1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 This is RetroSports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history. 2 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:36,000 This is Fred Hessler presenting a parade of sports personalities with the answers to leading sports questions. 3 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,000 Today, Phil Rizzuto analyzes what was wrong with Phil Rizzuto. 4 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,000 The Quartz of the Indians and Whitey Lockman of the Giants look at the pen and fight. 5 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,000 While Detroit skipper Bucky Harris is optimistic about the Tigers, 6 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Hilton Spanninger joins us at the organ for the Inside Track to Sports. 7 00:00:51,000 --> 00:01:04,000 When things go wrong with a good ball player, the public is first to know, 8 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,000 both at the ballpark and by press, radio and television commentary. 9 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,000 A star ball player is in the limelight, but the high standards of play 10 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,000 is set for himself on performance makes it tough when he slips. 11 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:22,000 For Rizzuto, it's not a new story, but the 1954 season was a rough one and one of baseball's nicest guys. 12 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:28,000 The scooter was supposed to be washed up way back in 1949, but it didn't work that way. 13 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,000 1955 may disprove what they said about Phil in 54. 14 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,000 Navy Chief Al Spanninger asks Phil if the comments bother him. 15 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,000 No, it doesn't bother me. I get a kick out of it because at least this is where they know I'm around. 16 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:46,000 I've never caused any trouble or made any statements and people just took me for granted. 17 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:52,000 But this year, I don't know, not what with the new glasses and the theory that everybody thinks I'm too old 18 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,000 and they're going to see how I'm going to do it. 19 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:59,000 It's a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to a good battle out there for that shortstop position. 20 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,000 Now the glasses themselves, what do they do for you? 21 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,000 Well, they have sharpened up the picture quite a bit. 22 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,000 By that I mean, it used to be a little hazy and a little blurry. 23 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:16,000 I mean, not so that it would affect me too much, but I could notice it and these glasses have sort of sharpened everything up. 24 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,000 But I still have to get used to the outer rims. 25 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Whenever I look out, all I can see is rims and they tell me that it takes constant wear. 26 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:28,000 So I'm going to use them all spring. I've worn them about six days now and I'm getting a little better feel. 27 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:35,000 They say that one of the things that makes a great ball player is peripheral or side vision. 28 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,000 So I guess it would hamper you a little bit. 29 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Well, it does. I mean, I know I've always had pretty good peripheral vision. 30 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Of course, I played a lot of basketball and in that you have to watch your man and back in on the side of you. 31 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:53,000 And in baseball too, you've got to know if your second baseman is there or the third baseman are going back for side ball. 32 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,000 But as I said, that is what bothers me out of the side of the eyes. 33 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:03,000 But I think I'm getting a little more used to it and I talk to fellas like Eddie Joust and Dominic DiMaggio and Jim Constanti on our team. 34 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:07,000 And they say that after a while, you don't even know you got them on. 35 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,000 Well, they look just like regular glasses. Actually, they must be different. 36 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:19,000 Well, they are different. They're a lot heavier. They're shatterproof and unbreakable so that you can't get blinded or something. 37 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,000 They will shatter, but they won't break. 38 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:28,000 And they're tinted just a little bit and they've got this frame that is a little heavier than the ordinary glass frame. 39 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,000 There's no protection though. It seems like jogging around, they come right off your ears. 40 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Well, they put an extra thing that loops around and catches the bottom of your ear. They stay on pretty good. 41 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,000 Could you put your finger on anything last year? 42 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:49,000 Not a darn thing. I don't know. I just lost my confidence early in the year and never got it back until the end. 43 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,000 I dreaded going up to home play to hit. I was happy when he wouldn't play me. 44 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,000 But I tell you one thing, I did experiment too much with different bats. 45 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:01,000 All the years I was having good years, I used the heavy bat, Johnny Meiser's bat. 46 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:06,000 And last year, Ines Slaughter came with the club and he has real light bats that weigh about 30-31 ounces. 47 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:12,000 And I started using them at the beginning of the year and they were too light and as a result I was way out in front. 48 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:18,000 Then when I did try to use the heavy bats again, I was sunk with that. I lost the touch with the heavy bats. 49 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Well, now your bat now is what? 50 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:26,000 Well, now I'm back to 34 ounce bats. I was using a 30 and 31 which is very light. 51 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:31,000 It makes you feel strong but it's a false strength because you're round in front and you don't meet the ball squarely. 52 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,000 34 ounce, how long is your bat? 53 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:41,000 35 inches. But as I said, I'd like to get back to that Mys bat which is 36 inches long and 36 ounces and wait. 54 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,000 That seems awful. 