WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1957
Beating The
Gun
BY BILL BROWER FOR
ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS
The other day the nc-ws came
through that Monte Irvin had re
tired from baseball. Although you
know that h* *as cluing the right
thing, it was the kind of item you
hated to read. Guys don't come any
nicer that Monte.
Irvin was 38 years old He
didn’t get his chance in organ
iced baseball until he was 18
or 29. His fling at glory was all
too brief.
Jackie Robiason. Larry Doby
Batch Paige, ftoy Campaneiia and
Dan Bankhead, all preceded Irvin
in the majors But somehow the
impression lingers that had Irvin
been given the chance, even a
couple of years earlier, he would
have ranked with tire best of them.
Irvin was a teammate of Doby's
on the old Newark Eagles. At the
time. Bill Voeck was angling for
Larry os the first tan player' in
the American League, he wrote off
Irvin for a couple of reasons.
"We know about him," VeecK
said at the time. "Abe Saper
stein told »s he would make
somebody a fine hall player.
But so would Satchel Paige-
Trouble now is that vse don’t
want to bnnj; more than one
colored player into the league
at this time. Besides, Irvin’s
too old’’
Irvin did reach the big league,
of course. Along with Hank Thom
pson and Ford Smith, be was sign
ed by the New York Giants for the
Jersey City International League
ciub in 1949. Ford, a pitcher, didr: t
have much success rod soon draft
ed into obscurity. Thompson, a se
cond baseman who had a brief
trial with the old St Louis Browns
came up to the Giants in 1949
Monte got a late-season chance
with the National League team that
year. After spring training in 1950,
he was again consigned to the min
or league team. But not for long.
In 18 games with Jersey City, he
nas batting a smoking .510, and
was hurriedly recalled by the par
ent ciub.
In 110 games with the Giants -
playing Ihird base, the outfield and
finally first base - - Irvin batted
299. hit 15 home runs and drove in
60 runs.
If, was in 195! that:’he rose to his
ei eatest heights In 151 games, he
batted 3)2. had 24 homers and
drove Ip 121 runs. Without his
season-long performance. the
Giants never would have caught
the Brooklyn Dodgers and then
-<►*. i r <-L -
ovn • i-ucui m vul jaajuu uu mv
NL flag.
In the World Series against
the New Vo:k Yankees that
year. Irvin wu one of the
heroes for the Giants, who
were heat in a six-game set.
He had li hits in the six games
and four of them came in tlie
first game, two of them tying
Series records. He heaped in
sult upon injury to the Yan
kees by stealing home, the first
time that had been done in a
Series game since 1921.
Paul Richards, manager of the
Baltimore Orioles, said:
"I think Monte Irvin is the great
est ball player in America. There
is only one man Ld compare with
him- Stan Musial.”
Nobody guessed then, hut mis
fortune was to overtake the quiet
Irvin. Playing in Denver during an
exhibition game with Cleveland,
Monte broke his right ankle slid
ing Into third base. He didn't even
make a pinch hitting appearance
until July 27, finally appearing in
By Popular
Denali!
lan
I HALF
I QUARTS
#** jp*] ,Bj0? “
■] msmd of
I jr* 3y • rofrojhuMKit
PhWMI
Now! Enjoy germrim
Millet High Life
luftlity in popular
King Size Half
BASEBALL BALLET Again running out torn under hia hat,
Willie Mays of the New York Giants collides with Git Hedges,
txs the Dodger first baseman tries to s nag cm errant throw during
last week's opener at F.bbets Field. Mays was safe on ths play,
, i and continues to bum up the base paths, as he has done since
his benching. (Newsareas Photo),
,
;! Say A1 Smith, Indians’ !
