Nashville Banner from Nashville, Tennessee • 40

of rvrv 'vvww: w'0 ago NASHV1LLE BANMIR TbursJ 1962 7 ''''''r" 'P 4 AL ILYL UE ENTERSA1 4T9 1 1 1 a 'league clubs have the person nal "I aiddisappointed to have to return home withopt a working agreement but at least we're alive 'I sold at the insetiog we had to have a general agreement They wanted to give us until Feb 'IL I told them I' felt our Board of Directors wouldn't go for another long deity 'We've been through that Wont I said 'Make it Feb That's enough time' "I couldn't see the sense of throwing in the towei here when there is still a chance to keep baseball 'in Nashville" Harbour said the executive committee of the Vole Inc board muit decide if it wants Class A basebalL Sam Smith Sally League president will be in Nashville next Monday for the Old Tirnerti ly GEORCE LEONARD Banner Sports Writer Charlottd killed the Southern Asso- elation here Wednesday but two wounded 'surviyors Nashirille and Chattanooga clung desperately to life today The Vohs and- Lookouts are liks Siamese twins If tha Vole can't turn up with a general Class A workingfigreement by Feb 6 they will perish and so will the Lookouts The Class A South Atlantic (Sally) League refused to allow the Clam AA Southern to take two of its eight clubs at Wednasday's meeting of presidents and directors of both organizations with minor league czar George Trautman But the Sally League agreed to expand to 10 cities by taking in Nashville and Chattanooga contingent on the Vole obtaining a Class A working agreement with a major league team in the next 11 daya Detroit already has a Class A pact with Knoxville and the Sally League This forced the Tigers to recall their recently signed working agreement with Nashville Baseball law prohibits a major league club having two affiliates In the same league The Southern breathed its last after eloquent but vain appeals for help by League President Hal Totten and General Manager Joe Engel of Chattanooga will resume its previous make-up and Chattanooga will be obliged to It this year out too Vol General Manager Bill Hari bour is hopeful today But he is realistic "We must face the fact there are few major league clubs which might consider letting us have the type of agreement we need" he said "Nine of the 20 major league clubs are tied up in the South Atlantic counting the Phillies at Chattanooga Several others already' have Class A agreements in the Eastern League It's doubtful that the new major tr voti-et 10wr4rormovi old Southern were ready to play bueball in 1962 No agreements were available for Macon and Columbus Ga causing Totten to come here asking for two Sally franchisee to keep his league from collapsing altogether When the Sally League rejected a plea to enter into the six-club plan An any way it had the effect of dealing the Southern a death blow Little Rock and gvansville of the now defunct Southern are completely out of the picture If Nashville fails to attract a fresh working agreement in the stipulated time the Sally League Only lour cities in the ecto 4 10 Why Death Of Southern? None 51 Knows Exactly 0 ft4P td SIDELINES sft By The Associated Press Baseball men throughout the South mourned today passing of the Southern Association The 61year-old Class AA league officially dies Feb 15 Its 0 suspension was announced in Charlotte NC Wednesday at a meeting of Southern and South Atlantic League officials No one seemed to know exactly why the Southern fell After all it had weathered two world wars and a yellow fever plague The Spalding Baseball Guide of 1906 writing of the 1905 sea ANNA ''Fk II iz banquet He will meet with 'the Committee then "I think I can show the committee where it can save $50- 000 to $60000- with a Class A Operation and have better bags ball" Smith said Harbour le not interested in a partial agreement such as the Vole had in 1961 with the Min negate Twins He believes the board feels likewise A Class A agreement in dol lars provides a cash outlay of $10500 from the major league club to the minor leave partner In a Clams AA agreement this is nbt one of the terms From the major league devak opment fund Class A clubs re- ceive $4000 compared to $12 000 in Class AA Trautman pledged the co operation of his 'office in try ing to pry loose a precious agree merit from some currantly dis inclined big league company Be said Smith would also 1 "go to bat" for Nashville Smith is a terrific leader a driving personality and a high- ly imaginative individuel He is extremely popular with his league directors "It was with great reluctance we had to accept the suspension of the Southern Association effective Feb 15" said Trautman who presided at the obsequies which lasted two