North Carolina Newspapers

Hera Id S p o r t s DICK WOODWARD 3 Join Group Of 400 Home Run Hitters in the major leagues there are long standing records which are surpassed and the 19fi3 season was no «*xcep tion. Encompassed in Ihe present-day system of classify ing things, it has been the tendency to list |>crsons and things in the group known as the "Top Ten". It seems that everything is iteing classified and head ed by the leading ten. There are the top ten hitters in baseball, the top ten records of the day. Ihe top ten contenders lor the boxing title, and the ten most wanted men in the United States. Being classified in the first ten in any category has proven to be the "thing”. And now. there is another “'Fop Ten" group which has come into being recently. This list includes the baseball players who have hit more than UK) home runs during a career. Until the 1H63 season there wen* only seven hitters who accomplished the hard-to-do feat. But, during the season, there were three players, all in the National League, who entered this category. The senior circuit veterans joined the select 4(H) homer society in 1 and as the ’(VI season wears on. no additions to the list are in sight. The trio of new entries into the elite group consisted of Eddie Matthews of the Milwaukee Braves, Duke Snider of the New York Mets (he is now with the Giants), and the incomparable Willie Mays of San Francisco. The newly inducted threesome rounded out the “400 Club" to an even ten with Matthews becoming the first to attain the mark. The 31-year-old third baseman-outfielder did it with a two-run drive off Philadelphia's Jack Hamil ton at Milwaukee's County Stadium April It*. PH*:*, as the Braves romped to an s-t) victory behind pitcher Warren Spahn Snider, long-time Dodger outfielder purchased by the Mets duiing spring training, rapped his looth round trip per off Bob Purkey in the first inning at Cincinnati. June 14. The .‘16-year-old slugger thus became the oldest active player to attain the mark. And Wondrous Willie belted his 100th during a 7-2 victory ove« the St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco, Au gust 27. The blow came off southpaw Curt Simmons, and as is so often the case, sparked a Giants rally wihch netted a San Francisco victory. Mantle Is 7tn, Matthews, Mays, Are Tied Through Saturday night’s games, of th<* active play ers who are still in the running for increased output!!, Matthews and Mays have 135 round-trip|tcrs each. Mat thews started the Y>l season with homers, fifty-three behind »ht recently retired Stan Musial, who had a career total of 17.*. Musial is currently ranked No. ti on the all-time home run leaders list. Mantle became a member of the group in 1962 with a career total of 404. Due to injuries during the '63 season he managed only 15 homers, but was only used in 65 of the season's games. Mantle is currently resting in the No. 7 s|>ot with 439. thirty-six behind Musial. Of the six top home run leaders, there is only one who has a solid lock on his present position. The immortal Babe Ruth's record of 711 is more than safe because Ruth's nearest challenger. Mantle, is 275 from tying the mark, and he would have to hit 16 homers for the next six seasons to move ahead. Mays. 32. is 279 behind Ruth and it doesn't seem pos sible for him t«» reach the 700 bracket. But. Mantle is only 95 behind .bmmie Foxx, who is in second place with 334 and Ma\s is 99 behind. It is very possible that both Mantle and Mays may surpass Foxx’s mark. Resting in the No. 3 position is the Boston Red Sox immortal. Ted Williams, who registered 521 homers dur ing his career, which was interrupted on two occasions by war. He missed four or five years during his prime due! to the Second World War and the Korean conflict and finished 193 behind Ruth. Assuming that he missed four years (the exact number is not known), Williams would have had to hit over 45 homers each year to surpass Ruth, but he definitely would be well planted in second place. Foxx. Williams, and fourth place holder. Mel Ott. who played with the New York Giants during the 30’s and ear ly 40’s and slammed 511 round-trippers, find their current positions in extreme jeopardy as the seasons come and go. Ruth's teammate at New York. Lou Gehrig is ranked No. 5 on the all-time list with 493 circuit clouts, with Mu sial only IP behind in sixth place. Active Players Will Definitely Move-Up The threesome of Mantle, Mays and Matthews will definitely advance in the standings as all three have sev eral years of active play remaining. Mays is probably the most likely to move into the No. 2 spot at the close of his career. If the present pace