1 “ Jack-Of-AU-Trades,”
; Paid To Play Infield
. | NEW YORK i ANF Ai Smith
! i versatile Cleveland Indians star
1 1 who has played every position on
5 i the club except first base, pitcher
: i and catcher, got a bonus of about,
t j $3,000 to switch from the out
-1 | field to a permanent third bare ,
. j aoorguiucuo, aLk'JUUHy. Lt» >1 ’. ‘.Ji >
! published here last week by Mil
j ton Gross, New York Post col
j umnist.
According to Gross, the ex
tra money came after Smith
let it be known that playing
the unfamiliar “hot spot"
meant more money to him.
Thus the arrangement, mu
tually beneficial to Smith and
the Indians, was worked out.
It, filled the need of both par
ties concerned. .
But. Gross indicated, the In
dians brass came out on the long |
j end of the deal. Smith, who this
i season reportedly signed for a
round 517,000, improved his fi
nancial standings by some $3,000 i
but the Indians cot themselves a j
workable third basement at a bar
gain price.
A! Rosen, retired ar.d lamented .
Indians third baseman, got $32, j
opo to play third last season, and i
I this year would have gotten a- '
i round $27,000, had he not chosen
I to go into retirement.
-Geo. Gaiissfsrd, Ray Rsbisson’s
Manager, Eyeing Joey Giardeiio
CLEVELAND (ANP) George
Gainsford, one of Sugar Ray Rob- 1
insons’ three managers, said here
last week that he would “like to ;
see Giardello in the ring with Su
gar Ray."
Gainsford made the statement,
shortly after Joey Giardello, a !
top contender for middleweight •
title honors, won a split decision j
over rugged Rory Calhound of
White Plains, N. Y Giardello.
who hails from Philadelpnin
where he acquired the title of
4fi games. He had a 810 balling a
vera.ee for that short season.
The next year, he hit. like his j
old self again, rapping out a .829 !
average, with 97 RBIs and 21 ho
mers. But the effects of the in
jury began to tell on his techni
cal proficiency.
He was only * part-time
player in 1954, when the Giants
again won the pennant. But
we guess that Monte got a big
thrill when his two hits broke
up the final game of the World
Series at Cleveland as the
Giants swept four straight,
Tha next season after a dismal
start, he was shipped by the Giants
to the Minneapolis team in the A
meriean Association. His minor
league performance war a fine one. j
.352 hatting average, 14 home ;
runs, 21 doubles and 52 RBIs in 75 j
games.
The Chicago Cubs reclaimed him !
in the major league draft. He gave j
it the old college try last season, j
but saw only part-time service, j
He batted ,271, banged out 15 ;
home runs and had 59 RBIs. Some |
players would have been pleased !
with such a performance. But the !
Cubs, rebuilding, were on the out
look. for younger talent, Irvin was
sent outright to tht' Los Angeles
Club of the Pacific Coast
He tried again this season. But
Monte knew he was through. Why 1
go on?
There Is’only this bitter after- j
taste: Irvin would make a good
teacher. He was an upstanding ath
lete in any respect. It's too bad
seine major or high minor league
club didn’t hire him as a coach. He
certainly deserved a chance.
!
According to Gross' story, j
Smith did not «,ut to play
third base and actually in- j
tended to stay away from it.
However, he was the most ver
satile man the Indians had
and during spring training In
dians manager, horby Farrell,
pui him on ihird and laid
hirn to give it a try. \I did.
But after making three er
rors in one game, he got dis
gustrd and asked out, saying
that he preferred the outfield.
However, he left one reserva
tion.
He said privately: “If I have to!
j go back there, (third) they’re go-j
| ing to have to give me more mon- ■
; ey. It’s worth $4,000 more to me !
; to make the shift." The Indians I
| brass were quick to catch on. ac- j
| cording to the story. They gave j
I him his bonus and as a result the j
1 team is now on the rpove.
i The whole story points up to j
| one thing. Smith is 3. conspicu-;
j ously underpaid player. Last year.i
! for instance, he got somewhere j
! from SIO,OOO to $15,000, although
i the previous season he hit 306.
batted in 77 run:-, hit 22 home
} runs and was sensational afield, j
| His bat mark dipped season
I but he remained somewhat of a I
j one-man team. "A -Jack-of-all:
I Trades", they call him.
