WEBVTT 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:05.839 6 15 time for Arizona close ups presented by Hanis Adams at First Street 00:00:57.939 --> 00:01:01.467 Arizona close ups featuring MEREDITH Howard Harless brings you intimate 00:01:01.500 --> 00:01:05.167 glimpses of personalities in the news. MEREDITH has taken us from 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:08.897 Hollywood to Washington D. C. With their interviews with such celebrities 00:01:08.930 --> 00:01:12.846 as mickey, Rooney, Kirk, Douglas, brian, Ahern, senator William benton and 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:17.156 other famous individuals. Today she takes you to the sports world for an 00:01:17.189 --> 00:01:21.337 interview with the new york Yankees, none other than joe DiMaggio himself 00:01:21.370 --> 00:01:26.697 and manager. Casey stengel, Joe DiMaggio is one of the game's only $100 a 00:01:26.730 --> 00:01:30.667 year men. Three times the American league's most valuable player. He tops 00:01:30.700 --> 00:01:35.066 all active players in home runs with 352 and he has paced the Bronx 00:01:35.099 --> 00:01:39.197 bombers to nine pennants and eight World series crowns in his 12 seasons 00:01:39.230 --> 00:01:43.777 at the Yankee stadium. Here we are at the phoenix municipal stadium with 00:01:43.810 --> 00:01:48.367 Arizona close ups and MEREDITH Harless. This is MEREDITH Howard Harless 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:51.227 broadcasting to you were right in the dugout here with the new york 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:55.326 Yankees and as you well know, they were the world champions in 1950 were 00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:59.736 particularly delighted today to have with us a very great joe DiMaggio and 00:01:59.769 --> 00:02:05.456 Charles. Casey stengel, the manager under his guidance in 49 50 and 51. 00:02:05.489 --> 00:02:08.726 They've won two pennants and two world series perhaps Casey, you'll just 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:12.327 say hello, our radio audience and tell us a word or two about the team and 00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:15.606 how much you're enjoying this training season here in phoenix. Arizona. 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:19.367 Well, I'm delighted to say hello, I'll have to say about the new york 00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:25.367 yankee ball club that we have an outstanding ball club again for 1951. We 00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:28.967 have an outstanding catching staff. We have younger bear was possibly the 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:32.406 best catcher that's in the league. We have a double play combination chart 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:36.596 and second we have DiMaggio in center field. That is the outstanding 00:02:36.629 --> 00:02:41.797 player in the last 15 years. We have some outstanding pictures which vic 00:02:41.830 --> 00:02:45.346 crashes our leader and we have Reynolds and low Pat, we have some other 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:49.117 young men that are coming forward. We think we're going to be a great ball 00:02:49.150 --> 00:02:52.566 club again this summer and we're not wearing too much about the weather. 00:02:52.599 --> 00:02:55.406 It's been rather cool, but we'll be all right for the season is over. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:58.617 Well, we've heard so often that the coach is the coach job is considered 00:02:58.650 --> 00:03:01.436 the best job in baseball. What would you say about that now? And who are 00:03:01.469 --> 00:03:07.147 your coaches? Well, that's a very good question. I would say the coaching 00:03:07.180 --> 00:03:13.707 is very important. We have an outstanding coach that Yeah, good name 00:03:13.740 --> 00:03:18.096 turner. He handles the pictures. He does a remarkable work. He stays, 00:03:18.129 --> 00:03:21.177 spends most of his time just handling the pictures. And then we have Mr 00:03:21.210 --> 00:03:26.846 Dickey was also a great coach in regarding to catch them to catching has 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:30.987 improved under his direction and then we have Mr Hendricks, that's in the 00:03:31.020 --> 00:03:34.506 outfield. He's been an outstanding 00:03:34.539 --> 00:03:38.077 Ball player. As far as the outfield was concerned, he's doing great work 00:03:38.110 --> 00:03:41.596 working some of the young outfielders as far as spring training is 00:03:41.629 --> 00:03:46.936 concerned? I would say we're very well sooner this regarding our coaches, 00:03:46.969 --> 00:03:51.106 I don't think we need anymore. They've all done very good work. I see Joe 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:53.717 