1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Sports fans, here's the sports show of sports stars. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Your home run hitter, Hank Sauer. 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,000 Discus hitter, Dez Cook. 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:31,000 And twin sports star, Dick Grotto the Pirate, on The Inside TAC. 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:36,000 This is Fred Hessler presenting a plate of sports personalities with the answers to leading sports questions. 7 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Today here Hank Sauer of the Cubs and the way to beat the Hank Sauer shift. 8 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,000 Discus performer, Dez Cook of Southern Cal, tells the secrets of his field event. 9 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:59,000 And Dick Grotto the Pirate also appears with Hilton Spaminger joining us at the organ for The Inside Track to Sports. 10 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,000 In baseball, the fans really go for the powerhouse. 11 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,000 The big man with the big bat who can hit those home runs. 12 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:13,000 In Chicago, the favorite is big Hank Sauer who's been home run king and last year passed the 40 mark in home runs though he didn't top the league. 13 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:21,000 With big Hank a strong full hitter, it's tough for him to get hits because of the defensive shift used against him, the Sauer shift. 14 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:27,000 Chuck Benedict talks to Sauer about the shift and about that mighty bat he swings heaviest in baseball. 15 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,000 Well as far as I know Chuck, I think it is true. 16 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,000 I use a 36, 38 ounce bat. 17 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:35,000 Well up into the past three years that's what I've been using. 18 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,000 And before that I was using a 36, 40 ounce. 19 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:44,000 So now I'm back 36, 38 in about July or August and I just drop it down maybe an ounce or two. 20 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,000 That's what I was going to ask you, whether it made a difference over a season in changing the weight of the bat. 21 00:01:48,000 --> 00:02:00,000 Well it does because playing every day like we do and you get into this hot weather in July and August, you naturally have the strength set from you so then you drop your weight of the bat. 22 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:04,000 Now Hank, of course you're one of the most deadly full hitters in baseball. 23 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,000 They even pull a shift on you many, many times. In fact they do it rather consistently now, don't they, in the National League? 24 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Yes, all but a few clubs and at times they don't shift over. 25 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:18,000 If there's a man on first base and it means anything, they know that I will take a shot out the right field then they play me straight away. 26 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,000 But the only time they really pull a shift is when there's a home run in order or something like that. 27 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,000 Uh huh. Does that make any difference to you up at the plate there? 28 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,000 Of course as you say, occasionally you try to keep them on it by slapping the right field, don't you? 29 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Yes, but it doesn't make too much difference because if you're going for the long ball you don't care where they play. If you hit the ball good they're not playing in the right spots anyway. 30 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:47,000 That's right and of course coming off of your bat that ball is almost always a rifle shot when it does go into fair territory and no matter how they shift it's tough to get those in there. 31 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:55,000 Yes, if you hit the ball real good you can still get them through the hole because I've hit many of them that I had three of the ball players on one side and I still got them between them. 32 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:03,000 Yeah, well those rifle shots will sure do it. They'd have to really load that infield on that left side to hold you down in a case like that and they can't afford to do that, can they? 33 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:09,000 Well no, not when it's going to hurt them because if it hurts them I'm going to take a shot over that way even if I have to hit it in the ground. 34 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:14,000 I remember one time I hit a ball and it never even got off the infield on the right side and it was a base hit because there was no one over there. 35 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:20,000 Sure. Well in certain situations the defense can't afford to shift that much, isn't that true Hank? 36 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:32,000 No, in a close ball game they can't afford to because it's live lacoste in the ball game because I can't hit that way when I want to and they know it so they just play me straight away and honest when it means something. 37 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,000 Uh huh. Are you more comfortable in left field do you think? 38 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Yes, I think I am much more comfortable over there for the simple reason. I have an easier throw over there and my arm is not quite strong enough to be a right fielder and throw from right field. 39 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:56,000 As far as fly ball and catch and run and catch and up throw them that's concerned I can do that alright but it's the arm. He has to have a terrific good arm over there in right field. 40 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:02,000 In other words the equivalent throw from right field to third base from left field is the first base and you hardly ever have to make that throw do you? 41 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Well you don't make that throw unless you come in fast for maybe one of the shoestring catches and you have a man on first base and he may be half way. 42 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:16,000 Then maybe you throw over there but that's not too often either. 43 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:31,000 Music 44 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,000 And that's the inside track to hitting with Hank Sauer. 45 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:41,000 Music 46 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:49,000 It isn't necessarily true that you've got to be a football hero but it is true that many football players also make good discus throwers. 