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Show TV 7 WILHELM: 7 from skids to stardom flotsam. Under his careful guidance vaging major-leagwho drifted "misfits'' have aimlessly in baseball suddenly have put Baltimore in contention for the first division. Far and away, his project is James knuckle-ball Hoyt Wilhelm, a balding, pitcher who was traded as useless three, times in the past two years. North Carolinian it looked as if For the Baltimore might be his last stop before- going back to the minor leagues where he had toiled between 1942 and 1952. success as a relief specialist with After early the New York Giants, Hoyt's career took a disastrous dip, and it looked as if he'd never right himself. He couldn't win for the St. Louis Cardinals after the Giants traded him, and when the Cardinals dealt him out of the National League to the Cleveland Indians, the best he could manage was a dismal 7 record. So when Paul Richards decided to take a chance on him sale price, most" for the minimum $20,000 major-leagexperts believed this would be only a temporary reprieve for Wilhelm. Hoyt did, too. But Richards had a special scheme hatching. Wilhelm had always been thought of as a relief specialist. He had appeared in 319 games with' the Giants between 1952 and record, all in rescue 1956, racking up, an impressive 41-efforts. In his freshman year, he toiled in 71 games, a club record for activity; characteristically he was the only player who didn't complain of overwork. . In 1956 he lost his effectiveness, which in a pitcher with a sound arm often is synonymous with a downbeat mental outlook. (The confidence a- relief pitcher needs in tense situations with runners oh base suddenly vanished. It appeared to be coincidental that at the' time Hoyt was plagued by bad luck, Wes Westrum, the magnificent defensive catcher of the Giants who had handled Hoyt's darting knuckler exclusively, was fading badly. Some perceptive fans noted that no one else could handle "the in baseball," as Hoyt's craziest knuckle-ba- ll pitch has been described. With someone other than Westrum catching, there was always a nagging doubt that spelled the difference in Hoyt's performance. Baseball has been referred to as a game of inches, and for Hoyt, Wes had been that inch in the right direction. The problem was the same everywhere. St. Louis Cardinal backstops had no more success than the Giants', and the Indian catcher, J. W. Porter; tied an American League to skitter, past him record by .allowing four knuckle-bal- ls in one game. ) Before the Indians gave up on him, manager Bobby Bragan did One. thing that was to make the difference for Hoyt: "he gave him a starting assignment and Hoyt responded by pitching 12 innings, allhough in a losing cause. That effort found its place in Paul Richard's storehouse of significant facts and led to his scheme. When Hoyt arrived in Baltimore, Richards ' told him: "You're a starting pitcherjor mepao more relief except ue 80-9- prize-reclamati- on 36-year-- old soft-spok- en - big-leag- ue v Atment to the bullpen, Wilhelm has "arrived" ue - " bread-and-but- ter , , .T7-in spots." ''.' Hoyt inherited brawny Gus Triandos as a battery-mat- e at Baltimore. To say the combination was successful would HAWAII AH TREAT an age, when most pitchers are worried about 2-- 25 f S HAWAIIAN FRUIT be an understatement. Gus is the type of man who exudes quiet confidence; . Hoyt felt it and showed it. ,v "The knuckler is Hoyt's best pitch and I call it 0 percent of the time," Gus says. "I know. I don't look good pawing and lunging for it, dropping third strikes and having runners trot down to second for a stoleri base while I'm wrestling with the ball, but I can take it if Wilhelm can. He's the toughest pitcher I ever caught, but it's a privilege to be on the same side. There's nobody just like Hoyt." manager of the Baltimore Orioles, Paul Richards, astheafiery miracle worker when it comes to sal- i : banish- as the most dreaded starting pitcher in the American League. "He's the best in the majors," Richards boasts. Last Sept. 20, shortly after coming to the Orioles, Wilhelm pitched a against the Yankees. Triandos not only gave him defensive and moral support but blasted season the rejuvenated a home run to win it, Wilhelm picked up where he left off last year and won nine straight, including three shutouts, one of them a one-h- it effort against the Yankees. A hot Detroit team finally pinned a 4 loss on him June 14. While Hoyt was winning those games, Gus was hammering five of his 13 home runs to that date. He shrugs off the Imcanny rapport that seems to exist between them. "I just happen to hit better when Hoyt is pitching. There's nothing more to it. I don't hit for psychological reasons to make up for dropping pitches as some people say." Off the field the winning tandem aren't particular buddies. Hoyt is shy and retiring. He's one of 11 children and, as a youngster on a North Carolina farm, had to wait to say his piece, then say it carefully. The habit has never worn off. "Tilt," as his teammates call him because his head is always cocked at a slight angle, is one of the most popular men in the clubhouse although he's content to sit by his locker while the dressing room reverberates with horseplay. On the other hand, Gus is outgoing. He's an accomplished after-dinn- er speaker and won't hesitate to give his views on any subject, especially Hoyt. "The fellow who said Hoyt's knuckler is 'the next best thing to an invisible pitch' wasn't far off," he says. "Remember Mantle? Hoyt had his number so good, Mantle tried hitting against him righthanded one game. 'I asked him if his old shoulder injury stopped him from swinging southpaw. 'Heck, no. It's just as easy to take my- cuts righty. I'd try a tennis racket if they'd let me.' " sue- -, Hoyt doesn't search for reasons for his 'new-foucess. "I'm glad of it, but there's nothing to explain." Hoyt, his wife and their three children have taken a house in Baltimore, and it looks as if they'll be settled there for a while. The jinx that dogged him appears to be behind now, thanks to. Hoyt Wilhelm's own determination and two gentlemen named Richards and Triandos who had faith in him when everyone else didn't. 1 Ii .... i no-hit- ter 1 ciS) 6-- fun of Young ladies love the Hawaiian Punch. The color, the candy-and-ice-crea- circtis-re- d taste. m They call it their "Let's-Have-A-Part- y" drink. And they like to have a "party" every day. Particular parents appreciate the fruit of Hawaiian Punch. The 5 tropical fruit juices, brimming with sunshine. A punch. real-fru- it ready-mad- e, Encourage your youngsters to choose Hawaiian Punch next time they help you shop. After that, they'll do the encouraging! Now on your favorite grocer's shelf and in his FREEZER, tOO. nd 1959 HAWAIIAN PUNCH, INC-.,- ' HILO, HAWAII DON'T. TAKE -- A CHANCER TAKE YOUR POLIO SHOTS! Family Weekly, August 30, 1959 " |