Top O’ the News: Maj. Gen.

Baldwin Relieved of Command After Red Attack in Saigon Kills 33

“All the News FINAL EDITION

That
Fits, We Print” The Baseball Once-Upon-A Times. Including final
results of all ball
games

VOL. 2, No. 99 MONDAY, JULY 12, 1971 TEN CENTS

A’s Running Away With West, Major League Standings

Up 14 Games After DH Sweep

A.L. EAST W L PCT. GB N.L. EAST W L PCT. GB
Baltimore 57 30 .655 --- New York 56 30 .655 ---
New York 56 32 .636 1½ Pittsburgh 50 38 .568 7
OAKLAND — The last time the A’s were in knocked in four runs as the Tigers socked it to Detroit 43 44 .494 14 Philadelphia 48 41 .539 9½
first place at the All-Star game? the Senators. Boston 40 46 .465 16½ Chicago 44 45 .494 13½
The All-Star game had yet to be conceived. Cash’s first homer, a three-run blast in the top Cleveland 37 53 .411 21½ St. Louis 42 46 .477 15
Washington 35 51 .407 21½ Montreal 33 55 .375 24
But that is where these Athletics find them- of the third inning, gave the Bengals a 5-3 lead.
selves after sweeping a doubleheader from the He added a solo shot in the eighth. A.L. WEST W L PCT. GB N.L. WEST W L PCT. GB
Angels on Sunday. Joe Niekro (5-6) threw one shutout inning in Oakland 56 31 .644 --- San Francisco 52 38 .578 ---
Diego Segui, the 1970 American League relief of starter Dean Chance to cop the win. Minnesota 42 45 .483 14 Houston 49 38 .563 1½
ERA champ, tossed a six- Senators starter Bill Gogolewski allowed six California 44 48 .478 14½ Los Angeles 48 42 .533 4
hitter in the first game, and runs in four innings and fell to 6-3. Milwaukee 40 45 .471 15 Cincinnati 45 47 .489 8
starting hurler Blue Moon Red Sox 3, Yankees 2 Chicago 38 47 .337 17 Atlanta 37 55 .402 16
Odom swatted a pair of tri- NEW YORK — Don Pavletich’s pinch-hit Kansas City 34 40 .405 20½ San Diego 31 60 .341 21½
ples in the second as Oak- home run snapped a 2-2 tie in the top of the
ninth as the Red Sox nipped the Yankees. Sunday’s American League Results Sunday’s National League Results
land ended the first half of
Starters Fritz Peterson of New York and Ray Baltimore 8, Cleveland 1 St. Louis 3, Houston 0
the season with a 14-game
Boston 3, New York 2 Montreal 4, Philadelphia 3
advantage on the A.L. West Culp of Boston dueled to a 2-2 tie after 6½ in-
Diego Segui Detroit 7, Washington 5 Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 3
runner-up Twins. nings. Neither received a decision. Oakland 3, California 2, Gm. 1 Cincinnati 7, New York 3, Gm. 1
The A’s staked Segui to a 2-0 lead in the bot- Pavletich’s homer made a winner of Boston Oakland 11, California 5, Gm. 2 New York 7, Cincinnati 2, Gm. 2
tom of the first inning of the opener, only to see reliever Bill Lee (4-4), who hurled two shutout Milwaukee 5, Chicago 3, Gm. 1 Chicago 4, San Diego 3, Gm. 1
the Halos tie it with single runs in the second innings. New York fireman Jack Aker served up Milwaukee 7, Chicago 2, Gm. 1 Chicago 2, San Diego 0, Gm. 2
and third. the winning blow and fell to 4-2. Minnesota 6, Kansas City 0, Gm. 1 Atlanta at Pittsburgh, ppd., rain
Twins 6-10, Royals 0-5 Minnesota 10, Kansas City 5, Gm. 2
The A’s George Hendrick, making his major
league debut, singled home a run in the fourth BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Jim Nettles Today’s Probable Starting Pitchers Today’s Probable Starting Pitchers
inning. Segui (5-3) made the 3-2 score hold up. slugged three-run home runs — his first two All times local All times local