55 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,000 It seems big but when you get a bat that long and that weight is balanced perfectly, 56 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:54,000 when you get other bats that are maybe 34 inches and 32 ounces, they're not as well balanced as a long bat like Johnny Mys. 57 00:04:54,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Well, could you do the things like bunt, hit and run with that other bat? 58 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,000 Oh yes, definitely. Even better than with the small bat because you had so much more bat to play with. 59 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:13,000 And as a result you could hit the outside pitch and if you wanted a bunt you just choke up and bunt the ball and it had more wood, more hitting certain. 60 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:20,000 Well actually Phil, that's what made you as a ball player. Was your ability to do those things, don't you believe? 61 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:29,000 Oh yes, I mean I was able to hit and run, hit and back of the runner and bunt and hit the ball, pull the ball when I had it when a third baseman was in. 62 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:38,000 It seems to me that those things would still put a ball player in a major leagues today even with the accent on power. 63 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:47,000 Yes, definitely. I mean everybody likes to see the long ball and the home run but you've got to get those men on base too and those are the kind of ball players they're looking for. 64 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,000 The men that get on base so those long balls hitters can knock them in. 65 00:05:50,000 --> 00:06:02,000 That's the inside track to baseball with Phil Rizzuto. 66 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:16,000 Phil and Mighty Low, you did it if you were a Cleveland fan or a ball player long about October 3rd, 1954. 67 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:21,000 At that time it was doubly discouraging and Cleveland for the football browns weren't going well either. 68 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,000 Although the Paul Brown crew came out well at season's end. 69 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:32,000 For the Cleveland ball player it's apt to become a complex if people keep asking what happened to the Indians. 70 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:36,000 Sportcaster Mel Alberts talks to one man who did well for the Indians, Slugger Victor Warts. 71 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:47,000 I think that a lot of people talked about this club being down and knowing everything because we lost a series last year like we did but jeez the morale is high and we're looking forward to another season. 72 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,000 I don't think we'll win 111 games but I think we'll win the pennant. 73 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:57,000 Well it's very unusual that you have to win 111 games to take that pennant as I was saying to Al Rosen. 74 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:03,000 The Yankees with 103 ordinarily would win it. How many games you figure you'll have to go this year to get it? 75 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:12,000 Well I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we had to go over 100 again because the Yankees are going to be tough as they always have been and of course we expect the little improvement in the lower part of the league too. 76 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:19,000 With Baltimore and Washington and Kansas City we expect them to be tougher so of course they're going to take the toll out of the Yankees too along with us. 77 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,000 I figure about 100 wins will take this year. 78 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:34,000 Well one break the Indians have this year that the Giants might not have is that is the Giants are going to have seven clubs pointing at them but it's going to be two clubs in the American league that are going to have the other six clubs pointing at them. 79 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:39,000 Even though the Yankees didn't win it the conjecture of opinion seems to be that you got to beat the Yankees and the Indians this year. 80 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:48,000 That's the way it looks Mal and of course we always figure the Yankees are going to be tough because in the past they've proven they're going to be tough and we have a good fight because I think the White Sox will be up there. 81 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,000 Giving a pretty good account of themselves too. 82 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,000 Well the White Sox are always tough especially when you have to play them at home. 83 00:07:55,000 --> 00:08:02,000 Vic last question is there anybody that you've seen somebody that we haven't heard a great deal about that looks like they might break into the statement lineup. 84 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:07,000 Well I'll tell you a fellow we have here young left handed pitcher Herb Scoria read a lot about him. 85 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Oh he looks great. 86 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:15,000 He won twenty two games last year I understand and that's up type of record on an earned run average basis. 87 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:21,000 Isn't that correct. That and he also set a record I think it was standing for 50 years striking out 330 men in the association. 88 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,000 That's a lot of men. 89 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,000 That's pretty far country pitching. 90 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,000 You think Herb might break into that starting assignment. 91 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,000 I wouldn't be a bit surprised Mal that he'll be number four pitcher. 92 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,000 Well how much good pitching can the Cleveland Indians use with this pitching staff. 93 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,000 Boy this staff has loaded. 94 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,000 I've never seen so much talent in one camp in all my life believe me. 95 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:45,000 Tell me something. Well the world is a young rookie goal to break into a starting lineup like these Cleveland Indians. 96 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,000 Well I'm afraid that's the position that I'm playing right now. 97 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:52,000 Dale Mitchell and I are holding down first base and I'm afraid that would be a good spot for young fellow to start. 98 00:08:52,000 --> 00:09:04,000 But we're not encouraging anybody. 99 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:13,000 That's the inside track to the Indians with Vic Wirtz. 100 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,000 In the world of baseball being young at heart isn't quite enough. 101 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,000 You need the young physique to go with it. 102 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:24,000 But if young bodies can win pennants certainly the Tigers have them and it's a novel experience for Bucky Harris. 103 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Harris again back at the Detroit helm after terms in Washington New York San Diego and Washington hasn't been blessed with youth until his current engagement. 