hours and were also attended by several major league farm directors "I trust the Southern's exit is temporary" Trautman said Nashville and Chattanooga were granted the right to resign from the Sally League after the 1962 season This would enable them to join another league which might be organized in 1963 under the coming realignment scheme in the minors "We aren't really dead although I'm looking for a job" Totten said "We're keeping our league alive in a dormant con- s' dition and will try to return strong and solid in '63" There seemed to be no good clue as to what club Trautman and Smith may turn to first in the Vole' behalf Baltimore will not shift its agreement with Little Rock to Nashville which had been logi- cally speculated "I talked to George Selkirk (Baltimore farm director who was present at the session) about that" Harbour said "He told me the Orioles wouldn't be able to furnish us the players we would requir" Little Rock has only a partial working agreement with Baltimore However it was learned that Detroit may be asked to move into Elmira in the Eastern League with players originally assigned to Nashville if Baltimore would transfer its agreement with that club to the Tennessee capital "A switching of working agreements could be the answer" said one Sally League official Through the process of elimination leading possibilities to save the at the same time be Milwaukee the Chicago Cuba Boston Red Sox or Kansas City Athletics Detroit farm director James A Campbell said Bob Swift who had been appointed Vol maneget will be given a job else- where in the Tiger system If Nashville doesn't operate Detroit also may find a position for Harbour as a general manager within its organization "Baseball needs men of his ability and energy" Campbell said "We think very highly of hia potential in an executive capacity" Resumed rivalry with Knoxville would be healthy for the Vols Other Sally clubs are Asheville Charlotte Greenville Savannah Augusta Portsmouth and temporarily Columbi a whose franchise probably will be moved to Macon A schedule of 144 games is foreseen along with two divisions of five clubs and a post-season playoff for the pennant between group champions although those matters weren't discussed Wednesday Wirephoto at Charlotte NC It was announced that the Southern would not operate in 1962 and that Nashville and Chattanooga had been invited to Join the Sally League this year Nashville will need a new working agreement to join the Sally George Trautman president of the minor leagues Hal Totten president of the now-sus pended Southern Association and Bill Harbour general manager of the Nashville Vo Is talk over their problems shortly after the meeting A Night For Old Rosebud NCINNATI'S occasional outfielder and ace pinch-hitter 11-4 Jerry Lynch balking at signing his 1962 contract says: nes about time good pinch-hitters are paid what they're worth and that's about twice what they're paid now Ninety per cent of the time a pinch-hitter is in a situation when the outcome of the game depends pretty heavily on what he does" Nashville's Red Lucas agrees Pitcher Red made more major league pinch-hits (107) than any player in history "But I never was paid anything extra for it" said Lucas now an inspector for the State Revenue Department stationed at the Goodlettsville scales "Many a time after pitching the first game of a doubleheader I would change my sweatshirt and come back to the bench for the second game in case they needed me to hit "Things are different now Maybe I should have demanded more money but I didn't look at it that way back then I didn't figure I was paid just to pitch I thought I was supposed to do anything that might help win a game" Which was Red's attitude from the first moment he ever played in a professional game at Rome Ga in 1920 to his last time at bat as a pinch-hitter for the Vols in 1945 And do you know that in that last season when Red was 43 years old he led the Southern Association in hitting-16 hits in 38 times at bat for a 421 average? 