Evening star., 1963-05-15

Maybe the Yonks
Missed the Boot
BY MORRIS sIEcEL

FOR FANS IN YANKEE Stadium July 27 there will be
something else besides the favorable prospects OF watching
the tenants of the Bronx ball park slap down whoever
they happen to be playing that afternoon.
The perennial champions, apparently tired OF honor
ing themselves have chosen the occasion to pay tribute
to the al-me major league record breakers consider
able number Of whom happen to be Yankees, quite
unaccidentally, of course.
Usually this spot in the Yankee date book i5
marked for Old Timers Day. It's still called Old Timers
Day. for the 18th renewal of this afternoon OF nos
talga the Yanks have changed the format
Every living great-great by Yankee standards-Win
be invited to be present at the gala. In other words
every player still around who set major baseball record
win be asked to attend the frolc.
IF MOST ACCEPT FANS will see, in one playground,
the greatest collection of Hall of Famers no-ht pchers
400 htters-and what have you-ever assembled
Invitations already have gone out The first to
accept ironically Sam Rice one of the last to make
the Hall of Fame Rice, Of course never played Tor the
Yankees only against them in the employ OF the Senator'S
but on this day Sam will be made to feel as he were
one of the Yankees own.
So will Ted Williams Bob Feller Jackie Robinson,
Carl Hubbel Hank Greenberg, Joe Cronn, Jimmy Foxx
and host of others who dedicated their baseball iVes
to the destruction of the Yankees, dedication seldom
fulfilled.
The guest list will sound like the Who's Who OF
Baseball precisely what the Yankees want 1t to be- Ine
general idea is good but there is an idle thought about
to be conveyed that the Yankees had they given the
encampment more thought could have gone one up on
N~-~No--'
themselves.
WHY NOT A DAY" FOR the athlete who seldom has
been honored everp BY that unfortunate blokes
who negative records?
Wouldn't it be peachy-at least different-f Ralph
Branca got salute from $4,000 for throwing the pitch
to Bobby Thomson in the 1851 GiantsDodgers playoff
that resulted in the home heard around the world?
That was IL years ago and nobody, to my knowledge
has yelled "Come on now let's hear it out there for good
old Ralphie" Wouldn't that be nice honoring BrancaP
Those ohershe FellerS the DiMaggios the Greenbergs
the Foxxesheyve been feted by practically everybody
except Perle Mesta and Gwen Cafritz.
Branca of course is just example of what could
be done if the Yankee mother in charge of the party
had thought little harder
BILL vEECK QUALITIES on a number of accounts
for this salute to the odd-bal honorees. Veeck who
owned more ball clubs than anybody ese also was the
only owner to employ midget Isn't that deserving
Of recognition?
How about Babe Herman, probably the daffieSt Of all
the dafy Dodgers? Can we overlook baserunner who
ignored traffic lights often causing jams on the base
paths in a gathering of this sort? Of course not
Calvin Griffith might rate bid. Who tried more
often to franchise? Calvin practced getting out
OF town for five years before finally succeeding There
probably will be sentiment to have Don Newcombe there
world Series game but doubt If Newk could get by the
credentials committee just that accomplishment.
Make it an al-incusive thing and there some
football folks who also would be welcomed. Remember
Roy RiegelS who ran the wrong way in the Rose Bowl?
And Red Friese the fifth down referee of the
Dartmouth Cornell game?
This list could go and on, even to include an
appropriate master of ceremonies. Who else but Wrong
Way Corrigan2