homer in a pinch role This constitutes MS
contribution to Cleveland this season.
Neither Gene nor his manager Birdie Tebbetts, was
dissatisfied with the 500 average Green owns Green
simply wanted opportunity to better or WorSen IT, Fo
the last three weeks he has out to the PARK early
dressed and taken practice with his teammates he then
sat down and watched the game
THE PROBLEM OF WHAT to do with Green is not
new to Tebbetts Last March in Tucson, where BRIDES
Tribe was assembled for exercises he asked what
plans he had for Green big tomao-aced guy who can
fai a baseball.
When Green puts on felder's glove Tebbetts feels
he violates the baseball law which prohibits the use OF
foreign substance In other words Tebbes can't envson
Green as a candidate for fielding honorS.
"I know what I'm not going to do with Green,
Birdie answered He wants to play first base catch or
the outfied I'm going to let him try to do anything
as foolish as that
"Ive made up my mind to manage only "a players
this year and just let Gene Green alone"
While TebbettS was talking, Green was in the batting
cage in Phoenix practicing bunting Look at that Dig
brute bunting" Tebbetts said HE must be some kind OF
a kook to think I'll stick him into game to bunt
the way he can rattle those fences"
GREEN IS A NATIVE Californian although the State
always has seemed reluctant to acknowledge it, In his
one-man rebellion he said he'd like to play for the Angels
They'd appreciate me out here" Green said. He's
probably right. ANY town that can take Bo Beinsky,
Leo Durocher, Nature Boots, Evis Presley and few
other nonconformists easily could absorb Green.
Green was shipped to the Indians by the Senators
the now lamented trade which also Dick Donovan
IN Mahoney and $4,000 go to Cleveland for Jim Persa
Green wore out few fences and his welcome in Wash
ngton after conformation with Pete QueSada, who fig
ured in later Senators deal.
Quesada ordered Green Willie Tasby and Dale Long
grounded for what Quesada charged their failure to
hustle This provoked Tasby infuriaed Long and mysti-
fled Green who at the time aboring under the i'm
preston that he a catcher.
That General" Green fumed what does he expect
me to do become Pete Daley in year. 1t was easily
ne biggest compliment paid Daley in his entire baseball