401 Hits 107 Pinch NTEXT MONDAY night at the Noel Hotel Lucas will be honored at the annual banquet of the Old Timers Association Former National League umpire Larry Goetz will be cipal speaker Tickets are available at the Noel now Never has there been a worthier honoree Red Lucas was more than a major league star He was and is a solid citizen National League fans during the years 1926 1338 remember "Old Rosebud" as one of the game's great comgetitors on the rubber or at the plate Pitching on second division clubs most of the time Red won t57 games lost 135 Actually Lucas appeared in 901 National League games because of his remarkable hitting Altogether this pitcher made401 hits and had a lifetime averake of 283 So more than one-fourth of his hits were pinch-He Studied The First Pitch 'LUCAS reminiscing today said that as a pinch-hitter he rarely 14 if ever hit a first pitch "I wanted to see how fast the pitcher was that day or how sharp his curve was" Red explained "After that it was mainly I matter of just following the ball all the way and swinging "Timing was the inain thing I think I had timing as a hitter right up to my last season "And I guess one thing that helped was that I liked to hit" Fibbing To John McGraw EFTHANDED hitter Lucas found Dazzy Vance of the -LA Dodgers the toughest righthander for him Bill Hallahan of the Cards the toughest lefty "Both were real fast and had great curve balls" Red said Lucas hit three home runs as a National Leaguer Two were pinch-hits "But the pinch-hit I remember best was a triple off Jack WANTS $10000 MORE Mans Spurns Yank son in the Southern described the league this way: "When in 1901 the present organization was budded on $1 Z' the wrecks of many years pre ceding it there were many i ti baseball men who were un 4 willing to invest on the ground 1 )11 i'N 0 1 that what happened during every other year except that ''y'''r A of 1887 would overtake the i 1901 venture But what dd forint results we have seen In the very first season of the re- i organization the best players l': In the minor league class were 1: brought South a hungry pub li 1 -I 4 lic was fed on good honest 1 ir fbaseball and steadily the in oor 1 terest grew until now it is not 1 a shame to be seen at a base ball park The very best peo- 1 SI pie in this section of the 1- 4i: country are enthusiasts now i 7'71 4 The original circuit corn ir 4 prised Nashville Little Rock 1 Memphis New a Shreveport Chattanooga JOE ENGEL Birmingham and Selma Ala Atlanta replaced Selma the 1 1 soroti i'1 ft following year Other cities zrit''7V 0 I rk which have been in the league si were Montgomery Mobile and 4e -oh 17 Knoxville 0it Why did the 4 4 0'4 perish? Hers are some comments :4 4 1 from men long associated with the league: 4 (Atli iiii 4 JASPER DONALDSON 1 li i ri former general manager of 0 the Atlanta Crackers "Tele 5-e'' vision is a major factor in the "kk! ff4 0 demise of the minors (There i 4 0 are 19 still operating corn 4 pared with 56 in 1949) Who's ii going to pay to go out and 1: watch a minor league team when they can stay home and watch the majors free Still I 'J 4: hought the Southern would be 1')4: 0 11 able to go on It's a bad thing ii hat the Southern died It had lix: 14 ') been one of the best leagues in 1 the JOE ENGEL general man 41: 7 ii pl 1i 4 agor Of the Chattanooga Look s'- i0ir 0 outs: "We're sorry the Southern CHARLIE HURTH League has next i year will be another year I hate to see it happen It's a lot of ilt0 'A bad luck The major leagues just wouldn't give us working 0 7 agreements" 4 4 FRANK LONGINOTTI former general manager of the old ill' emphis Chicks: "I didn't ever expect the Southern to be counted 16i I 1: out I spent 40 years in the Southern and there will always be ff4 a soft spot In my heart for IL" 0 CHARLIE HURTH Southern president from 194760: "De spite the gloomy outlook for the league I still hope some for A tunate circumstance will take place to let it continue to operate" 4 ALBERT BELCHER owner of the Birmingham Barons: "I 0 don't know of anything I regret worse We were hoping that the 4 Ii11 Barons would come back in 1963 Folding of the Southern seems 41 like a terrible loss to the Southern sports world I think baseball 0 has its cycles and I felt it was on the uprise It's hard to say i4 where to put the blame" g'4 Officials of Vol Inc which operates Nashville's fan-owned club expressed hope the Southern would be revived next year 0 "I might not be in favor of going into the Sally League if I I did not believe this is an abridgment to the reorganization of the gi Southern Association next year" said Jack Norman board chairman of Vole Inc a gg ilM4Mt Offer Of 6000 4 iA'i: 'if and I've won the Most Valuable Player award both years so why is it necessary for me to wait so many years for my money?" Marie not only can say that but you can bet that he already has With all the extra money he's making on side ventures the additional $10000 he's demanding may seem inconsequential particularly after taxes but it has become a matter of principle with him There will be one more opportunity for Maria and Harney to talk contract in New York That will be this Sunday at the baseball writers' dinner where both will be guests Immediately after the dinner Harney leaves for the Yankees' spring training site at Fort Lauderdale Fla sr By MILTON RICHMAN (United Press