California’s Rickey Clark (0-2) allowed three
runs in six innings.
Back-to-back triples by Odom and Hendrick
fueled a five-run A’s rally in the second inning
of the nightcap. Odom (4-3) drove in three runs
in the 11-5 win. Rollie Fingers fired four score-
less innings in relief to earn his fourth save.
Loser Clyde Wright (11-7) allowed a career-
high nine runs in five innings.
Ken McMullen belted three homers in the
twin bill, giving him 17 for the year (seven
against the A’s).
Orioles 8, Indians 1
BALTIMORE — Pat Dobson tossed a five-
hitter for the eighth win in his past 10 decisions
and Frank Robinson homered for the seventh
time in eight games as the Orioles routed the
Indians for their fifth consecutive victory.
Dobson (12-5) turned in his ninth complete
game, allowing one unearned run. Robinson
singled home a run in the bottom of the first
inning, and tagged a three-run shot in the sec-
ond to help give the Birds a 6-0 lead.
The win, combined with the Yankees loss,
gave the O’s a 1½-game lead in the A.L. East.
Tribe starter Ed Farmer (3-3) allowed six
runs in six innings and took the loss. Cleveland
second baseman Eddie Leon singled to extend
his hit streak to a career-high 12 games.
Tigers 7, Senators 5
WASHINGTON D.C. — Norm Cash bashed
two home runs, giving him the A.L. lead, and
A.L., Page 2
Gibson, Healthy Again, Fires 48th Shutout to Beat Astros
ST. LOUIS — World wonders are in the eyes
of the beholder. Houstonians consider the Astro-
dome as such.
In St. Louis, they swears he wears No. 45.
Bob Gibson navigated his way through a 10-
hit shutout Sunday, as the Cardinals blanked the
Astros, 3-0. It was the reigning National League
Cy Young Award winner’s 48th career white-
wash, and second in three games since coming
off the disabled list.
He ran into a hot team — Houston had won
15 of its previous 20 games. But Gibson has won
more games (23) against the Houston franchise
than any other hurler.
The Cardinals scored all three of their runs in
the bottom of the seventh inning. Joe Torre and
Joe Hague had RBI singles and Julian Javier
plated a run with a double.
Gibson improved to 8-6 with the victory. The
Astros’ Don Wilson, appearing in relief for the
just the second time this season, allowed three
runs in 1 1/3 innings and fell to 8-5.
Dodgers 4, Giants 3
LOS ANGELES — Jim Lefebvre tagged a
leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth in-
ning as the Dodgers rallied past the Giants.
It marked the first time in 36 games this sea-
son that the Giants lost when leading after seven
(No games scheduled)
innings.
San Francisco took a 3-0 lead in the top of
the fifth inning. Hal Lanier’s RBI single broke
a scoreless tie, and two batters later Chris
Speier singled home two more runs.
The Dodgers answered in
the eighth. Maury Wills
cracked a two-run home run,
chasing Giants starter Ron Bry-
ant. Willie Crawford followed
with a triple, and scored on
Willie Davis’ sacrifice fly.
Jim Lefebvre Lefebvre’s game-ending
home run was the second of his career.
Relievers got the decisions. Winner Jose
Pena hurled a scoreless inning to improve to 4-
3. Giants fireman Steve Hamilton served up
Lefebvre’s blow and fell to 1-2.
Reds 7-2, Mets 3-7
CINCINNATI — Gary Nolan threw a seven-
hitter in the first game, and Ken Boswell’s go-
ahead two-run single sparked a six-run rally in
the ninth inning of the second game as Reds
and Mets split a twin bill.
Nolan (12-8) received an early dose of of-
fense in the opener when the Reds broke a 2-2
tie in the bottom of the third inning with a five-
run rally.
(No games scheduled)
Nolan Ryan (5-5) took the loss, allowing
seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. The defeat snapped
the Mets’ eight-game win streak.
Reds starter Jim McGlothlin was within one
out of a complete-game victory in the nightcap
when he walked the bases full.
Boswell’s two-run single gave the Mets a 3-2
lead. Pinch hitter Cleon Jones added a two-run
single and Bud Harrelson tacked on a two-run
triple.
McGlothlin was charged with six runs in 8
2/3 innings and fell to 9-4. Reliever Jim McAn-
drew (7-3) earned the win with a scoreless in-
ning. Jones and Harrelson hit safely in both
ends of the doubleheader. Harrelson has a 12-
game hit streak, and Jones has hit safely in 16
consecutive games.
Cubs 4-2, Padres 3-0
SAN DIEGO — Billy Williams hit his 305th
career home run in the first game and Juan Pi-
zarro tossed his first shutout since 1967 as the
Cubs swept a doubleheader from the Padres.
Williams’ 14th home run of the season, a two
-run shot, gave Chicago starter Milt Pappas a
lead in the first inning of the opener. The Cubs
added single runs in the second and third.
Pappas (6-7) ran into trouble only in the
N.L., Page 2