47 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:57,000 That's been the case with many including the 1936 Olympic champ Ken Carpenter and another Southern Cal star Dez Cook. 48 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:09,000 Cook played football for the football Cudgeons and also performs ably with a discus. There's a reason for football men starring in weight events and it's due strictly to size as Husky Dez Cook can tell you. 49 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,000 We asked the nation's top collegiate discus man about his performance. 50 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,000 What's the furthest you've ever thrown a football? 51 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,000 Oh I don't know 70 or 75 maybe. 52 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:25,000 That's a pretty fair thought. I'll settle for that. Let's see if Bookage can film that far a two year old. 53 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,000 I've got quite an arm on him already. 54 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:39,000 I want to ask you one thing about this matter of throwing a discus now. You see this in other events too. Occasionally a guy lays off for a while, takes it up for the first time in a long time and gets off a mighty heave. 55 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:47,000 Are you better at it when you're throwing regularly and working out regularly or does the layoff sometimes do you a lot of good? 56 00:05:47,000 --> 00:06:00,000 It all depends on where you catch it. Once you stop your conditioning, when you first come back after a long layoff you do feel good the first day and maybe the first week. 57 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:06,000 But pretty soon once you start working on it in your form it'll start tearing you down and you'll drop down for a ways. 58 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:14,000 But then when you get back into condition, actual throwing condition, it comes a lot more natural and you become more steady. 59 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,000 At the first you get good throws but you're never very consistent. 60 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,000 You mean right field, left field, throwing on the left. 61 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:24,000 That's right. And in distance also you get a real great throw and then you'll muck one completely. 62 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:31,000 Have you found that you were ever consistently let's say off to the right or consistently off to the left? 63 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:36,000 In good condition I'll throw slightly off to the right, right of center. 64 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,000 Is there any reason for that? Have you figured it out or does it make too much difference? 65 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:49,000 Well I figure if I go straight across the circle my feet will be pointed straight out toward the center and you can't throw straight over your hip. 66 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:53,000 So you have to open up a slight bit which would put you a little bit into right center. 67 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,000 Something like golf stance. 68 00:06:54,000 --> 00:07:00,000 That's right. You can't go directly over your hips. You've got to go around them in order for them to do you any good. 69 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Now unless you're a big man and most of the good discos men have been pretty big men, would you say that it's an event that requires good size or have you seen some small men who do pretty well with it too? 70 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:19,000 Well you'll find small men that do well with it but I should say 200 pounds is about probably a good weight. 71 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,000 It's about the smallest you'll find good disc throwers. 72 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:30,000 At that weight you have enough strength to move the discos yet you have enough. You can develop speed and it'll average out. 73 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:38,000 Where of course size and coordination help the more you have the more you can throw of course. 74 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,000 But a small man say, I think a small man is 200 pounds for the discos. 75 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:50,000 What do you think you get most of your effort from? In other words naturally it's the coordination but I mean is it strong shoulders, strong arms? 76 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,000 Is there any one phase that is more important? 77 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,000 No, no. The discos is an event where you use everything. 78 00:07:55,000 --> 00:08:05,000 It's like most track events in order to get the best out of it you've got to use a well a better percentage of your capacity you might say. 79 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:13,000 The discos is very exemplary of that fact. If you leave one part off it will throw you off completely. 80 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:19,000 I mean it's a coordination of muscles. It's not just a plain gut offense you might say. 81 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:23,000 And some days you go out there and you feel it and other days you don't. Is that the idea? 82 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:29,000 Well that's right especially when you're not in condition but condition in effect is just a consistency. 83 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,000 You are able to depend on it much more when you're in condition you know what to expect. 84 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,000 How far do you think you're capable of throwing? 85 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:44,000 Well I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to throw over 185. 86 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:49,000 And then of course if you get to that point then 200 is just around the corner. 87 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:59,000 Well I think weightlifting is the secret there because just about any successful athlete especially weight men are doing a lot of weightlifting controlled of course to the event. 88 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:05,000 It's a science. It's not just you just don't go out and lift. It's a science and there's a lot to it. 89 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:22,000 There's a lot of study behind it but it really produces results. 90 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:32,000 And that's the inside track to the discus with Dez Cook. 91 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,000 If you're choosing a sports career it's normally an easy matter. 92 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:41,000 You usually have one sport in which you excel and that's the sport you like the best. 93 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:46,000 But occasionally there are athletes like Dick Grote who excel in two sports and love them both. 94 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:51,000 Grote they do call American and basketball signed a bonus contract for the baseball pirates. 95 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,000 Though he's a star in both sports he still can't choose between the two. 96 00:09:55,000 --> 00:10:00,000 Though sometime he'll have to make the choice as he tells Navy Chief Al Spanger. 