Show Rook is Crosetti Goes to Yankees Unaffected W ll Va E Fig g I I Editors Editor's note This is the first of or ofa ora a series of or personality sketches of or younger athletic stars in the 1932 spotlight 5 By Russell Newland Associated Press Correspondent SAN FRANCISCO Jan 11 Roam II-Roam- Roam Roaming ing tag the left side of the San Francisco Francisco Seals Seals' infield is a big haired black c. W. youngster b bus u s i i- AP l 1 like efficient the 2 best shortstop inthe in inthe rs fJ the minor leagues A half dozen boys most of or them c W about 16 cluster around the dugout stairs waiting for forthe forthe l J A. i the final i If With the last play t 1 ithe the shortstop p l lets ts v y out an undignified t whoop and races 1 I for them They allt all t troop of off together to to pia play yea catch t e h. h chums i They're his t. t f. f g l Crosetti The shortstop is Frank Crosetti bashful sensational 21 year old earold Italian who still plays plas with the kids kids His baseball career i is c a fiction story Next spring he goes up to the New York Yankees labeled a 3 beauty and a certain star sini- It all seems like a golden dream to o the youngster who started playing bush league ball here only five years ago FIRST IN TIlE THE FAMILY Until Frank came along no member of the Crosetti family had ever seen seena a baseball game came But at 16 he caught on with one o of the teams in the San Sm Francisco winter league His team played in the park of the Seals One good look and the Seals grabbed him At 17 he was in the regular lineup at third base basc Another year and he was the regular short short- stop The Yankees bought him in 1930 and left him here for tor another year of experience Crosetti is right handed good look look- ing modest weighs pounds and has the nerve of a highwayman a at t the plate He never has hit less th than n Baseball held for him a greater lure Iut-e 1 than higher education But the law ance until 18 So the club owners had of California compel school attend attend- to get special permission for Frank to pIa play ball For a year he went to school part time playing ball in the d day lY lugging books at night He started at nt the customary customary cus cus- tomary rookie salary of a month Four seasons later he was drawing 1000 a month rated one of the highest highest high high- est salaried players in the Pacific Coast league NOT DUMB lB FOR A KID The men who raised his pay rate him a smart business man He has made his own deals and never argued about trifles He has never made an unreasonable dem demand md never has had hada a request turned down Frank has been the baby of the Seals since joining the club He has never quarreled with a teammate never tried to alibi an error The Thc few times limes he talked back to umpires found him trotting around later to apologize even though everyone e concerned concerned concerned con con- knew he had been right in the first place He weighed only pounds corning com corn ing Into the Pacific Coast league and so he was a milk fed bab baby One of or his daily practices the first year ear consisted con con- of drinking a quart of oC milk a day The system was so successful that the SeaTs Seals did the same thin thing to build up Vernon Gomez and now Vernon Ver- Ver non ZiOn is the Yankees' Yankees star left REGULAR SCHEDULE He has a regular routine during the off season The Thc afternoons he spends at the playground near his home playing catch with his chums Two nights a n week he goes to movies The prospect of playing with the Yankees almost takes his breath away Along with the rest of ot baseball base base- ball balls ball's s youth his idol is Babe Ruth He met the Babe when the home run king was out here this winter Remember said the Babe when you hear me mc boom My ball get ball get out of the road Frank was as so flustered all he could say was Yes sir Mr Babe |