Evening star., 1963-04-20
20 Questions
In Miniature
By MORRIS SIEGEC

IN A REASONABLE EFFORT to promote problem
likely to the appearance Of Sonny Lston at
the ground-breaking of the National Cultural Center,
Mickey Vernon and Ralph Houk both asked what
other teams besides the Yankees could win the pennan
with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris on their payrolls
From VernonS honest answer it was obvious he con-
sdered his troops illequpped that even the add
ton of Maris Mantle wouldn't be sufficient to raise
~ pennant hopes in Washington.
Detroit and Baltimore" Vernon answered. That's
y about it, I think"
80 Fitting the M boys into the Baltimore outfield
of Jackie Brandt Boog Powell and Al Smith would require
great feeling of reluctance the part OF Manager
Billy Hitchcock but it might be different at Detroit
-hr
WHAT WOULD YOU DO with Rocky Colavto and
Kaine at Detrot?" Vernon asked relishng the idea
OF having decision of this magnitude to make Since
he proposed the dilemma it only proper give Vernon
the chance to bail himself out
- "I don't really know" he laughed but suppose I'd
be able to find place for Maris Mantle, Coavo and
Kaline in the same lineup.
Taking full advantage of Vernon's apparent willing
to play miniature version of 40 Questions" the
:. situation was next presented in reverse form.
Could the Yankees win the pennant without Maris
and Mantle?
Mickey confessed that it was tcklish question even
a good This comforted his interrogation, who was
about to give himself undeserved credit for doing his
homework when he suddenly remembered Vernon had
not answered.
1T WOULD BE tough" Mickey blandly replied That's
81. good one to ask Houk"
Over the Yankee side Houk was in an effervescent
mood 1t was hard to imagine that his Yankees recently
had lost two straight to Detroit HoukS good cheer could
have been based the reasonable assurance that his
team was lucky to be in Washington the chances
of making up for the Tiger misadvenures were good
'" Percentage certainly the Yankees side They
were the undisputed champions of D. c. Stadium last
y year, winning every one of their nine games here
Houk fished around momentarly before giving the
MarSMantle question his full attention 1t was thought
4. he obviously didn't like to contemplate.
- HOUK WAS EITHER contempuous of the Baltimore
and Detroit chances with Maris and Mantle or thought
his own pack strong it could get the usual job
done regardless of the absentees of his most potent
un-producers.
Neither one has helped too much far" Houk said
in an alusion to MantleS part-time service Mars
total absence from play until last night But I'd to
think of not having them around You don't replace
"2e0-pluS runS-batted-in overnight"
For moment Houk looked as if he really had lost
Mantle and Maris and wondering what he could do
for requirements
"IF 1T HAPPENED in the winter well, you'd start
making adjustments" he said like moving nfielders to
the outfield and outfeders to the ined to try and
regain some of the bat you lost
"Id hate to fill out that lineup card without those
two in there" he continued why don't talk about
taking Colavto and Kaline away from the Tigers and
p asking how good they would be without them?"
No one around seemed to be Immediately interested
In the Tigers particularly since they had lost double
header yesterday, the matter dropped There
no objections.