“bad boy’’ after a fracas with a
Negro ttes station attendant, has ;
| been gunning for a title shot for j
some time, but has experienced |
| some adversities.
His title chances were .jolt
ed when Randy Sandy of New i
York held him to a razor-elo.se
decision in Chicago and Wil
lie Vaughn, a mauler out of
California, upset him in Ift i
rounds, only to see the de
cision reversed later by the
Missouri Athletic Commission.
There was no elaboration on
Gainsford's speculation. However,
: the foxy manager is known to
j have a sharp eye for a buck and !
j he no doubt figures such a bout j
| would pay off at the box office. ’
j ' ” ' " ’ '
i Rules Massive African
j Ineligible For Boxing
LOUISVILLE, KY. —<ANP)— A
scheduled 10-round bout between
Sid Peaks, veteran heavyweight,
and Ewart Potgleter, massive
South African fighter, was side
tracked last week after the Ken
tucky State Board of Athletic Con
j trol ruled that Potßo-is suffer- |
| fnt* “shotgun vision." The bout j
! had been scheduled for the Fair
j Grounds here this Saturday.
Polgietcr, who at 525 pounds
Is the heaviest man in the his
lorv of boxing, was already
under suspension by the Mass
aehuetts commission for fail
ing to report for an exatnina- j
Hon after an operation for a
glnJulur condition late last
year.
Petgietor's “shotgun Vision” was j
rieeribed ;u- inability to detect pun- I
ehes coming ri him from the side" j
It probably rnc ans the t i.d of the
South African’s ring career.
{ ttelike Feimo Camera, another
I giant who went on to win the
heavyweight title, Potgietor never
was able to make much of an im
pression on the fight game. Re-'
cently, Johnny Holman, no specd
ter himself, used him for a punch
ing bag in winning an unanimous
Aggie Nine Wins Final CIAA Game
ißiueiieid
Bail Ciub
Defeated
GREENSBORO - - Tin- A&T
! College Agg. -s whipped Blue
! so ld Stale College of BUicbeld.
* W Va . 13-8. in a baseball game
! played here ye.-o relay at A&T £ol
| lege
The game. Horten, J by pi uir
j commitments the Stadium, con •
1 eluded fotlov seven-innings of
| Pl«y
j Tne locals jumped on flatting pit
-1 cher. Garland Norwood far four
• ions in the first three-in the sec
i olid and hi;, od reliefer Preston
i Harrison for fix in third for all of
! their scoring, but enough to win.
Harrison settled down after that i
and field the Angies in check for ■
the balance o' the afternoon.
Frank Hr lilton, winning pit- j
cher for the Aggies, gave up one- i
| run in the first, three-suns in the •
i fourth and two-each in ti.e fifth
| and seventi frames as the game
j was called.
■ It was fina! conference en
! nagement for the Aggies and left
■ thorn with 7-5 win average for the
I season.
: - ;
Tan episcopal j
Priest Elected
For 4th Time
MIAMI. FLA. -—IANP) lndic- |
| live of the progress being made ;
j in Christian race relations by the j
1 Diocese of South Florida which is j
i totally integrated on the Diocesan ;
I 1
! level, the Venerable John E. Cul- I
j ir.tT, Recto" of St Agnes' Episco- 1
| pal church and Archdeacon for
| Negro work in the .Diocese of South
; Florida, was elected one of four
| deputies at the General Conven
| lion of the Episcopal Church. The
i General Convention, which meets
I ti.i-annually. will convene here at
! Miami Beach, in the Fait of 1958.
General Convention is the
highet legislative body of the
Episcopal Church and elec
tion as a deputy to that body
is an honor coveted bv every
clergyman of the Episcopal
Church.