continues, he should have four or five more seasons to play, while Mantle has been plagu ed with leg injuries for several seasons and is not likely to be an active player for many more years. Matthews is the youngest challenger at 31. but he has been having his troubles at bat for the past couple of years. He should have five or six more years in which to challenge the front runners. Snider, who has registered 103 circuit clouts during his illustrious career, will add a few to his total this sea son, but at 36, he will probably call it (juits as an active player after the '61 season. Records are made to be broken, but these top ten home run hitters will be remembered for years to come, even if they do eventually slip from their present posi tions. There are many newcomers w ho could be a challenge to the present home run totals. Such players as Harmon KUIebrew of the Minnessota Twins. Frank Howard of the Las Angeles Dodgers. Hank Aaron of the Braves. Ron San to of the Chicago Cubs. Ken Boyer of the St. Louis Cardi nals, and rookies Richie Allen of Philadelphia and Tonv Oliva of the Twins have shown tremendous ability to hit the long ball, and these performers will be watched as their careers unfold, and as the seasons pass, one of them may become the greatest home run hitter who ever lived but there is one thing for sun*, the name BABE RUTH wili live forever as “King of the home run hitters". Here are the top ten home run hitters: (Totals of active players include games through Saturday. August Player Hon Runs 1. Babe Ruth 714 2. Jimmie Foxx 534 3. Ted Williams 521 4. Mel Ott 511 5. Lou Gehrig 493 6. Stan Musial 475 •7. Mickey Mantle 439 • Team Yankees-Red Sox Athletics-Red Sox Red Sox Giants Yankees Cardinals Yankees Kings Mountain Is Negro Little League Champ li uas the battle of the 1«•«*mm leaders Friday afternoon in tlu Negro Little !.*• i »ur season fi nale as Kings Mountain blank ed tlalilee. I, to win .lie champ ionship by a slim one game. The t.vi teams m re tied foi the league lead going into the crucial contest. The Kings Mountain lads, who finished the season with a ne urd of ten wins against two losses, had theii hands full fo. five innings a> Calilce pitcher Nob (ole retired the oppositiot with ease and struck out l.'l hat lers. hut in the fifth the eventu a 1 winners broke the -soring let as William Davis opened Ihi inning wltfi a <1 mbie ai l Char lie Karnes toikmed with a one base hit Tonimv Rhodes was is sued a base on balls to lua I lh< bases with nom out. and > lltuilei delivered a three-run dotihh which gave King. Moun tain th- vict. r> *•alilee hail loaded the bases in the third with none out but was unable to score. Loser Cole limited tlu- win nets ti bin three bits, all in the dis isive fifth as he participated in his last Little League contest. tlaiilec finished the season in second place with a ft I record and was followed by (Iro-.ei and Compact which registered 7-5 records. Khcnezcr finished al a:i e\«-n a's itt i|i. and Hilltop fin ished s-xth with a g It mark. FINAL STANDINGS Team King? Mm Galilee < «rovi*r Compact Kbcnf zer Hilltop Won Lost Pet. H 2 .833 ft 3 .7.10 <> 6 ..StM 2 lo .107 5 .083 5 .583 Police Lads Winner In L. League Finale The final game of the 196* Little League schedule was plaj • ed Friday afternoon with he p"o lav Club downing the Kiw.iris lads. S I. There were two games set:ed it led which were not playe t du< t«> ••-•nf>« ling times. A rained out game between the league-lead ing Bur .Mill team and the Ros < ue Squad was cancelled be cause the outcome would not have any affect on the final standings. Park Grace and the Rescue Squad also cancelled a regularly scheduled game. A 14-game schedule was pla> eil by five of the eight teams with leader Bur Mill playing only thirteen contests err* pc-"t ing a season record of eleven wins against two defeats. The Rescue Stpiad played the fewest number oi games, twelve, and Park Graiv played thirteen contests. The Fridnv final game went to the Police lads who finished the regular season’s play with ♦i-H record. The Friday winners trailed. 