97 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:04,000 Well as of right now I haven't exactly made a choice yet. 98 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,000 I played with the pirates when I finished college. 99 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:14,000 I went back to graduate and at the same time I was flying to Fort Wayne to play pro ball with his owner Pistons on the weekends. 100 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,000 Then I went into service in February. 101 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:20,000 So is it your idea to continue with pro basketball too? 102 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,000 Well I believe a lot of it depends on what kind of year I have with Pittsburgh this year. 103 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:29,000 I like pro basketball and I'd like to play it again but if I were to have a real good year with Pittsburgh I might have to give it up. 104 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:33,000 In other words it's really pretty hard to choose between sports? 105 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:38,000 Certainly is. Especially since I like to play basketball just as well as I do baseball. 106 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,000 Janowick's had that trouble too didn't he? 107 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:45,000 Yes he did. I think he's playing football, just football now. 108 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,000 With the Washington Redskins? 109 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,000 Right. 110 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Of course a lot of fellows I think possibly because college baseball isn't publicized as much get more publicity in some other sport. 111 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,000 Do you think that would have anything to do with choosing what they go into? 112 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,000 Well it could have a lot to do with it. 113 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:10,000 Baseball in the colleges isn't nearly as popular as say football or basketball. 114 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,000 Is it as gratifying? 115 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:18,000 I think it is. That's my own personal opinion. A lot of people may not think so. 116 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:24,000 Well you know it seems to me that well something possibly like track and field you don't get the spectators 117 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:29,000 and possibly that detracts something away from let's say basketball or football. 118 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:36,000 Well that's one thing. It wasn't quite as big a sport at Duke as basketball and football. 119 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:43,000 But baseball was a big sport, a lot larger than track and a lot larger than most college baseball in the northern schools. 120 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,000 Since our season is much longer we have the climate for baseball. 121 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,000 Well how many games did you play for instance? 122 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:56,000 Well in comparison for example University of Pittsburgh which is right near my home, they play I imagine 18 or 20 baseball games 123 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:02,000 where we play 42-44 almost double, in effect double the number of games. 124 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:09,000 And it would seem to me with that many ball games it would be more interesting and a lot more rivalry too. 125 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:14,000 That's right. There are four big schools in North Carolina, North Carolina State, Wake Forest and Duke 126 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:18,000 within a radius of 25 miles and that's quite a rivalry there. 127 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,000 Did you travel much in college baseball? 128 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:25,000 Well nothing like you do in basketball. Of course the end of the season we went to the NCAA tournament at Omaha 129 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:28,000 but that's the only real big trip we made. 130 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,000 That's a pretty big tournament too isn't it? 131 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,000 Yes sir, it certainly is. 132 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:37,000 Well fellows like Wally Moon for instance with Texas and oh you could go right down the list 133 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:39,000 and find a lot of big leaguers that played college ball. 134 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,000 That's right. 135 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,000 Many that you've played against up here? 136 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,000 Quite a few, Grady Hatton who was for Cincinnati when I was here playing college ball. 137 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,000 Jim O'Neal who played with Holy Cross the same year, he's with Pittsburgh right now. 138 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,000 He played with Holy Cross the same year I played in the NCAA. 139 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:58,000 How about before you went into the service, what sort of year did you have with Pittsburgh? 140 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:03,000 Well I played about 95 games and I was lucky enough to hit 284 that year. 141 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:10,000 How about being in good shape? Is there, in other words if you're in good shape let's say to play basketball, 142 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,000 does it hold over to baseball? 143 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:18,000 Well a lot of it does yes, my weight was down from basketball but I used an entirely different set of muscles 144 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,000 in baseball and you have to get your legs in shape again. 145 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,000 But as far as the weight is concerned my weight was very good. 146 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:33,000 Music 147 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,000 And that's the inside track to hitting with Hank Sauer of the Cubs. 148 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,000 The disc is throwing with Dez Cook of Southern Carolina Baseball and Basketball 149 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,000 with Vic Grote of the Pirates. 150 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,000 Hilton Spanninger was at the organ. 151 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,000 This program was produced by Frank Sealy and Fred Hessler who invites you now to join us again 152 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:51,000 for the answers to leading sports questions with the men who know, those who make the sports headlines. 153 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:58,000 For this is The Inside Track, an original production of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. 154 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:08,000 Music