Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-20

Long on Lookout
For Baseball Job
By MORRIS SIEcEL

PRETTY SOON NOW the snow win be falling In
North Adams Mass. Unless something happens Richard
Dale Long will have nothing important to do than
watch it all winter long.
premier watcher. By late February when he'd got
ten his fill seeing the stuff pile up around the house Long
would sign his baseball contract and shove OF to spring
training.
NOW there's no baseball contract to sign There also
will be none in the immediate future The Yankees freed
Long after the World Series So far he's been unable to
make another connection
He hasn't been able to find team interested in taking
part-time first baseman pinch-hitter, efthanded
catcher, coach or morale booster.
For all know" he moaned here visit last night,
81 may be retired at 81. That's too young"
DRESSED IN A BLUE blazer Long didn't appear to be
charity He isn't He still hasn't cashed his $500
check the losing share Of the World Series
However, he Is somewhat resentful Of the way the
Yankees told him he'd be free to shovel the snow the
entire New England winter. He read 1t In Boston news
paper before the Yankees notified him formally they would
try to recapture the worlds baseball championship next
year without him.
Dale cut loose about week after the Dodgers and
Sandy Koufax humanized the Yankees
They did 1t Sc quick" he complained you thought
I lost the series for them"
Long had as much to do with New Yorks four straight
icings Bobby Baker, who is being linked with every
thing else He didn't get into single game. Bullpen catch
ers especially second string bulpen catcher never do
SINCE THE BAD NEWS arrived from Yankee Stadium,
Long written 10 letters to other major league clubs
volunteering his services.
Seventeen of the replies were those Dear Dale, so
sorry" kind he says Interestingly enough the Senators
showed spark of interest did the Chicago Cubs,
other Long alma mater.
'I think still can play" he said. II know hit"
The Yankees apparently thought otherwise They dropped
Dale from the active roster in mdseason to make
for Tom Metcaf young pitcher brought up from the
minors.
Long didn't suffer Immediately from the demotion.
He retained at his salary Of $4,000 and became
bupen catcher He also eligible for the same benefits
Mickey Mantle and Whitley Ford received from the World
Series.
I hustled like hell for them" he said "In spring train
ing knew Joe Peptone would be the first baseman so
helped him all could They had Johnny Neun coaching
him at first Neun good when Ulysses s. Grant was
cadet at West Point It's different baseball today like
to think showed Joe something"
DALE HAD AN INKLING Yogi Bera would be named
manager Of the Yankees but couldn't believe It, Bronx
policeman who patroed the bulpen in rghteld at
the Stadium told him, but Dale found hard to buy His
Skepticism understandable.
How could cop attached to the 44th precinct know
what's going in the Yankee front office six weeks before
the season was over2" he asks.
Long has no fears about Berra being successful man
ager. He rates Yogi smart baseball HE talks slow,
but thinks fast" Long explained Besides they didn't
exactly give him bunch Of rinkydinks to manage He's
got a lot Of good animals going for him."
But the prospects Of becoming snow watcher haunts
Long He threatened to make 1t fulltime seasonal Job
two years ago when the Senators cut his contract Stub
bornly Long held out.
One day, unheralded but not unwelcomed, Long ar
rived at Pompano Beach, Fa to Join the troops this
an unconditional surrender?
81 hadn't intended to-" he said, 'T prepared to
sit 1t out but when that last snow fall hit said to hell
with It,"
He will not be as difficult to hire this time