1 0 after one inning of play but scored three times in the bottom of tlie second frame. The Kivvan is lads, who finished the regu lar season with a 3-11 record, scored their only run as Buddv Oliver walked after one was out in the first After Smith rolled to first for the second out. Jack Bell doubled to score Oliver. Thi> Kiwanis lead was short lived however as the Police scor ed three in the Itoltom of the second inning on two bases on1 balls, a fielder's choice, and a single. Keith Moss opened the inning with a base on balls, but was picked off first base for the initial out of the inning. Kiwan is pitcher Robbie Goforth issued his second straight free pass to Mike Blanton, who stored the first run after moving to sec ond on a passed ball. Pete Hicks got on as a result of a Kiwanis error and first baseman Ronnie Miller singled two runs homo and scored the third as the Ki wanis lads made their second error of the inning. Tlie winners added insurance with two runs in the third and three in the fnutth frame. Hicks was credited with the win for the Police and starter Goforth suffered the loss for the Kiwanians. KIWANIS 100 000 POLICE 032 30x Leading Hitters: Polic*—Mi! ler. single and double; Sessoms. Black, singles. Kiwanis — Bell, double; Du Bose, Smith, singles. Little League Final Standings Bur Mill Optimist Jaypres Lions Beanie Squad Police Club Kiwanis Park Grace II 9 9 5 <i 6 3 2 5 5 6 6 8 11 11 Lost Pet. 2 846 .643 .613 .571 .300 .429 .214 .154 Vvl.1 Wii.nina ftfl.Uti RIV aLs — The 1964 Pony League schedule was com plotcJ last weekend and the Spangler's entry fi risked in a tie with Foote Mineral ior the league champion hip. Both teams posted identical 7-3 records in the four-team league. VFW and Mar grace finished in a tie for third place with 3- 7 records. A single elimination tournament is underway and the twd league leaders will meet today (Wednesday) to determine the tourna ment championship. The Spangler's players, top photo, are (iront row, 1. to r.) Vernon Rupe. Chcrlos Canipe. Johnny Reynolds, and Bobby Smith. Second Row (1. to r.) Eennis Connor. Daryl Putnam. Chuck Gladden. Richard Carroll, and Jimmy Xing. Players not pictured include; Danny Dyke. Tommy Goforth. Nelson Connor, and Billy Suber. The l'oote Mineral players are: (Front Row, 1 to r.) Joe Cornwell, Mike Smith. Billy Carl). Bobby Parker, and Rocky Goforth. Second Row (1. to r.) Eddie Black. Dennis Goiortn, Keith Carroll. Paul Gaffney, and Donald Mace. Hot pictured: Joe Dover. Pony League Race Finishes In Ties; Spangler’s Play Foote In Tourney , See-Saw Battle At Gaffney Oval The action was fast and furi ous at Gaff ti e y ’ s Cherokee Speedway Saturday night as the lead changed hands live times before a winner was declared in tin main event. The main event race, declared one «>f the hes; in track history, winner was Charlie Blanton with Tommy Eskew finishing in the number two position. Carl i-alis. Kings Mountain driver, was foreed front the ra<v tit the midway point because of mechanieal difficulties. but re ports that his ear will he ready this weekend. Kails won the sec ond heat race, which was held prior to the main event. This week's racing, which gets underway Saturday night at eight o’clock, will have two add ed attractions. There will be two women drivers competing in the Rookie Race which is held week ly prior to the three heat races and the main event. The Cherokee races feature semi-modified ears, along with modifieds. Wallace Posts Win In 100-Lap Feature YORK, S. C. — Larry Wallace 1 of Charlotte* driving a '36 Ford began at the rear of the starting field at York-Clover Speedway Friday night and on the fMth lap had lapped every ear. Lefty Bol ton. driving a '36 Chev rolet from Gastonia was in second place. Eddie Mae McCarter of Clover in a '35 Chevrolet was third and Bill Montieth of Clover was four th in a *35 Ford. Another big 30-lap feature has been set for Friday night's race along with the usual racing pro gram getting underway at 8:15 p.m •8. Willie Mays 435 •9. Eddie Matthews 435 *10. Duke Snider 403 •Active Players Giants Braves Dodders- Angelcs-G iant s Make-up games which wore pi: yed in the Pony League race this week forced the final stand inyr-i into a two-way tie for first and third places. The Foote Mineral team had muted into a tie for the league lead last Tuesday with a 6-3 win over league-leading Spang ler's and both teams won theii ; final games to finish the regu lar season's play with identi<-al t-3 records. The VFW lads tied with the Margracv boys for third place, both posting 3-7 season records. A single elimination playoff tournament got underway Mon day afternoon with Foote Min eral downing VFW. 5-3 and Spangler's eliminating Margrace by the same score. Spangler's will meet Foote Mineral today i Wednesday I at 4:30 for the playoff champion ship. FOOTE MINERAL - VFW In Monday's opening playoff tournament game Foote Mineral gained the early lead with a single run in the first inning on a base on halls and a base hit.j Phe winners cushioned the lead to 3-0 in the top of the third, but the VFW lads knotted the score in the fourth inning. A two-run output in the fifth. Insured the victory for the Foote Mineral lads with Gaffney and Cornwell scoring