Around Baseball Major League Leaders

Sore Shoulder Lands AMERICAN G AB R H AVG. NATIONAL G AB R H AVG.

Nats’ McLain on DL Carew, Min.

Cater, N.Y.
80
80
317
277
49
31
112
96
.353
.347
Jones, N.Y.
Sanguillen, Pit.
77
79
282
307
38
46
105
112
.372
.365
WASHINGTON (UPI) — For observers of
Murcer, N.Y. 85 324 61 112 .346 Stargell, Pit. 81 273 83 97 .355
Denny McLain, the signs were there for about a
month — the increasing number of home run Tovar, Min. 87 364 61 122 .335 Brock, St.L 85 354 62 123 .347 Shirley Povich

balls, the declining number of strikeouts and the Rettenmund, Bal. 73 248 45 83 .335 Beckert, Chi. 85 357 50 121 339 Who’s to Blame?
tendency to go with the breaking pitch instead Blair, Bal. 75 307 50 101 .329 Pepitone, Chi. 71 278 41 94 .338 Tony Conigliaro, an outfielder with the Cali-
of the fastball that helped him win 110 games fornia Angels, got in two loud quarrels with the
White, N.Y. 80 285 58 93 .326 Alou, St.L 82 344 54 116 .337
with 1,028 strikeouts in five years. umpire the other night and called a press con-
Epstein, Oak. 77 245 45 79 .322 Oliver, Pit. 81 298 44 100 .336
Dr. George A. Reseta, the Washington Sena- ference to announce his retirement from base-
tors’ physician, confirmed it Sunday when F.Robinson, Bal. 73 267 56 86 .322 Torre, St.L 88 337 51 111 .329 ball. From across the width of
McLain was put on the 21-day disabled list. Oliva, Min. 74 282 40 90 .319 Aaron, Atl. 85 300 66 98 .327 the continent now comes the
Resta, who salvaged the “dead” throwing HR: Cash (Det.) 28; Smith (Bos.) 26; Nettles HR: Stargell (Pit.) 40; May (Cin.) 27; Aaron charge that Conigliaro’s prob-
arm of Roy Sievers to enable him to become (Cle.) 24; Melton (Chi.) 23; 2 tied with 21. (Atl.) 26; Robertson (Pit.) 22; 3 tied with 20. lems are blamable in part on
the Senators’ home run king a decade ago, said RBI: Smith (Bos.) 67; Bando (Oak.) 66; Net- RBI: Stargell (Pit.) 84; Aaron (Atl.) 73; May Carl Yastrzemski, his former
McLain was suffering from “capsulitis” — a tles (Cle.) 65; Murcer (N.Y.) 64; 2 tied with 62. (Cin.) 68; Torre (St.L) 61; Davis (L.A.) 58. teammate on the Red Sox.
tightening of his pitching shoulder. Wins: Blue (Oak.) 13-3; Kaat (Min.) 13-3; Wins: Holtzman (Chi.) 13-3; Blass (Pit.) 13-3; The finger was put directly
Billy Conigliaro
McLain’s vital statistics read 4.68 ERA, 142 Hunter (Oak.) 13-4; Coleman (Det.) 12-3; Stot- Seaver (N.Y.) 13-4; Sutton (L.A.) 12-6; Jenkins on Yastrzemski in a rare club-
hits yielded, 37 walks, 67 strikeouts, 13 home tlemyre (N.Y.) 12-4. (Chi.) 12-10. house scene of the Boston team by Conigliaro’s
runs and a 4-13 record in 21 starts. Strikeouts: Blue (Oak.) 210; Lolich (Det.) Strikeouts: Seaver (N.Y.) 182; Stoneman brother Billy, also a Red Sox outfielder. “Tony
CINCINNATI — The New York Mets sent 149; Coleman (Det.) 144; Blyleven (Min.) 127; (Mon.) 139; Jenkins (Chi.) 135; Sutton (L.A.) was traded because of one guy — over there,”
infielder Wayne Garrett to Tidewater of the McDowell (Cle.) 120. 134; Kirby (S.D.) 124. Billy C. said in pointing to Yastrzemski. He
International League on Sunday to get in shape ERA: Fingers (Oak.) 1.81; Blue (Oak.) 1.94; ERA: Seaver (N.Y.) 1.59; Blass (Pit.) 2.49; Sut- was referring to the sudden deal of last winter
following a six-month military stint. Wood (Chi.) 2.18; Coleman (Det.) 2.50; Mes- ton (L.A.) 2.49; Wilson (Hou.) 2.51; Walker (Pit.) that sent Tony C. to California where he had
