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Phil Rizzuto's Sports Caravan.
And now let's climb aboard the sports caravan again for a news-packed feature-filled quarter hour with baseball's number one shortstop, star of the world champion New York Yankees, and in 1950 voted the American League's most valuable player, Phil Rizzuto.
Thanks Bob and hello again fans. Just recently around the batting cage before a ball game we were swapping baseball anecdotes and one came up about our old friend Lefty Gomez that I thought was worth passing on.
Gomez was a great pitcher for the Yankees but everybody knew he was also nuts about airplanes. He'd even stop in the middle of a game and gape at a passing plane. Lefty's manager, Joe McCarthy, was always warning him not to ever go up in one.
But one day during spring training McCarthy saw a plane stunning and doing all kinds of flip-flops right over the field. He looked for Gomez to tell him about it but couldn't find him.
Next day McCarthy found Lefty and told him about the plane he missed. You mean that red plane Gomez asked? That's right McCarthy answered. Did you see it too? See it was Lefty's ready reply. I was in it.
They sure don't have so many colorful ballplayers around the majors these days, do they Phil?
No sir Bob but we still get plenty of kicks out of recalling old Lefty's gags and wits.
Now what do you say we dip into our mailbag and see what some of our listeners want you to comment on this week, Phil?
Good idea Bob. Do you have our first letter?
Yes Phil I do and it's from David Battilino of Reading, Pennsylvania. He wants to know how batters and baserunners get their signals from the dugout, the coaches or by some pre-arranged method.
Well in our club, David, we get our signals from the third base and first base coaches. If you're a left-handed batter you take the signal from the third base coach and if you're a right-handed batter you take it from the first base coach.
Sometimes though for certain situations the batter takes charge and flashes the signs. I'll give you an example. We were playing Cleveland in an important game back in 1951.
The score was tied in the last of the ninth and we had the winning run on third base. Joe DiMaggio was that man on third and Joe was really fast on the base.
You were at back weren't you Phil?
That's right I was at back Bob. And I took the first pitch from Bob Lemon their pitcher and the ump called it a strike.
Those Indian infielders at first and third came charging in with the pitch so we knew they were expecting us to pull the squeeze play.
Between pitches they were watching for me to flash DiMaggio's sign so I purposely started an argument with the umpire over the pitch to distract their attention.
What happened then Phil?
Well while I was staging this mock argument I slipped DiMaggio's squeeze sign and on the next pitch when the Indians were probably expecting me to hit away I laid down the bunt which scored Joe Di with the winning run.
Well they must have been surprised.
Well they were Bob but it's spots like that when the batter gives the signs because it's often better for the batter to set up the play when he's ready.
Say Phil here's a letter from Kenneth Fisher of Plainfield Iowa who wants to know if there's any prescribed diet that ballplayers should stick to during the season.
Oh yes Bob definitely there are a few set foods that baseball players are urged to eat. Steaks of course that good red meat is a must on any players menu.
You've got to have plenty of strength and energy to play out there every day and those thick sirloins and T-bones sure do the trick.
We've also got to take it easy on starchy foods because it's the starches that fatten you up and slow you down.
Sometimes ballplayers need special foods. You remember a few years ago when Ali Reynolds of our club was needing help in the late innings.
Yeah.
Well the club doctor found out he had a vitamin C deficiency which sapped his strength.
So since then Ali's been eating orange slices and dug out between innings to give him immediate extra energy.
And if you've been reading those box scores closely you'll see Reynolds has been finishing his ball games right along.
It's not as much fun eating orange field as minute steak.
Oh no.
Well time for one more letter this one from Jerry Manor of Oakland California who would like to know how far around the world baseball has spread.
Well interest in baseball outside the United States so far as I know began in the late 20s and a few years later lefty O'Doul took a team of
barnstorming major leaguers to Japan for a series of games against the top Japanese teams.
And you know an American nine never lost a game in Japan until 20 years later when O'Doul again led a barnstorming club through Japan.
During World War Two of course G.I. has brought baseball to such lands as England Holland Italy Australia and Africa.
I'm afraid that's all Phil has time for in the mail bag today.
But you fans and yes you lady fans included who have any sports questions you'd like answered drop a card or letter to Phil and he'll try to read yours.
Address all mail to Phil Rizzuto in care of the station.
That address again for your sports questions is Phil Rizzuto in care of this station.
We'll forward it to Phil for his attention.
Today my guest star is Mel Allen my favorite sports announcer and I'm sure the favorite of millions around the country.
Welcome aboard the sports caravan Mel.
Thanks a lot Phil it's an honor to be with you.
Well Mel how long have you been with the Yankees now?
Since 1939 Phil that sort of puts me in a little head of you.
You're not kidding.
I didn't know you were here that long.
Sure I remember when we were all talking about that great second base combination coming up from Kansas City.
Matter of fact from Norfolk and going to Kansas City Rizzuto and Pretty and we were following you and you and Jerry and looked at those big batting averages and said well and Crocetti and those fellows you know Gordon maybe go well.
We got somebody coming up but I remember when you came in I was an assistant broadcaster for the Yankees in 1939.
We used to do the home game of the Yankees and Giants and then I took over the top spot in 1940 and been here ever since except for three years in service.
Well listen you've seen Lou Gehrig play then right?
Yeah I saw Lou of course in 1939 and naturally a tremendous guy.
