The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 11

BLYTHEVILLE (ARK-)' COURIER NEWS PAGE ILETIH Braves Find 1954 Different Everything Went Their Way Last Year By HAERY GEAYSON NBA Sports Writer LOUISVILLE (NBA) Everything broke for the transplanted Braves last season, including the National League attendance record. The entire club went through the season without a not even a common charley horse. Veteran pitchers stood up. Young ones came through. Johnny Logan and Jack Dittmer arrived as a se- eohd base combination.

Eddie Mathews manufactured 47 home runs and drove in 135 runs. So the tribe jumped from seventh place to second and Milwaukee was delirious. But Sudsville this spring was quickly reminded that such good luck in baseball doesn't last forever, except perhaps at Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field. Bobby Thompson broke his anile in training, won't be mended and ready for action until July 1. A bean ball sent Andy Pafko home.

Charley Grimm was without his entire starting outfield when Bill Bruton was bedded by a virus infection. Now the Army threatens to take Joe Adcock in late May. The Braves moving right along with their first string flychasers sidelined stressed the Lou Perini entry's depth and versatility. Only the Dodgers and Yankees could do that and the champions would be hurt worse than the Braves. UNSER GEEWM CAME up with three retrievers who would be welcome on 13 other major league out-fits.

Young Henry Aaron, 'qualified judges predict will wind up the greatest of the Negro sluggers, started in right field, anyway. Jim Pendleton, a converted shortstop, patrolled center. Third baseman Mathews dropped back to left which he liked, with Danny O'Connell returning to his natural position. Mathews isn't supposed to break Babe Ruth's big league home run record of 60, by the way, because he must play half his games in Milwaukee Stadium. It's 397 feet to right center field there and that's where the Sudsville Slasher bashes most of his four-masters.

MATHEWS KNOCKED Bob Talbot out of the Milwaukee park with a 400-foot liner, the Cubs' center fielder being unable to hang onto the ball as he tumbled over the low fence head first and into the bull pen. If Mathews were more of a pull left-hand hitter, there's no telling how many home runs the rosy- cheeked kid would hit. Mathews has an unusual explanation of why he hasn't a more pronounced pull. In Santa Barbara, where he got his early schooling, his father pitched and his mother played the outfield, stationing himself in right center. ''I'tried to hit 'em to Mom so she wouldn't have to run so far," he explains.

Jensen's Jury Is Still Out Test Will Come When Thumper Starts Ploying By JEMMY BEESLIN NEA Staff Correspondent NEW YORK (NEA) Boston's Red Sox, probably figuring that Ted Williams talks enough for all of them, are playing it soft when the subject of Jackie Jensen's fast start is brought up. Jensen, the big blond who was brought to Fenway Park to give the Bosox some pennant power from the right side of the plate, belted four fast home runs with two of them producing victories over the Yankees and Athletics. At the outset of spring training, it looked as if Lou Boudreau and Company made the wrong move in trading Mickey McDermott, an 18- game winner, and speedy Tom Umphlett for Jensen. But on the way north, the former California back walloped for a .447 mark ended the grapefruit season with .326. Jensen didn't stop once they began playing for keeps and more than took advantage of the left field wall at Fenway, rapping three over it.

"We'll just wait and see on Jensen," Boudreau says. "It's too early for me to give an opinion on any- By DOUG FORD, The Miami Springs course, where they hold the Miami Open, is familiar to me. I played the layout many times when stationed near there during World War II. The tournament itself, however, had been, until last December, practically a Sam Snead benefit. Slammin' Sam had monopolized the $15,000 event.

When you beat Snead, you remember I'll remember my victory in last winter's Miami Open more than all the rounds I played at Miami Springs and probably every other course I've been on. The turning point came at the 15th hole. It is a long par 5 and my second shot left the ball under a tree 50 yards from the hole. A poor low wedge shot might have cost me the tournament. I 'had a bad position and it gave me the choice of looking simply to to get out of trouble or to take a chance and shoot for the works- right at the pin.

The wedge gives you the height to get out of trouble and also accuracy. I hit the shot well right for the pin. It was a good one. The ball went all the way and the cup to give me an eagle 3. (Douf Ford will be olfers trying to beat Ben on National Golf Day, June sponsored by the PGA and Magazine.

Ameteurs will use on their own courses.) thing. As far as Jensen is concerned, I'll hold off until he's had a look at everybody around the sague. And they'v had a look at liim, too." The Red Sox gave up a lot for the former California gridder and one inaminate object probably will have as much to do with making or breaking them than any pitcher in the league That would be, of course, The Wall, Boston's answer to a handball court. The sign at the bottom of the left field fence at Fenway Park says at is 315 feet from home plate, but when a right handed batter digs in, the thing seems practically on top of him. Until last season, the Bosox were almost unbeatable at home, but floundered badly on the road.