Garrett rejoined the Mets July 6 but had not sersmith (Cal.), 2.60. 2.52. not found happiness in contrast to his years as
been activated. The Mets needed his permission an idol in Boston.
to send him out. CONIGLIARO, Page 3
 MONDAY, JULY 12, 1971
Sc000 000 000reboard
National League Boxscores
————————
Who’s Hot - Jones, N.Y.: Batting .377 with 17 RBI during 16-game hit streak
Who’s Not - Bateman, Mon.: Hitless in 16 at-bats since July 2
Pitching Swell - Gibson, St.L.: 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 28 strikeouts in past 3 starts
Not So Well - Phoebus, S.D.: 1-5, 7.94 ERA in 8 appearances since June 9
O’s Pilot Weaver Taking Heat,
Burning to Stop N.L. Streak
TOM LOOMIS
Toledo Blade Sports Writer
Major league All-Star
games are just colorful shows,
galas, exhibitions. It doesn’t
matter which team wins,
right?
Wrong!
Wrong!
Wrong!
Just ask Earl Weaver.
The Baltimore Orioles’
sharp-tongued skipper is
burned up that the National
League has taken eight of the
midseason classics in a row
and 12 of the past 13.
“The most important thing
in the world to me, after Sun-
day afternoon,” Weaver said,
“is that the American League
wins in Detroit Tuesday.”
Weaver managed the A.L.
in its 5-4 loss in Cincinnati
last year and now has dedicat-
ed himself to preventing a
repetition of what has become
a most embarrassing story for
the guys in Joe Cronin’s baili-
wick
There has been no senti-
ment involved in Weaver’s
selection of players to comple-
ment the eight starters picked
by the fans. Earl has made it
clear he won’t be trying to
please the customers when he
makes the substitutions during
the game, either.
Don’t, for example, expect
Weaver to put old pro Al Ka-
line in action early to make
local Tigers enthusiasts happy
— unless the manager has
reason to believe it will help
achieve victory.
If you want to be angry
with Weaver, get in line.
His approach was obvious
from the beginning when he
said he wasn’t going to pick
Detroit’s Norm Cash, the No.
7 vote-getter among the fans
and also the A.L.’s home run
leader as he heads into the
sunset of his career.
Earl’s thinking was that
Boog Powell’s 260 pounds
provided enough left-handed
first basemen for any team and
Carl Yastrzemski could take
over there in case of accident.
Right-handed swingers Ka-
line, Frank Robinson, and
Harmon Killebrew also would
be available to cover the bag.
Nostalgia won out on that
one, of course, when Powell
was incapacitated and Cash
named the starter.
Detroit manager Billy Mar-
tin is a man who never misses
an opportunity to stick the
long needle into Weaver and
he has suggested that Earl is
not so much guilty of lack of
sentiment as he is of bad judg-
ment.
“If the guy wouldn’t be so
stubborn about not picking a
relief pitcher we might have
won a couple of All-Star
games we lost,” Billy said a
few weeks ago.
So this time Weaver again
named a staff made up com-
pletely of starters. Chicago
knuckleballer Wilbur Wood,
converted to a starting role
Page 2
N.L. Padres starter Clay Kirby
From Page 1
was a tough-luck loser, allow-
ing one run in seven innings
sixth, when the Friars scored
and falling to 7-7.
three runs. He scattered 11 hits
Expos 4, Phillies 3
in his third complete game this
season.
PHILADELPHIA — Stan
Swanson’s sacrifice fly in the
San Diego starter Tom Phoe-
bus (4-13) lasted five innings in
top of the ninth inning scored
the tie-breaking run and the