International) Strangers get Roger Marts' autograph for nothing but the New York Yankees can't get it even for $60000 They tried Wednesday and got nowhere when baseball's' new home run king paid an unexpected 'visit to their office stayed only 10 minutes and then departed without signing after asking for $70000 "We were friends when came in and were still' friends when I came out" said Maria about his brief conference with General Manager Roy Harney "I'm not going to discuss my salary publicl he added "Whatever comes out will have to come from the Yankees" For their part the Yankees aren't doing much talking either Following Maria' surprise visit limey left the following prepared statement with the club's publicity department: "Rogers Marie just visited me and talked with me No agreement was reached Further contract negotialtons will be resumed in Florida next month" Marl received $42000 from the Yankees last year and has been offered an $18000 raise The general impression is that the 27-year-old slugger is basing his loudest argument for more money on the 61 homers he hit last season That impression in all probability is incorrect on two counts Any time Maria argues he generally does so softly And there's little need to labor those 61 homers Marts knows he hit' them and so do the Yankees The Yankees also know what those home runs meant to them at the box office Hamey a good businessman P41 ROGER MARIS I While Mans is unsigned two prominent pitchers on other teams did come to terms Wednesday They are Elroy Face ace relief pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Jack Fisher a regular starter for the Baltimore Orioles Other signing Wednesday included: NEW YORK Gus Bell pitcher Craig Anderson and catcher Clarence Coleman SAN FRANCISCO Pitchers Paul Colacecchl Matt Gayeski and Ray Feldman CHICAGO CUBS Pitchers George Gerberman and Wayne Carlander catcher Moe Thacker and infielder Jim McKnight i 4 4 11 and an eminently fair one undoubtedly is trying to get the fact across that the Yankees are perfectly willing to reward their players but prefer to do so Over a period of years He can cite the case of Mickey Mantle and explain to Mans how It took Mickey 10 years with the club to earn the $82000 he will draw for the coming season Marts no slouch in the business league himself has a formidable argument in rebuttal He's In a position to say "I've been with this club two seasons VtfilLIL INIET DOLLAR BUY MiLTE? gluza Cala ING1S: '0e 1 CHRYSLER The only car showing a sales increase in 1961 0 PLYMOUTH Lowest price most economical of Big 3 0 VALIANT Styling award winner of 1962 IMPERIAL America's most carefully built car 531)ay Season Starts New Tire FREE! if your GENERAL DUAL 90 blows out or is ruined from a puncture! The GENERAL gum 90 At Sunshine Park Oldsmar Fla (W) Sunshine Park race track opens today for Its 53-day season Officials are expecting a record year in attendance and betting The opening day program featured the Mary Carter Inaugural Purse for 4-year-olds and up The Florida Breeders Futurity on March 24 and the sixth running of the grant land Rice Handicap on March 10 are highlights of the season The first handicap race will be run 3im2 Swim I bia in I parts trauma mechanics a Salta Ilk Oka Photo by Paul Schleicher Red Lucas on the job at Goodlettsville Scott that beat the Giants one day" he said "That's because Scott came to me after the game and said: 'Red whatever you the old man (John McGraw) asks you what kind of a pitch you bit tell him it was a curve We get fined if we let you hit a fast ball' "McGraw did come to me the next day and ask I told him it was the prettiest curve ball I'Ve ever seen--but I don't think he rue" When A Nicety Boomeranged ED LUCAS can go for hours tecounting funny baseball hap penings He played when the game had lots of laughs One rny happiest experiences as a young sports writer was that 'sccompanying Red to the Cincinnati spring training camp at Tstnpa In'1931 remember Jim Bottomley then a first baseman with the Ycards kidding Lucas--and Lucas admitting what Jim said was true "I had t'ke Cards test 43 with two outs in the ninth one day a Cincinnati Red said "Bottomley came up It was his birth 'day I said to myself that I would give him a nice fat pitch and let hint fly out ground out find then laugh at him That sucker it a home run end the game went 11 innings before I beat 'em LIFETIME GUARANTEE GIVES YOU NEW TIRE FREE FREE ROAD SERVICE 0 FREE ROTATION 4 LIFETIME GUARANTEE' GIVES YOU NEW TIRE FREE FREE ROAD SERVICE 0 FREE ROTATION Chrysler Products dealers for over 30 years I 71 1 'Il -4 I )) ft '''A 1 9 1 -44 -THE r' GENERAL TIRE MO DO WLLL FREE! 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