Dr. Culmer was elected from a
i field of 27 nominees - 26 white
1 and one colored -of the predo
| minantiy white annual Diocesan
| Convention which was held earlier
! this month at Daytona Beach, with !
I headquarters at the Princess F.s
sena Hotel.
Dr Culmer holds the distinction
of being the only Negro priest of
i the Episcopal Church who has
j been four -times elected a deputy
; of the Geneal Convention. The Rt.
i Rev. Henry I. Louttit is bishop of
| the Diocese.
In last week's fight, Giardeiio j
j lmd to stave off a rally b/ Cal- |
houn to win. In the seventh, Rory J
! almost doubled him up with a left 1
hook. But Joey used his better
boxing to evade most of Rory’s
| bombs the remainder of the bout.
Both fighters received slight
cuts around the eyes.
The loss by Calhoun was
only his second in more than
40 professional fights. He hid
won 14 of 27 previous fights
via the knockout route.
Besides Giardeiio, the only oth
er fighter to defeat Calhoun was
Ellsworth (Spider) Webb, the No.
I 2 middleweight contender, who
| decisioned him in a Chicago bout
1 several weeks ago.
10-round decision.
Only those wheat growers who
have 15 or more acres of wheal
for grain in 1958 will be eligible
to vote in the marketing quota
referendum on June 20.
| Eggs, cheese, or meat rooked at
| 100 high a temperature are hard
; to digest.
j My Nsigiliors
! \ -*> -
you please stop talk
ing about taxes! You’re driv
ing me crazy!" 1 j
THE CAROLINIAN
s
Tom Alston’s Rapid Weight Sr iinf-!
Alarms Cards; Star Sent To Hospital
ST. LOUTS --- (.4 VP) The St. ,
Louis Cardinals la . week placed j
reserve fiist baser;* n Tom Alston
on the disabled list » nd sent him to ;
I s local hospital after it was noieri i
I that he 'had been shedding weight |
too rapidly.
I Alston was sent to Jewish hos- {
! pital for rest, a special diet, tests !
i and possible treatment.
He xvas ordered to the bus I
I Lincoln’s All-Sports Ua.ii quet
Honors Forty-Five Athletes
j JEFFERSON CITY. MO. Spc- .
cial and letter awards to 45 ath- j
lutes and a program including Mau
rice Stokes, professional basketball
star and Skipper Patrick, sports
i
j
; L —— i
A powerful flashlight is “must"
i equipment in your automobile. A
new one on the market can be
placed on the road to illuminate
tire-changing or other oneralions
and, at the same time, sends out
a flashing red signal as a warn
ing to approaching motorists
• * •
1 M
Buying seat covers for your
ear? The Automobile. Sent Cover
Manufacturers Association says
they’ll last twice as long if you
have your upholstery thoroughly
cleaned before the seat covers
| are put on. Dirt and dust left on
the seats will act as an abrasive,
cutting through and wearing the
underside of the scat cover ma
terial
• * *
Here’s an idea for motorist*
who like to put articles on the
shelf next to the rear window but
have trouble keeping them in
place. A plywood “fence" no
higher than half an inch, and
fastened to the shelf by brackets
will keep all articles in place
and prevent them from sliding
forward during quick stops.
• ® e
If you like to Jot down note*
frequently when driving, you can
avail yourself of a memo pad
which attaches magnetically to
the dashboard and holds a mag
netic pencil which clings auto
matically. It is especially handy
for housewives checking off shop
ping lists or for anyone keeping
a mileage record. ,
t I •
Women decide the color of the
ear and its interior more than
j G 5 per cent of the time. According
to a survey by the Automobile
Seat Cover Manufacturers Asso
ciation (ASCM A) some 05 to 80
per cent of auto seat cover? are
selected by women. The woman’s
take over in this area is so pro
nounced that many retailers re
port (heir male customers refuse
to make the purchase in interior
upholstery. Instead, they take
material samples home to their
wives who make the decision.