this year, is the closest thing which he allowed four runs. Expos went on to squeak past
the A.L. has to a bullpen spe- Pizarro (1-1), in his third the Phillies.
cialist. major league start of the sea- Roger Freed’s 10th homer,
Indians chief Alvin Dark not son, fired a six-hitter in the a solo shot in the bottom of
long ago complained that some nightcap, fanning five and the sixth tied the game at 3-3.
of the competitive nature of walking just one. It was his Swanson’s sac fly made a
the All-Star game was lost 15th career whitewash. winner of Montreal reliever
through the fact that the fans Chicago’s Joe Pepitone Mike Marshall (4-1). Howie
are allowed to vote and don’t broke a scoreless tie in the top Reed, despite allowing three
do a very good job of selecting of the fifth inning with a run- hits in the bottom of the ninth,
the best possible lineup. scoring ground out. Johnny recorded his fourth save.
A great many baseball men Callison provided an insurance Phils reliever Bill Champi-
agree with Dark that the voting run with a run-scoring fielder’s on (6-4) allowed one run in
should be left to the knowl- choice in the ninth. one inning and took the loss.
edgeable players. Obviously
the fans vote for the long-
established stars without much
thought to present perfor-
mance. Best example of that
right now is the American
League’s starting shortstop
Luis Aparicio, whose batting
average of .230 is 33 points
lower than his career mark
coming into this season.
Willie Mays is playing well
this season but even if he were
batting .200 the customers
would rather see him than, say,
a .288-hitting Willie Davis.
It was Henry Aaron who
pointed out on a TV show re-
cently that the Pirates’ Manny
Sanguillen has been a fine
catcher for some time and
should be the N.L. starter be-
cause his play this year has
been superior to that of any
other receiver. No way the
fans could go along with that.
Johnny Bench has been so tre-
mendous in the past few sea-
sons and has had so much pub-
licity that a large majority of
the voters wanted to see him in
the lineup.
The counter-argument is
that it really doesn’t make a
great deal of difference which
player opens the game. The
managers can go to the lineup
they feel will be most effective
after three innings anyway.
Detroit’s Martin, usually so
combative, is one who tends to
minimize the importance of
the All-Star thing as anything
but an extravaganza.
“The players would do a
better job of picking the best
teams on the basis of this
year’s play,” Billy admitted.
“But, let’s face it, this game
belongs to the fans. They’re
the ones who get the biggest
kick out of it. So why not
leave the voting to them?
When I played my first All-
Star game it was a real thrill
but, after that, I’d just as soon
have the three days off. That
much rest can be a big help at
this time of the year.”
Seven-time All-Star catcher
Bill Freehan of the Tigers was
asked if it would mean a great
deal to him to be a starter
Tuesday should Indian Ray
Fosse’s injury keep him out.
This was before the vacancy
was filled by the Yankees’
Thurman Munson. But Free-
han had a typical answer:
“At the beginning of this
year I dedicated myself to try-
ing to make sure I would be
the starting catcher in the
World Series — not the All-
Star game.”
 MONDAY, JULY 12, 1971
Sc000 000 000reboard
American League Boxscores
————————
Who’s Hot - F.Robinson, Bal.: 7 HR, .375, 12 RBI in past seven games
