The Great Pastime

How fared the great American pastime last week? Here is how fared the great American pastime last week:

P: Nicked on the wrist by an inside fast ball, Milwaukee's First Baseman Joe Adcock, on the way to first base, fired back some opinions of the Giants' Pitcher Ruben Gomez. Righthander Gomez, who combines a fast lip with his fast ball, replied in kind, and Adcock charged toward the mound. Gomez once more put his faith in his pitcher's arm. His aim was ornery and his control was only fair--this time he hit Adcock on the thigh. But Gomez did not wait for the call; he turned tail and scuttled for the clubhouse. For a few minutes both teams milled about the Giants' bench, unminding the organist's emergency rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. Then the game went on (Giants 8, Braves 6). Big Joe Adcock, fined $100 for his part in the skirmish, offered to shake hands and forget about it. Fleet-footed Ruben was set down for three days and fined $250--but that was the least of his worries. For as long as he stays in baseball, Ruben's ears will vibrate to the taunt, "Run! Run! Run!"

P: Irked by the poor showing of his 1955 world champions (six games out of first place at week's end), Manager Walter Alston gave them an angry dressing down, called them gutless, and somebody leaked the word to sportswriters. Later, to a man, the Brooklyns denied that good old Walt had called them any such thing. That did not put the touchy word on ice. When a Cincinnati fan subtly applied the same epithet to the Dodgers' Centerfielder Duke Snider ("Whatsamatter Duke, you gutless?"), the Duke answered with a sharp, crisp left. Encouraged by a Cincinnati judge, the two battlers shook hands and made up. "But I still haven't got my two teeth back," complained the fan.

P: Reluctant to miss out on all the seat-selling notoriety, Cincinnati's General Manager Gabe Paul announced that Dodger pitching was a lot better than the rest of the league's batters seemed to think. Paul accused Brooklyn's Sal Maglie of warming up by firing fast balls at the Scoreboard clock in Crosley Field. The clock stopped. "Officials of the Brooklyn club are being advised of this act of 'senior delinquency,' " said Paul--and they are also getting the repair bill.

P: Lest the American League be overlooked, Red Sox Slugger Ted Williams walloped his 400th home run in a game with the Kansas City Athletics, then expressed his pleasure by spitting at the assembled writers in the press box. Just in case it was misunderstood, Ted repeated his hit-and-spit performance a few days later. Reaching automatically for their record books, the sportswriters credited Ted with a new major-league record for public expectoration.

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