DiMaggio coming over here and you've just said that he was the greatest 00:03:53.750 --> 00:03:57.436 baseball player in the last 15 years. Uh perhaps joe, you'll just say 00:03:57.469 --> 00:04:01.136 hello to our audience and I'd like to remind them to that you were the 00:04:01.169 --> 00:04:07.066 batting champion in 39 41 47. And then of course since 37 48 with a home 00:04:07.099 --> 00:04:11.686 run hitter champion, were you not? Well in 39 41? I did lead the league in 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:15.816 batting. However, I don't believe in 1947 I would have liked to end of 00:04:15.849 --> 00:04:20.937 that year to Oh, I see. Well now joe, we are so proud to have you here in 00:04:20.970 --> 00:04:24.736 phoenix Arizona. But what do you call home? I call san Francisco home, 00:04:24.769 --> 00:04:28.087 although I spent a great deal of time in new york, which I might consider 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:31.377 my second home. I mean people that have been very nice to me, of course I 00:04:31.410 --> 00:04:34.786 make my living there. Most of my friends are there because I've spent so 00:04:34.819 --> 00:04:37.976 much time there, I would say asking anywhere from 7 to 8 or nine months 00:04:38.009 --> 00:04:41.736 out of the year right there in new york. However, I have my closest 00:04:41.769 --> 00:04:44.676 friends right home in san Francisco and your parents and your family are 00:04:44.709 --> 00:04:47.846 there now, where is little joe whom we've heard so much about. Well he's 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:52.416 now going to, he's attending a Black Fox Military Institute and that is in 00:04:52.449 --> 00:04:56.096 Hollywood California is a very fine school and I'm happy that he's going 00:04:56.129 --> 00:05:00.877 there because he really enjoys his classes in the military end of his life. 00:05:00.910 --> 00:05:04.127 And does he play baseball? Well, he has played a little baseball, he 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:07.817 played basketball, he just completed that and he is now out for baseball, 00:05:07.850 --> 00:05:11.346 which they played about three weeks And I was particularly interested and 00:05:11.379 --> 00:05:14.837 I used to go out to watch him work out and the coach one day tell me, 00:05:14.870 --> 00:05:17.947 asked me if I wouldn't give the boys a few pointers, which I consider 00:05:17.980 --> 00:05:20.897 quite a privilege to talk to all those boys, a grand bunch of fellas and I 00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:23.707 think the school is doing a great job with those girls. How long have you 00:05:23.740 --> 00:05:26.996 been with the new york Yankees? Well this is going into my 16th year, my 00:05:27.029 --> 00:05:30.257 13th active, I put for years in the service, three years in the service. 00:05:30.290 --> 00:05:34.246 And how would you say you've got into this great feel this great sports 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:41.077 field. Oh my God, that's quite a long story, sort of a coincidence, in a 00:05:41.110 --> 00:05:44.416 way, my brother Ben's who started before me was playing with the san 00:05:44.449 --> 00:05:49.017 Francisco seals and I was around watching him play without any passes or 00:05:49.050 --> 00:05:52.217 didn't have the money to get into the game and without his knowledge, I 00:05:52.250 --> 00:05:56.226 used to be around the right field bleachers and we used to have and I'm 00:05:56.259 --> 00:06:02.087 not kidding, you know, my goal, which is to which we used to pick through. 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:05.866 And if you'll see my left eye. Yeah, my bloodshot eye. And it hasn't 00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:09.947 healed ever since. It doesn't look too bloodshot. My step about 11, 12 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:14.166 o'clock. Now, that's another thing. You boys really lead a very wholesome 00:06:14.199 --> 00:06:16.986 life. Don't you have to keep early hours and it's where you do stay up 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:20.327 later? Well, that's true. I never get to bed too late. I mean, we have 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:24.467 rules, I think that the boys get in before 12 o'clock. That's the standard 00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:29.036 rule for all ballplayers. And tell otherwise, fella has to stay out of one 00:06:29.069 --> 00:06:32.406 or two o'clock in the morning because it's something that might come up. 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:35.377 He has to get permission or you should get permission from the manager. 