Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-05
SE6H AT LARGE
Colts Not Stinqy
In Talent Hunt
By MORRIS sIEcEL

APACHE JUNCTION. ARIz, Mar 5 = From scenic
standpoint the view Of the Colts must be more appealing
now than it last year to Houston fans, who saw
nothing picturesque in the teams eight-place finish
Exercises conducted a 10-acre baseball plant
fashioned in the middle of the Arizona desert Geronimo
Park neses in the foothills of awesomey beautiful Super
son Mountain, which cuts jagged edges in the center
field cloud formation
To the fan seated in the stands Superstition Noun
tain appears to form magnificent fence around the park
AS close as it looks to be- Mickey Mantle couldn't reach
the range with six backtoback tape-measure home runs
Superstition Mountain is the home of the Lost Dutch
man Gold Nine" where, legend has it, there stl is
countless treasure Of gold hidden At least this the claim
Of the Apache Junction Chamber Of Commerce 1t does
nothing to discourage natives and tourists alike from
continuous search for the fortune believed to be more than
a century old
THE COLTS AREN'T interested. They are busy with
their private treasure hunt They have assembled II
baseball players from whom they trying select the
best rs for the 1868 National League season.
The Colts may not have the best squad in spring
training but they undoubtedly have the most expensive
At least dozen Of the youngsters most of them only
year out of high school, received at least $4,000 to
sign with Houston Five paid 100000 to join
up.
Multi-millonaire Roy Hofheinz SO percent owner of
the Colts won't how much the talent hunt has cost
Houston in two years. Texas baseball writer who has
tried to keep financial box says IS Million count
ing the original $2 million for the % players drafted from
other MI teams, is the estimated figure
AT least that, Hofheinz said. Maybe more But we
are satisfied with progress Paul Richards will get us
there of these days. that's what counts most We didn't
regard this thing bargan-couner operation when
got it If it takes money won't finish second often
$3.50
TO SHOW HOW MUCH faith he and his partners have
in Richards the expatriate from Baltimore who runs the
show, Hofheinz has given Richards authority ito spend
million dollars without consulting to get the player he
thinks we need"
The Colts are proud of their expenditures 1.-THE Dodg-
thew mtg last
year, and you know how much they'll spend" said Bill
Giles, the Colts publicity director.
No one least of all the wealthy Texans who bankron
the team dares to question the judgment of Richards
They know how he acquired the Brooks Robnsons Chuck
Esradas John Powes and others when he planted the
Baltimore crop They confident he eventually will do
the same for Houston.
Ironically the first of the Colt youngsters expected to
crack the varsity appears to be 2yearod catcher who
was bagged for total outlay of ST. far below the price
the Colts accustomed to paying for the they want
John Bateman, 6-foot-3 200-pounder, walked into
Colt tyout camp last with the understanding that he
would get only his expense money Houston signed him.
The Colts liked what they gave Bateman ST. This
was for bus fare meals and lodging for week for Bate
man and his father who accompanied him to the camp
at Kieen, Texas
Bateman batted $50 and sugged II homers The WASH
ngton-based Colt scout Billy urges here to help out
during spring training, he wouldn't be surprised
8atean became the varsity catcher before the is
said, "but how he ride that baseban And throw"
Most of the youngsters the Colts coralled are big
husky athletes with emphasis power Last year the
Colts were ninth in team batting last in home and
last in runs batted in The emphasis Kidding the lineup
of popgun hitters understandable After only two
sons Of recruiting there now than $50 players
on the Colt payroll.
RICHARDS, WHO SUITS UP for every workout which
he personally supervses has watched the building proc
at Washington New York and Los Angeleshe other
expansion teamand obviously decided there only one
formula to build team.
Breed your own" the laconc Texan says There is
other way. club might get lucky like the Angels did
last year. but it doesn't last And then you can get I'M
lucky like the Senators and Nets"
Richards has been in the business too long to expect
miracles He has set timetable for his Colts but his
intmaes like Jurges Jim Busby and the other coaches
think we're about two years away. Then you'll hear
from u.s."
Meanwhile, the Colts beginning their second year of
operation win continue this what they started last
year: "Let the ned grass grow keep the diamond wet
and SLOW and hire sinkerba pitchers according to Hal
woodeshck, the ex-senator lefthander who is trying
TO stick