Who’s Not - Kirkpatrick, K.C.: Hitting .169 in 16 games since June 25
Pitching Swell - Dobson, Bal.: 8-2, in 10 starts since June 2
Not So Well - Drago. K.C.: 0-4, 5.63 ERA, in 8 starts since June 6
A.L.
From Page 1
major league round-trippers —
in both ends of a doubleheader
as the Twins swept the Royals.
Nettles’ blast in the opener
gave the Twins a 6-0 lead that
held up for the final score.
Starter Jim Kaat scattered nine
hits in his 19th career shutout.
He is 5-0 in his past five starts.
Royals starter Bruce Dal
Canton allowed three runs in
six innings and fell to 4-7.
Nettles and shortstop Leo
Cardenas both launched three-
run shots in the nightcap.
Twins starter Ray Corbin (4-
4) came within an out of his
second complete game. He al-
lowed five runs on 12 hits.
K.C. starter Dick Drago last-
ed five innings, allowing eight
runs and falling to 4-8. He has
lost his past four decisions.
The Twins are 7-0 against
Kansas City this season.
Brewers 5-7, White Sox 3-2
CHICAGO — Marty Pattin
tossed an eight-hitter in the
first game and Ted Kubiak hit
his second career grand slam
in the second as the Brewers
swept the White Sox.
Pattin (10-6) turned in his
seventh complete game in the
opener, notching his third
complete game victory in his
past four starts. Roberto Pena
had three hits and drove in two
runs for the Suds.
White Sox starter Tommy
John allowed three runs in six
innings and fell to 7-8.
Kubiak’s slam in the eighth
inning of the nightcap broke
open a one-run game. Milwau-
kee’s Bill Parsons scattered
nine hits in improving to 6-5.
Chicago knuckleballer Wil-
bur Wood, starting on two
days’ rest, allowed three runs
in seven innings and fell to 8-
6.
Povich
From Page 1
The younger Conigliaro did
not hedge in his accusation
against Yastrzemski, Boston’s
three-time A.L. batting cham-
pion and the most venerated
name in Boston baseball histo-
ry since Ted Williams. “You
can quote me because I don’t
care,” Billy C. said. “I know
I’m next.” Plain enough was
his implication that Yaz has
power to get him, too, traded
off the Red Sox.
Billy charged there was a
conspiracy on the Red Sox,
naming Yastrzemski, Reggie
Smith and the team equipment
manager.
“It’s about time they —
owner Tom Yawkey and eve-
rybody — woke up,” Billy
said. “They baby certain people
on this team.”
Billy said his brother’s trou-
bles with the Red Sox began
when he yelled at Yastrzemski
in Milwaukee last year.
“Yaz didn’t run out a double
play ball — he jogged — and
Tony yelled at him for it,” Bil-
ly said. “Tony was the only
one to speak up to him because
he had guts and that play in
Milwaukee started it. Nobody
has enough (bleep) to say any-
thing to him.”
Billy who has been pla-
tooned with Joe Lahoud for the
last month, blamed
Yastrzemski for his losing reg-
ular status.
“He got me benched,” Billy
said. “Who else got me
benched? One guy — him.
Didn’t he say in the papers that
I should be benched? And I’m
supposed to play with these
guys … Yaz criticized my play
in center field and Reggie said
Lahoud should be batting sec-
ond in the lineup.
“How else could Lahoud
play unless I got benched? I’ve
felt ever since spring training
that I was on trial every time I
go to bat.”
In referring to Yastrzemski,
Billy blamed the Boston left
fielder for the firing of Johnny
Pesky and the trading of Ken
Harrelson and Tony.
“First Pesky, then Harrelson,
then Tony are gone because of
him,” the younger Conigliaro
