EIGHT MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Friday, June 22, 1956
Veterans Agree Catcher's Position
Holds Fewest Brains, Least Glory
Brooklyn (UP) Veteran
Walker Cooper of the Cardinals
says all a youngster has to be is
"big and ignorant" to make the
big leagues as catcher these
days.
And if a kid catcher has
brains. Cooper adds, he has
tremendous advantage.
"But give a ball club two or
three 20-game winners on its
stall and it'll do all right even
with the dumbest catcher in the
world behind the plate," Cooper
says.
The 41-year-old Cooper, who
k serving his 16th season as a
major league receiver, says he
isn't the least bit surprised that
fewer and fewer outstanding
catchers have come up to the big
leagues in recent years.
"Today the accent is all on the
pitchers," he says. "You know
Branch Rickey's theory. He al
ways tells his scouts to look at
the pitcher first because the
pitcher usually is the best player
on the team.
"I guess you can't blame the
kids for not going out for the
catcher's job these days. They
think the wont is too hard
They'd rather play first base or
the outfield.
No Glory
As for the reason that many
youngsters turn to pitching,
Cooper thinks they are influ
enced by "all the glory" Involved.
"It s just like In football," he
explained, "most kids like to
run with the ball but few of
them are eager to do the block
ing."
Cincinnati catcher Smokey
Burgess agrees with Cooper that
most youngsters are shying away
from catching today.
"Injuries discourage the kids
a lot," Burgess said. "Some of
them try catching for awhile
but they change to another posi
tion the first time they get hurt.
"Right now, I'd say that the
catcher's job is the most wide
open position in baseball for a
young fellow coming up."
Burgess feels that the most
common mistake among kid
catchers is that they take too
long getting rid of the ball and
they don't shift their feet prop
erly when they throw to the
bases.
Tremendous Asset
Cincinnati Manager Birdie
Tcbbetts, a former catcher him
self, says that any receiver "who
can catch, throw and think is
a tremendous asset" to a ball
club these days.
"There are some fellows In
the big leagues today -ho
couldn't make it anywhere olse
but behind the plate," he said.
"I was one of them. Others
who are doing a good job at
catching today but who prob
ably couldn't make it any other
position are Sherman Lollar,
Sammy White, Hobie Landrith
and Roy Campanella."
Tebbetts pointed out that some
Inexperienced catchers cost their
pitchers strikes by the way they
catch the ball.
"Some of the catchers carry
strikes out of the strike zone,"
he said. "They also catch low
balls down when they should try
to catch them up."
KEDFOtfWrRIBUrTI
IPaMffiTS
Tie Game Marks Softball
Action in Local League
McCulloch Chain Saw, Chris
Drugs and Courtesy Chevrolet
scored victories in Wednesday
and Thursday night Jackson
County Softball association
games, while Crater Lake Mo
tors and Walt's Lithia Motors
wound up tied at four apiece.
Last night, McCulloch beat
the 20-30 Club 17 to 7 and Chris
Drugs took DeMolay 15 to 5.
Courtesy squeaked by Bills' 99
Chevron Service 6 to 5 and the
two Motors teams tied in a game
stopped by darkness Wednesday
night.
Frank Ravard of 20-30 blast
ed in all five of his club's runs
with three hits including a hom
er, but the bats of McCulloch
were too much to overcome.
Norm Loop supplied a 2-run
homer for the winners. Ken
Gentry pitched his fourth win
against two losses. Sanders was
the losing pitcher.
Montgomery, Richardson and
Wendt all homered for the vic
torious Chris Drugs team as it
walked over winless DeMolay.
Singler hurled for Chris and
Madden opposed him on the
mound for DeMolay.
Courtesy Chevrolet was out-
hit by Bill's 99 Chevron Service
nine to seven, but managed to
push across three runs in the
sixth inning for a slim winning
margin. Roy Parmenter knocked
double and two singles for
Bill's 99 off Courtesy pitcher
Puscas. Bill Sweet pitched for
the losers.
In the second Wednesday
night game. Crater Lake Motors
went scoreles for five innings.
picked up a lone run in the sixth
and finally added three in their
half of th seventh to put the
game into a 4-all tie. Lithia
Motors got two in the first frame
and two more In the sixth. Hale
pitched for Lithia and opposed
Flanagan for Crater Lake. The
game was halted due to dark
ness and will be continued later.
Tacoma To Get
Charles-McMurty
Tacoma (U.R) Former
world heavyweight champion Ez-
zard Charles has agreed to meet
Tacoma's "Irish Pat" McMurtry
in an outdoor fight at Tacoma
July 13.
The unbeaten McMurtry and
Charles will square off in a 10
rounder at the 15,000-capacity
Lincoln bowl.
League Leaders
Player Club G. AB R. H. Pet.