The fence you see, is not portable. Fellows like Walt Dropo, now with the Tigers, hurt themselves seriously outside of Fenway by trying to hit as if they were at home. Jensen insists he hasn't altered his stance to get cozy with The Wall. While Jensen's early season work has been a bright spot for the Red Sox, it's strictly in the nature of a bonus. His big the jury hasn't even arrived to debate on this come somewhere around May 15.

That's when Mr. or the Splendid Splinter of what-have-you, otherwise Ted Williams, put in his big frame in the lineup and Boudreau inserts Jensen behind him in the, batting order. That will give Jackie all the chances he needs to refute claims that he leaves too many guys on base. Fights Last Night By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES Buddy Evatt, Los Angeles, outpointed Le- Manila Team Wins 25 in Row Extra-Inning Game To Lions by 4-2 DELL Manila High School's torrid baseball team won its 25th game in a row here yesterday besting Dell 4-2 in an extra inning. The score stood at 2-2 at the end of the regulation seven innings.

Pierce, Manila's invincible lit- le hurler, got two hits and struck out 12 in getting another win. Shelton, on the mound for struck out nine and helped his cause along with one hit. Scott, Davis, Miles and Homer all had one hit apiece for the winners while Chandler, Stamey, Edwards, Johnston and Shelton collected all of Dell's five hits. Friday, Manila travels to Childress. Arkansas Nine Drops Pair FAY-ETTEVILLE Tulsa swept both ends of a doubleheader here yesterday, defeating the University of Arkansas baseball team, 10-1 and 7-5.

The double victory gave Tulsa a 4-2 record for the six-game series. Tulsa's Terry Greene, with three mates aboard, hit a homer'in the sixth inning to lead in the opening victory. A homer by John Auderdale sparked the nightcap triumph. Roy Richards, Los Angeles, 10. DETROIT Duke Harris, 14714, Detroit, outpointed Pat Lowry, Toledo, 10.

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Along the line of making contact with the base, there is another thing tc remember that is quite important. A good first baseman, will never shift from one foot to the other in changing sides to take a throw. By the same token, he will never flick his foot back at the bag the moment he catches the ball. That shifting of the feet always puts me in mind of a ham actor. There is, of course, a right and wrong way to hold a man on base.

So many first basemen these days play in foul territory while trying to keep a runner close. They should never do that. Being in fail- territory gives the first baseman a jump in getting out toward second for a ground ball. It enables him to give more protection to the second baseman Who has inherited some of his territory anyway. Still talking basic things, those who aspire to be better first basemen, or, better, first basemen, should work on making the double play to second, getting back to the bag in time to complete the play.

Another and rarer, angle on the same play is where the first baseman tags the batter first then throws to second. This erases the force at second. Get Fast Man First The first baseman must know his runners in this example. If the batter is very fast and the man on first is much slower, it is wise, if possible, to get the fast man. Then get the slow man.

provided there is not a runner in scoring position, else you may never complete the double play. Other fundamental details of playing first include certain plays Terry's Record Bill Terry compiled a .311 batting average in his IS years as a first baseman with the New York Giants. He was the last National Leaguer to hit above .400. He batted .401 in 1930. Terry, elected to the Hall of Fame by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America hist January succeeded the great John McGraw as Giant manager and won three pennants in 10 years pilot.

Terry's record: Pos. Games 1923 IB 1924 IB 1925 IB 1926 1B-OF 1927 IB 1928 IB 1929 IB 1930 IB 1931 IB 1932 MGR-1B 1933 MGR-1B 1934 MGR-1B 1935 MGR-1B 1936 MGR-1B I see all sorts of players, men who have come up as catchers, outfielders and infielders at other spots, put on first base. It seems the popular trend is that if a man can't play any place else, or is beaten out his Job they put him at first. such as cut offs on extra base hits. On the latter, the first baseman never leaves his bag until the batter is well around first and too far to come back.

One of the manuevers of this phase includes backing up home plate and being- able to make a play there if necessary. These days many men are tried at first base men who are not fitted for the position. As for myself, I -used to get a kick stretching for throws, picking up the low ones and trying to get a runner picked off. It always seemed to hs more natural for me than any other position, although I started out as a pitcher in professional ball. I have never considered It that simple.

A good first baseman can save a team a lot of base hits by going after the close ones. He should stretch on every play, automatically. A good first baseman can save a team a lot of errors by fielding the bad ones. I have aald nothtof about fielding balls In the dirt. One assumes a player can do that or he would not be there in the first place.

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