104 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,000 Kyle Spanger talks it over with Harris asking first about his relief car. 105 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:40,000 Would you say that any pitcher you pick up can be a good reliever. 106 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:48,000 Well no that's a little bit of a specialty in itself such as a good pinch hitter and a good relief pitcher. 107 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,000 And of course they're both valuable. 108 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:54,000 As of now I haven't picked what I call a specialty. 109 00:09:54,000 --> 00:10:00,000 Getting to the rest of the positions on the Detroit ball club I think you've got the youngest team in the major leagues haven't you. 110 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:07,000 I think someone has pointed that out that averages twenty five point one. 111 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,000 There's some pretty good young ones too. 112 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,000 If they happen to improve a little this year and catch fire they're not telling what can happen. 113 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:20,000 Well the the question that comes to my mind with such a young team are you still teaching them. 114 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:28,000 Oh yes you've got to pick a little flaw here and there and brush it up just like you put polish on a pair of shoes to make it look better. 115 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,000 And do you think you're teaching major leagues more now than you used to. 116 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:47,000 Well you have not anymore except that the more useful ones playing now and as a result they need a little bit more than the ones of years ago that played in the minor leagues several years and were pretty pretty well set when they came up here. 117 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,000 How about the infield Bucky. 118 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Well a thing of course his knee is sound and he is of the feeling that it will be will be the first baseman. 119 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,000 Hatfield at second Keen at short and Boone at third. 120 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,000 The outfield looks a little bit like it'll be Porter. 121 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,000 Tuttle and K-line. 122 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:07,000 Porter's come on in great style. 123 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,000 He really is. 124 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,000 He's what I would call a good prospect. 125 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:14,000 It seems to me also that that your bench is stronger this year. 126 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:15,000 Oh a little bit. 127 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:21,000 Yes you have those like Delfty and Bob Phillips who just returned from the service. 128 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,000 Maybe we could stand next to in a reserve infield. 129 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:28,000 And the catching staff I think is one of the best in the major leagues. 130 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,000 It's adequate. 131 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,000 The House and Wilson are very adequate. 132 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:37,000 Of course they're not a hitter like Barra but who is as far as that goes. 133 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:41,000 It seems to me that the difference between catchers would be in the hitting. 134 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:42,000 Do you find that that's true? 135 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,000 Pretty much so yes. 136 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:51,000 Most most enemy major league catchers are good receiver and thrower and the one with the big edge is the guy that can hit that ball the best. 137 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:57,000 Well just two other things to get to the strongest point on the Detroit Tigers team and the weakest. 138 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:04,000 Well I guess the strength of the club is the fact that it's got good young ball players that should improve. 139 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,000 Blended in of course with a little experience such as Stain and Boone. 140 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,000 Right now I can't see any outstanding weakness. 141 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:22,000 I think we're pretty good. 142 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:31,000 And that's the inside track to the Tigers with Bucky Harris. 143 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:37,000 In the world of baseball one of the state of North Carolina's gifts to the New York Giants is first baseman Whitey Lockman. 144 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:42,000 Whitey has been one of Lio D'Rosha's more dependable guys even though his 54 season didn't show it. 145 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:49,000 Lockman known also as old cotton top has been around the league a half dozen seasons and knows the personnel and what to expect. 146 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,000 So here is the Whitey Lockman outlook on the National League race. 147 00:12:52,000 --> 00:13:06,000 I think the league will be overall a little better balanced than it was last year and we look to have a real tough fight all the way with particular trouble from Brooklyn and Milwaukee and Cincinnati probably in St. Louis. 148 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,000 It looks like a tough league and in few words. 149 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Certainly is. 150 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:15,000 What kind of shape are you in this year? Whitey how do you think things are going to go for yourself personally? 151 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:24,000 Well I am in tip top shape physically and I just certainly hope I can have a little better year at the plate than I did last year when I hit 250. 152 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:30,000 So I've been taking quite a few extra batting practice sessions and I think I might be able to hit a little more than that. 153 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:37,000 So I'm going to go ahead and get back to the game. 154 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:46,000 And that's the inside track to baseball with the Giants Whitey Lockman Detroit manager Bucky Harris Cleveland's Dick Warts and the Yankees Phil Rizzuto. 155 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,000 Hilton Spanninger was at the organ. 156 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:58,000 This program was produced by Frank Sealy and Fred Hessler who invites you now to join us again for the answers to leading sports questions with the men who know those who make the sports headlines for this is. 157 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:05,000 The inside track and original production of the United States Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. 158 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:35,000 . 159 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:18,000 . 160 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:38,000 . 161 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:48,000 . 162 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:57,000 .