Long;. Pgh 56 205 38 70 341
Boyer. St. L 59 234 44 79 .338
Clement. Pgh 49 160 23 53 .331
Muslal. St. L. 59 220 36 71 .323
Moon, St. L. 57 201 38 65 .323
Mantle. N Y. 60 229 62 87 .380
Maxwell. Det. -.48 154 37 .57 .370
Kuenn. Det 1...50 193 30 09 .358
Vernon, Boston ..46 166 27 58 .349
Berra. N Y. 51 196 35 65 332
Rome Runs Mantle. Yanks 27: Sie-
vera. Senators, Berra. Yanks, and
Long, Pirates, all 17; Wertz, Indiana
lo.
Runs Batted In Mantle. Yanka 64:
Musial. Cards 53: Bover. Cards 51:
Wertz. Indians 51: Sinnon. Athletics
50. , '
Huns Mantle. Yanks 62: Lonez.
Yanka. Yost. Senator!. Sievers. Sena
tors, ana rjoyer. uaras, ail 44.
Hit Mantle. Yanks 87: Bover.
Cards 79: Lemon. Senators 74: Simp
son. Athletics 73: Runnels. ' Senators,
Musial. Cards and Asbburn, Phils,
all 71.
Pitching Lawrence. Redlen. 18-01.
Pierce. White Sox (10-2): Freeman,
Redleffs 45-1): Labtne. Dodgers 15-1 :
Brewer. Red Sox (9-2).
STANDINGS
NATIONAL LEAGUE
W. L. Pet. GJ
Milwaukee 30 22 .577
Brooklyn . r.31 24 .564 H
.lncinnau Ji ujo 1
St. Louis 32 37 .542 Hfc
riiMDUTKn z JJH 2
New York 23 32 .418 8;
nuaaeipnia
...22 34 .393 10
Thursday'! Results
Milwaukee 7, Pittsburgh 3
Chicago at New York, ppd., rain.
Brooklyn 9, St. Louis 8 (night)
Only games scheduled.
Friday's Probable Pitchers
Milwaukee at New York (night)
Crone (6-3t vs. Gomez (2-3).
Cincinnati at Brooklyn (night)
Lawrence (8-9) vs. Maglie (1-01.
St. Louis at Philadelphia (night)
ronoasy VC Kooerts (0-8).
Chicago at Pittsburgh (night)
ionei l-) vs. Arroyo
Saturday's Games
Cincinnati at Brooklyn
Milwaukee at New York
St. Louis at Philadelphia
Chicago at Pittsburgh
AMERICAN LEAGUE
New York
Chicago
Cleveland .
Boston
W. L. Pet.
-40 20 .667
GB
-.32 22
-.31 27
-.27 31
...28 33
.24 36
..26 39
.593 5
.534 8
.466 12
.459 12 "a
.400 ,16
.400 16 j
Kansas City .
Washington
Thursday's Results
Cleveland 5. Boston 0
Chicago 1, Baltimore 0
Kansas City 15. Washington 6
Only games scheduled.
Friday's Probable Pitchers
New York at Chicago (night) Stur
divant (4-1) vs. Donovan (4-2).
Boston at Kansas City (night) Sul
livan '6-3) vs. Ditmar (6-6).
Baltimore at Detroit (night) Wight
(3-7) vs. Foytack (4-3).
Washington at Cleveland (night)
Stobbs (5-4) vs. Garcia (4-7).
Saturday's Games
New York at Chicago
Boston at Kansas City
Baltimore at Detroit
Washington, at Cleveland
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE
W. L.
Seattle 48 28
Los Angeles 4fl 28
Hollywood ..3 35
San Francisco 37 36
Sacramento 34 36
Portland 33 38
San Diego 33 40
Vancouver 24 50
Pet.
.632
.622
.507
.507
.-.86
.465
.452
.324
11
12i
131,2
23
Thursday's Results
San Francisco 7. Los Angeles 3
Portland 8. Sacramento 3
Seattle 4. San Diego 1 (10 innings)
Vancouver 6. Hollywood 5 (10 in
nings)
How Series Ended
San Francisco 2, Los Angeles 1
Portland 2, Sacramento 0
Seattle 3. San Diego 0
Vancouver 2, Hollywood 1
Probable Pitchers for Friday
Sacramento (Earl Harrirt T,
Los Angeles (Dave Hlllman 7-2).
San Diego (Pete Messa. 4-7) at San
Franeisc (Max Surkont. 0-0).
Hollywood (Chollv Naranlo. 6-5) at
Seattle (Bud Podbielan. 7-2.
Portland (Bill Werle. 8-5) at Van
couver (Ryne Duren. 3-6).
NORTHWEST LEAGUE
W. L.
Yakima 34 17
Eugene .,30
Lewiston
Tri-City
Salem
Wenatchee
Spokane
.25 18
.26 21
,..19 28
-.18 32
Pet.
.666
.652
.581
.553
Hi
5
6
.404 13
.360 15 1.4
..15 35 .300 18 z
Thursday's Results:
Salem 4. Sookane 1
Eugene 2. Wenatchee 0 (first game)
Eugene 7, Wenatchee 5 (second
game)
YaRlma 2, Tri-Citv 1 (first arame)
Yakima 5, Tri-City 4 (second game)
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