Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-06-01

Red Sox Acting
Like Contenders
By MORRIS SIEGEL

sTUFFY BOSTON is prudish about lot of things
but never about the Red Sox Good bad indifferent
Bay Skaters rarely in their genuine affection for
Tom Yawkey's gang
the romance was strained Only 100000 visited Fenway
to watch the Red sox the lowest long time
but they didn't deserve any better support
They were bad, even for Boston, which has had its
share of bad ball clubs although it doesn't hold the
patent incompetency Washington rghtfuy can stake
its claim to that honor
Last years Red Sox also were lfeless At one stage
the team got dull of its pitchers Gene Conley
it the lam and headed for Israel he said 1t later
developed that he sidetracked in New York bar.
THIS YEAR CoNLEY has stayed put. Indications
that he likes the way things going He should
Boston has shown spirit that has renewed interest
in baseball in the town like nothing Red Sox teams
a dozen or so years ago.
Even before the Yankees showed up for the three
game SERIES Boston $1,000 ahead of last
year The team doing at least good. 1t led the
league briefly went into slight tailspn but rghted
itself again and is to be considered rugged
testant for the first division status last achieved in
1858.
The best evidence of the excitement the Red sox have
caused incident that in the beachers the
other day. Special police had to be called to quen
throwing fans. Last year there such out
bursts Rarely were there enough folks in the bleachers
to disturb the peace
THE BEST THING THE resurgent Red sox appear
to have going for them is their manager Johnny
Pesky hero when he anchored the infed Of Yawkeys
Gold sox and even bigger hero today in his rookie
season as manager.
During the winter Pesky endeared himself anew to
New Enganders with his willingness to appear at almost
any gathering eager to hear him talk baseball
This was radical change from the operation of Mike
Higgins the sedenary skipper Pesky succeeded When
ended, Mike high-tailed it back to Texas and
usually that was the of him until the following
April when he led his feess troops out for another sea-
of medocrity.
PEsKY IS A sCRAPPY guy whose demands his
players overwhelming particularly in view of the
salaries of them command. He merely asks for
their best at all times.
When asking doesn't get the job done, Pesky takes
sterner measures. Il don't want to sound like gang
busters" he said during spring training in Arizona but
the first guy who doesn't hustle doesn't stay" There have
not been any departures from Boston so far.
Pesky doesn't believe in over-managng under
managing. Again it's different approach than Higgins
employed. Last year Boston player couldn't under
stand the way Higgins the show 1--WE been on ball
clubs which over-managed and others which were
nder-anageo he confessed, "but this the first one
I've played for that hasn't been managed at all"
PEsKY, OF COURSE, isn't the only one responsible
for the good the Red Sox putting these days
Frank Malone having the year of his life and Lou
Clinton and Carl Yazsrems have made the bridge from
good prospects to tough players Bill Monbouquette is
topght pitcher young Dave Moorehead has helped con-
sideraby and Dick Stuart hits the big home often
enough to give the attack oomph.
The Red Sox are doing we'll that even Felix Man
ta the spare infelder picked up from the Nets is salts
fled This was not the last year when he toiled in
the Polo Grounds He became disenchanted as Met
that he once asked Casey Stengel: Bench or trade
me-" Mantlla is happy So the Red Sox fans-at
the moment anyway.