after collecting! back to hack singles to open the franu. SPANGLER ■ MARGRACE The Spangler’s - Margrace game began with each team scoring single runs in the initial frame, and the underdog Mar grace boys moved out into a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning after Fpangler's had pulled ahead with a singleton in the third inning. But the Margrace lead was short lived as pitcher Connor opened the Spangler's fifth with a base hit, and three bases on ballr knotted the score. A two-run rally In the bottom of the sixth gave Spangler's the victory as Smith opened the frame with a two-base hit and Connor was hit by a pitch with one out. Gladden was safe on an ■ error and both runs crossed the 1 plate. WCL North-South Game b Friday The fifth annual Western Car olinas League North-South base ball same will be played at Gas tonia's Sims Legion Park Friday night at 7:30. The All-Star game will be pro-1 ceeded at 7 o’clock by a beauty contest which crowns .Miss West -! ern Carclinas League of 1964. Eight beauties, representing the eight teams in the league, will vie for the title, and the winner will be selected by judges who will include sportscastcrs and sportswriters in the league area. Lieutenant governor c a n d 1 dates Clifford Bell and Bob Scott will be on hand for the pre game festivities also. The All-Star game will match players from the four southern division teams: Shelby, Green ville. Rock Hill, and Spartan burg. against the lour teams from the North: Gastonia, Lex ington. Statesville and Salisbury. The players have been select ed by popular vote of the sports casters and s p o r ts w r 11 e r s throughout the league, along with the umpires and t h e league’s eight managers. The south t e a m will bo coached hv a iluo of mentors. Hal Smith of the Rock Hill Cardinals and Bill Steinecke of the Greenville Braves. Tlie North squad will be managed by Salis bury Dodger mentor. George Schreger, who will be assisted by Max Lanier of Lexington and . Ray Hathaway, newly assigned manager of the Gastonia Pirates. Area players who will be par I ticipating include: George Vas quez. Gastonia pitcher; Car Moore. Gastonia catcher; and Harry Billie, Pira'e utility in ' fielder. They will be members i of the North squad. Shelby's Gary Blalock will be a coach for the South squad and pitcher Fritz Peterson, first baseman Dave McDonald, and second ban-man Jerry Kinney, along with utility outfielder Rick Kay la are scheduled to see action. L League Tourney* In Semi-Finals Bui Mill Faces Optimist; JC's Play R. Squad Tlio single elimination pla> jf!‘ are und*rwa> in thr Little League post-season tournament and tin semi-finals will la* p!a> ad W ednesday i today i with tin* Inals being lii'lil on Thursday. The- |K»st season tournamen* is i si.igii elimination affair with hr trams seeded ac«*ording to heir finishing position during the rrgtilat season play. The first place tpam iBur Mill* w»“ paired with the number eight train < Park Grace*; the lumhrr two team with thr s<*v ruth pi.Hi' team; third against sixth; and fourth against fifth Tin* Optimist and Javi-ees I in - ished in a tie for second place and thr Optimist lads won the toss of a I'oin to determine the <i end plan* see ling, which took on seventh place Kiwanis. in thr opening round of play Monday the Bur Mill boys humbled the Park Grace lads by a 21-a count to move into tin* semi-final round ot play. The loss eliminated Park Grace. In Monday’s sei-ond game the Optimist team defeated Kiwanis. 10-2, and will meet Bur Mill in the semi-final round on Wednrs da\ <today>. The Jaycees eiiged the Polii-e ("lull by a 2-1 count to earn the rigid to meet the Rescue Squad in thr semi-final round. The Res cue Squad eliminated the Lions with an 8-3 victory. Ti*i semi-final round winners will play Thursday evening at K:3d for ihe playoff ehampion ship. BUP MILL-PARK GRACE GAME ll was all Bu: Mill in the open ing ijanr ot •hi- tournament as : h e regular season winners lumped off into a four-run lead in the first inning and added seven in the avond. fout !n the .hiri. three in the fourth and three in the fifth to coast to a one-sided VI-5 victory over last place finisher Park Grace. Vlie winners rapped two Park Grace pitchers for It) hits in post ing 'he win with Larry Carroll delivering the big blow with a home run in the seeond inning. Carroll added a double to his hitting performance and was is sued a base on balls in four at bats. Richard Hayes collected three singles in four official at bats to pace the hitting. Sixteen bases on balls were is sued the winners, who turned the free passes into run after run to advance to the semi finals. OPTIMIST-KTWANIS Tftc- second - seeded Optimist lads wasted no time- in eliminat ing seventh seeded Kiwanis us the winners tallied cor four runs in th« first frame to lfrnil<> . s« oring barrage which m-llcd to-2 victory. Short.