I'll never forget one day on the bench I think you were here then I know you were here.
Word came along that Lou was coming in and of course in his late days he couldn't walk very well.
I was sitting on the bench during batting practice and came in and sat down and everybody said hi Lou and gave him the old big hello like nothing was wrong and he wasn't ill or anything.
So everybody got up to take infield and I was still there ready to go up to the radio booth and he suddenly turned to me and of course I was sitting there and all of the man always did.
And he just turned and looked and he said you know I never knew what radio meant to anyone.
He said after all I always played the game but he said since I've been sick he says it's been my salvation.
Well I tell you all I can even thank him tears just well up my eyes and I just whirled off the bench and rushed down the runway and balled like a baby and went on up there.
I just couldn't you know it just affected me that way.
How about that? I mean to think Lou would say that after all those years he's been playing.
Well listen you know I just said how about that but how did you come about to start that saying?
I mean you've got everybody in the country saying how about that?
That was something that I didn't even know. Of course I've used that expression all my life as have almost every person as has almost every person who's ever lived in the South particularly.
It's basically a southern expression in the way it's used and describe almost any kind of an emotion with it.
And it was just part of my natural everyday conversation.
A lot of guys in the Army used to say it too and they'd distort a little bit.
I mean they'd kid a Virginian you know a Virginian instead of saying hows will say hoos or something. How boop that you know and stuff like that.
Well I didn't know I wasn't using the expression for the purpose of making people use it as a catchphrase or anything.
The only thing I could trace it to one day we're doing a broadcast here at the stadium and I heard the people hollering every once in a while.
They're shouting something and I'd look around two dugouts maybe I was missing somewhere in the stands.
Nothing going on in the field at that particular moment and I'd ask the people working with me what's the hollering?
What I didn't know. So suddenly about the sixth inning and this is the truth Phil.
Somebody hit a ball to you and you made an outstanding play and to get to throw the man out and I said how about just about the middle saying how about that the great stop you made.
And it suddenly dawned on me that's what these people were hollering.
Well Mellow is wonderful having you with us and I hope that you'll be saying how about that for many more years to come.
I hope so Phil I hope I'll have the privilege of saying it about you and your scintillating play for many more years to come. Good luck.
Thank you.
Say how many of you fans would like to be a baseball manager?
I'll bet most of you have pictured yourselves masterminding some big league team.
Well each time two fans will get just that opportunity on this program.
Now here's Phil again to tell you all about it.
Well that's right Bob on each program I'm going to recall a crucial moment from a regular major league ballgame.
The situation that I present calls for managerial strategy.
I'll give the names of pinch hitters relief pitchers and other subs who are available for the spot.
Then it's up to my two competing fans to come up with their own winning solution.
For participating our guest fans will receive a year's free subscription to Sport Magazine.
Today I have with me two of my very dear friends Frank Scott was also my agent and Al Brown a very personal friend of mine.
Already then here's the problem fellows.
The White Sox were playing the Tigers at Detroit with a pair of ace left handers Billy Pierce and Hal Neuhauser locked in a scoreless battle for three innings.
Chicago broke the deadlock with two runs in the fourth inning and in the sixth Mini Minoso's home run put the White Sox ahead by a score of three to nothing.
Pierce was pitching a nifty three hitter up to this point but in the seventh frame the Tigers struck back.
Steve Suchock socked a homer with a man on base to cut Chicago's lead to three to two and with two out in the same inning Neil Berry and Fred Hatfield banged out singles.
That brought to the plate Jerry Pretty hard hitting Tigers second baseman in a right handed batter.
Detroit had Vic Wirtz and Cliff Mapes a couple of long ball left handed hitters ready as pinch hitters too.
Chicago manager Paul Richards had Harry Doris ace right handed relief pitcher warming up in the bullpen along with Howie Judson another righty.
Pierce seemed to be losing his stuff but was rated the most effective pitcher on the White Sox staff.
Richards called time and walked out to the mound. Now that's the spot.
What would you do in this situation if you were Paul Richards the Chicago manager lift Pierce gamble on Judson who hadn't been seeing much action or what.
You tell me Frank Scott you tell me first.
I would go along with Pierce. So the simple reason if he were to lift Pierce I'm sure that the Detroit manager would insert a man like Vic Wirtz in there who's about as dangerous a left hand hitter as any.
And I think that words would have a better chance of hitting Doris than Pretty would have of hitting Pierce.
Sounds good. How about you. I think I would take first out of there in a situation like that and bring in a fresh pitcher.
All right. Well there were two very good answers.
It just so happens that Al Brown was right on this one because after he called time Richards decided to take out his trying tiring pitcher Pierce and bring on Doris his top relief man.
And Richards proved right because Doris held Detroit to one hit the rest of the way at Chicago 1 3 to 2.
But I wouldn't feel too badly Frank on that because you gave a very good answer.
I mean Doris was just as liable to come in and as you say words could have parked him in the upper deck or Pierce could have stayed in and retired pretty.
But as a result both you fellows will receive a free subscription for one year from Sports magazine.
Thanks very much for being with us.
Well the sports caravan is about reached trails and for this time.
Tune in again when I return with letters from you fans another baseball situation feature and my special guest star next time around on the sports caravan.
Till then this is Bill Rizzuto saying so long Bill Rizzuto sports caravan was written and produced by more KTAC and directed by Ray Chambers.
This is Robert Gladstone speaking.