• • •
And, are yon taking a new baby
I on a tr.p this summer? You’!)
save yourself a lot of time and
trouble by investing in an auto
bottle warmer. It plugs into the
dashboard lighter, heats baby’s
lunch in n hurry and ends those
time-consuming frequent stops
for bottle-heating ycrv«=»
pital afier it was noted Uiat
the tan star had lost 15 pounds
since the end of spring train
ing. He came to camp v eighuis
only 178 pounds, hut respond
ed to supervised diet to move
up to 191. However, last week
he was down to 17ft.
The loss of weight weakened ,
j him lo such a point that Sum v- - .
t sial remarked: "The poor g- v
j writer, highlighted th. annual Ail-
Sports banquet at Lincoln Univer- I
j sity (Mu.) last week.
Stokes, star oi the former
j Rochester Royals, now Let: .-it
’Royals, presented the Harry
Stokes Memorial av nrd to the
outstanding lineman of IN
coin Tiger football crew, Rob
ert Watters.
In making the award, .Stok- . sail! ;
“Os all the honors I’ve b ; n f
lunate enough lo receive in tnv
life, this opportunity to conic he:,c ]
and make this award is the fir: -■<
thing that’s ever hapjauied to n " |
Harry Stokes, (he ‘■. .'s 1- '
oid r
s4f.f oT i j
JTRAIOMI fcOU&aONi WH!SKIY,3 WtOOR SCHINIEY DISTUtE& CO.M.Y.C '
i
j cv’er, hi- bounut’cl baok ,j fhjc *
j year to boinur the 1
’ b!.; rdir-alr. nttin V
thur, wa:j n gr;idu»t* of Fir-colr!
I Vnixe? ;ii\y in Ht- was f-£iw: 1
f kiliod |r t p i.*nr rvi-nt
3'amck, division spirts editor j
! tht- nv-SiV anons fczts be bns SFon 1
i his covered four Bow*? yan
. es, ana rno Orange. Cotton and Oil
i B()*wl classics since witnessing his j
I first game in 1924.
Tn lu»>kotbali, Pnivkk has env
crcd 4u9 of NATA casjc battles j
1 in Kansas Cay curing the past 13
! !?08B:, nS| numerous NCAA 7 ! 0.m>0- j
! "jpmr^l:l
PAGE FIFTEEN
si f Jim
' :i<i r (;i Penn
h Sc'-ii.ii. 5 : :.. , t a h, Pa.
' sii tin* finish line of his
in the 440-yard flash
! ih. Bond, yeading the
! ;i a close race to the
■ , U M short of the tape
- s the line (circle),
•pile s of the Lancaster
ha pier ■> Officials ruled
ivid Hein?; Ikin (ri g h t),
; ci; o! fownship. the win*
nrr and Clyde Brown (left),
< , third place for the
! 'carter, sc. and. Bond was
he.,':. (Vuited Press Tele
photo!.
•: iiU and tennis swards
P ; ing sp chid awards
m ■ ■ A rtiiur Marshall who
' ;, yi n the most versatile
5 r.; t'vc year award; Al-
In-ri tv , who received the
mod imputved football play
er of the y< :ir award; Begin*
aid Davis who was named the
rinsf improved basketball play*
i r of the year, and Lamest
, who was given a special
track award for gaining the
m> t points !or the Tiger crew.
Ih- p.'iiram was Geo*
; track coach at Hat*
■ Cdi ,v- jn S; Louts.
| \ i f the !>arV:i;Ol was th«
! of Uv fuming Ath*
| let " K ... White, a 1947 Lin
r: ; r.uw coach of Ink*
jV perennial track
j:• wcri- I !••"• his tutelage,
lt:V ! i thin clads have cap
■ '';e M 'r; n State High
! • • ■'’■} three conseou*
i \t * -;hcr of tfe#
<'k ■ ,■! : s vj'! b . c cial hour
' *'■ " ~!■ Katie
s hard on East Cabarrus St.