«to|> Sieve McNwIv start ed things off foi the victors in Die first inning with a single and romped homo with the go ahead run as a result of a field cr’s choice play. Tommy Patterson. Junior I/* lexers. and Bridges also scored in tin initial frame. Tlie losing Kiwanians could manage bill two runs on two hits as Optimist pitcher Patter son struck out seven hut issued nine bases on balls. Phillip (Jrahl st.irtnl for the losers in the first inning alter reaching the first corner on a base on halls, and Byers ac counted for the only other run in the fourth inning as Patter son issued three straight free passes. JAYCEES • POLICE The Jaycees came up with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to edge the Police Club. i-1 in a closely contested battl.^ in 1 uesday’s opening game. " Police Club pitcher Ronnie Miller and Rayford White were locked in a scoreless pitching duel through the nrst three inn ings and Miller had retired 13 Jaycee batters via the strikeout route a< the liftii inning began and held a slim. 1-0 lead as a result of a Police Club iuii in the top ol the fourth. Miller accounted for fhe only Police score as he opened the fourth wit)) a base on balls and stole second base. Don Sessoms singled with two out to score Mill) The Jaycees were held hitless thr> ugh the first four frames, but the bats came alive in the decisive fiftli as Jack King got things going with a two-base Itit and pitcher White followed with a base on balls. With one out and runners on first amt sec ond. hortstofi Pete Ware lined a single to left center field which scored King with the t> ing ru:i. and Ted Wright put his h ant ahead with a single which sc*>i White across with tin- do cisivi run. RESCUE SQUAD ■ LIONS The fifth place Rescue Squad lads pulled a minor upset in Tuesday’s second game by up ending the Litms t8-tP by an 8 , 3 count. The winners scored al! they needed in the opening frame as( John Smith. Rooky Haynes. Dale Russell. Mike McDaniel, and P Smith crossed home plate. The winners added three in surance tuns in the sixth inning to lead 8-0 before the Lions could manage a score. The losers tallied all three runs in the final inning with Sisk. Vlike Herndon, and Warren Herndon scoring. Darrell Bridges went the d*r tance on the mound and was the winning pitcher and deeper Howard suflereti the Lions loss. Fred DixonTo Play In East-WestGame Graduated senior guard Fred Dixon will play in the annual Fast-West All-Star game at Greensboro Thursday night. A recipient of a four-year grant - and - aid scholarship tc Clemson University, the 190 pounder will be among high school stars of the western hall of the state who will go against the eastern North Carolina standouts. Dixon was an outstanding of fensive and defensive player for the 1903 Mountaineers and wa> instrumental in the successful 9 0-1 season record of the '03 team The annual game. which is sponsored by the North Carolina Coaches Association, is a termi nating activity for the four-day meeting of the coaches front throughout the state who are as sembled in Greensboro this week participating in t It e annual coaches clinic. The All-Star game will la played at Greensboro's high school stadium. Outstanding high school foot ball players throughout t h e state were chosen by the All Star coaching staffs, and boys from all high school classifica tions were chosen for the teams The players have been work ing out at the game site this week. The West squad will be ooached by Lincolnton football mentor. Von Ray Harris, whose high school team posted a 6-2-2 record in 1963. Other Southwest Conference players who will join Dixon on the W'est squad include Lincoln ton's All-State fullback-tackle. Dennis Byrd, and center Steve Warren. Larry Helms, Chcrryville’s out standing defensive specialist, is also a member of the West WESTERN STAR — Fled Dix on. 1SS3 Mountaineer football playor. will bo In the lineup Thursday night at Greensboro when the high school AU-Stan from western North Carolina take on the standouts from the East Ohm Is a ISO-pound guard and will enter Clsmson University this fall where he has accepted a grant-and-aid scholarship. squad. Dixon has been preparing him self all summer for the star studded game by running and exerriaing to keep in shape. He will enter Ciemson this fall and reports that Cc Frank Howard has informed squad members that n full scrimmage will be held the first day of practice. C*oarh^ ?d al?^