Evening star., 1963-03-14

Bod Braves Deals
Cited by Adcock
~ NORRIS SIEGE

TUCSON, ANl1a MAR I.-Joe Aocock pteterreu v
chin about interesting horse race coming up next weel
"a head-to-head match between quarter-horse and
thoroughbred that's due 10 pack EN- In at the Phoen'
Turf Paradise oval.
The visiting lnterrcSators 1t the Cleveland trainnl
camp listened but they weren't paying attention Int
horse race was something for the future. The inter
viewers insisted on learning something about the past
Specifically they wanted to know why Adcocks aims
mater the Milwaukee Braves had tutnbled out Of re-
spectabity Three seasons ago they were regarded M
terror in the National League FOR the last two years
they've had trouble finishing In the first division.
In fact II you don't want 10 count the fifth spot II
the expanded io.team circuit @ first division stop last
years Braves were out Of the top rns for the first time
since 1884, their last season in Boston,
ANSWER THAT QUESTION Adeock was told. and
then you can talk about horses all you want. Adcock
agreed. but reluctantly.
trades over there.
"Its noAe Of my business" he conceded while making
II his business but who did they get for me''
The book shows that Frank Funk, Bethesdan who
finished the season pitching for the Cleveland farm team
At salt Lake CITY, and outfieder Don Dillard, $50
batter for the Indians were packaeed TO Milwaukee for
Adcock
"DIllard and Funk, huh?" Adcock frowned He indI-
Gated the Braves had been Shochanged just as they had
been given q bad count in many other transactions
since 1857.
THE YEAR 1857 was an important one in Adcock's
recitation It the year the Braves might have MADE
their al-time worst DEAL when they eased John Quinn
out as general manager Quinn subsequently caught on
at Philadelphia, where he gradually Is doing the same
rebuilding Job for the Phies he did when he was calling
the shots At Milwaukee.
Adcock interrupted to make it clear he wasn't whining
to be critical Of the team that had supported him In
grand for 10 years. but only was giving his honest
appraisal. Ian.
Cleveland" Ne doesn't appear TO be. He wears the
fnaaAn hekAt haart
Braves whom his home run bat helped deliver two PEN
nants and q world championship
~Thelr whole philosophy Of trading has been bad,
he began again. They deal off veterans expecting the
youngsters TO come through It Just hasn't nappeneO
BECOMING SPECIFIC, Adccck started with the out
field "Tey haven't had eentereder since they traded
Billy DrutOno Detroit To get Frank Boiling They also
haven't had leadOff man since Bruton left.
EVERY year since the Bruton trade they come to
camp with Hank Aaron and then It's guess who's going
to play where Look at eftfied They sold Frank Thomas
to the Nets why7 They'd been looking for letfelder
for years and finally got Thomas Then they sold him
don't think they needed the $i2S000 they got
'The pitching deals they've made have been even
worse Next to SPAIN and Burdete Bob Buh was their
best pitcher SO they got mad at him and sent MIN 70
the Cubs for pitcher named Jack Curtis where's Curtis
today? Not with the Braves Buhl, on the other hand
won dozen games for the Cubs year. You had to be
a pretty good pitcher TO win dozen for that team
1.-THE TWO BEST YOUNG pitchers the Braves had
were Joey Jay and Juan Pzzaro Because they couldn't
win in hurry they sent to Cincinnati we could
get Roy Mcmillan TO play shortstop PiSzaro went on to
the White Sox but look ct what Jay did for CINCINNATI.
Won the pennant for them that's ALL
when you get right down to It," he continued, who
have they gotten for anybody OF all their youngsters
only Joe Tore the catcher has stepped in and done
Job for them The front office took much for granted
after we those two straight pennants. They got
complAcent. t..t
''rhey spent lot Of money for young players, but
they weren't ready to play big league ball Instead Of
packagng up two three Of those rockies for an esab-
shed veteran, like the Yankees d. they think these
rockies step right In they trade off the veterans
a"It doesn't make sense"
IN HIS i0-YEAR HITCH at Milwaukee Adcock aver
aged new manager every two years. He started with
Charlie Grimm Next came Fred Haney, then Chuck
Dresser and finally Birdie Tebhe who the big Louisi-
anans manager with the Indians.
Adcock and Tebbetts are pals now, at least the
surface, but there time when they weren't sim
patco. One Of Tebbetts' pitchers, Hersch Freeman
plunked Adcock his tin helmet when Tebbetts wa,
managing Cincinnati.
sAdcock made Q run for Freeman and when his path
was blocked BY umpres and Others Adcock made run
for Birdie Haney Intercepted the 740pounder but Adcocl
pledged he'd get even with Tebbet for ordering Freeman
TO deck him
He finally got his revenge. couple Of years late
Tebbes popped up a the Braves executive vice president
in charge OF signing players Il talked him out Of SsOO
extra Adcock beamed. Men Birdie eye-to-eye about
everything today"
Including the Braves, suppose.