said.
The emotionalism in the
case was made apparent when
Tony C. said in his retirement
statement, “I have lost my sight
and am on the edge of losing
my mind.” He underwent sur-
gery after being hit by a
pitched ball in 1967 and “I
have never told anybody about
this before — but the operation
on my left eye left me partially
blind.”
In a brave comeback after
sitting out the 1968 season,
Conigliaro hit 20 and 36 hom-
ers in the two succeeding years
and appeared to be a sold fix-
ture again with the Boston club
when he was traded to the An-
gels.
His kid brother’s highly de-
batable charge that
Yastrzemski was a factor in
getting Tony C. traded off the
team is not the first time that
Yaz has been accused of call-
ing shots in the Boston team
that are properly in the prov-
Page 3
ince of the manager.
Yastrzemski’s considerable
leverage with owner Tom
Yawkey and his adoring Red
Sox fans have long been recog-
nized, and it is almost an arti-
cle of faith that Red Sox man-
agers must meet Yaz’s approv-
al or they are not long for the
job.
But except with a bat in his
hand, Yaz does not present the
image of a forceful personality
demanding that others shape up
to his ideas of running a ball
club. To the reports that he is a
strong influence on the man-
agement, Yaz’s reaction has
always been a quiet, “Who?
Me?” denial.
“I’m sick of all this,”
Yastrzemski said Sunday. “He
(Billy) is just alibiing for his
lack of ability. I don’t want to
play with him anymore. The
club should take disciplinary
action. If he doesn’t want to
play anymore, let him go.”
Yet Yastrzemski enjoys
much the same strong personal
equation with owner Yawkey
that Ted Williams had in those
years when Williams could do
no wrong, with the rich Boston
owner in full support of him.
Yawkey was at his happiest
when he was pitching batting
practice to the great .400 hitter
Williams or sharing a pigeon
shooting morning with him in
Fenway Park.
There is still a considerable
belief in Boston that Red Sox
managers come and go, accord-
ing to whether they are ac-
ceptable to Yastrzemski. Yaz
did not have a deep affection
for Billy Herman and Dick
Williams, the two immediate
predecessors of Eddie Kasko.
Herman lasted a season and a
half, Williams was gone only
two years after he led the Red
Sox to their glorious pennant
victory in 1967.
Yastrzemski’s popularity in
Boston is understandable. In
addition to those three batting
titles — he narrowly missed a
fourth last season by percent-
age points — he is perhaps the
finest outfielder in the A.L. and
the Red Sox are now paying
him a salary of $150,000 plus.
That makes Yaz the highest
paid of the breed.
Manager Dick Williams
learned, in 1969, not to crack
down on Yaz and invite any
test of popularity in Boston.
Convinced, on a road trip, that
Yastrzemski was loafing on a
ground ball, Williams fined
him heavily for not running it
out. It was reasonable punish-
ment, it was also impolitic for
Williams.
The Boston Globe man
viewed the episode not as a
simple punishment but as a
cause celebre. Wait until the
team returned to Fenway Park,
the Globe man wrote, and see
who would get the most cheers,
Williams or Yaz? The justice
of the fine against Yaz would
be measured, Boston style, by
holding an applause meter to it.
Williams was fired at the end
of the season. He is the same
Dick Williams, by the way,
who now has the Oakland A’s
romping away with the title in
the A.L. West.