00:06:35.410 --> 00:06:39.257 Casey stengel naturally would listen to reason and nine out of 10 times 00:06:39.290 --> 00:06:42.246 would give that permission. Would you say that the training season is the 00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:46.337 hardest part of baseball, especially after playing for nine or 10 years. 00:06:46.370 --> 00:06:49.647 It gets to be quite a grind. It gets tougher all the time. In other words 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:54.687 , the bones don't react to all the muscles don't react, you know, to right 00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:59.746 away they have to take a little more time you take about, I would say, you 00:06:59.779 --> 00:07:02.486 have to go at least two or three more weeks before they really loose 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:04.887 enough. And as a matter of fact you don't start off right away like you 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:08.166 used to be when you played your first or second year, you've got to really 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:11.817 go and take it. You've mentioned time aren't you, the great veteran on 00:07:11.850 --> 00:07:14.577 this team. Now 00:07:14.610 --> 00:07:17.846 johnny minds I believe it's got a couple of years on your own age. I think 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:20.926 we play something like about the same amount of time. Well is there an age 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:24.356 limit to baseball players? You start very early in life? You know there's 00:07:24.389 --> 00:07:28.067 no age limit. It all depends on the player themselves were good enough to 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:33.697 cut the buck. Why they are set to play as far as how old you have to be 00:07:33.730 --> 00:07:37.476 the play ball. You can go on until you well you feel yourself that you 00:07:37.509 --> 00:07:40.937 can't go on any longer. Well you know you'll be going on for many, many 00:07:40.970 --> 00:07:44.616 years to come and tell me this you have an opportunity to play much golf 00:07:44.649 --> 00:07:48.197 or outside sports activities, Miss Harlots, I've only started to play golf 00:07:48.230 --> 00:07:51.267 just two winters ago and I haven't played very much. I think the first 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:55.246 time I've got I play something like about 25 rounds in this past year, 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.937 Something like about 20 rounds but I've had a pretty bad me and that has 00:07:58.970 --> 00:08:02.527 kept me away from the golf cart. Although I enjoy the game very much and 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:06.726 maybe someday when I get through playing baseball, I expect to put all my 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:10.207 time in golf and hope that my name is all right. So I can't take advantage 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.567 of the game. You mentioned all your time. Don't you have other outside 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.236 interests? It seems I've heard of a restaurant connected with the famous 00:08:16.269 --> 00:08:20.246 name of joe DiMaggio. I did have it one time until about four years ago 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:23.647 and I sold my interest out to my two brothers. One is tom who runs the 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:26.527 place, the oldest boy in the family and the other job makers with the 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:29.937 boston red sox and they're pretty active around there and speaking about 00:08:29.970 --> 00:08:32.557 that restaurant over there in san Francisco. We had all the boys down 00:08:32.590 --> 00:08:35.856 there, the negro yankee team and they certainly had a wonderful time for 00:08:35.889 --> 00:08:38.947 the first time. They had tasted cracked prayer like we have in san 00:08:38.980 --> 00:08:41.957 Francisco and that was quite a delicacy for them And they haven't been 00:08:41.990 --> 00:08:44.787 talking about it yet. As a matter of fact, I'd like to have old brother 00:08:44.820 --> 00:08:47.797 Tom send me about two dozen crabs right now. Is that good? I hope you're 00:08:47.830 --> 00:08:50.376 listening in and I certainly help you. Well, maybe a brother tom doesn't 00:08:50.409 --> 00:08:55.567 someone else can be very nice when you leave here. Will we be going? I 00:08:55.600 --> 00:09:00.266 think we are going to Tucson will be here for another five days. We've got 00:09:00.299 --> 00:09:05.427 to Tucson el paso Houston and work our way up to the east. We wind up the 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:08.657 pitch berg and three games in Brooklyn and the regular season starts, 00:09:08.690 --> 00:09:11.636 which we open up in Washington the day before the rest of the league in 00:09:11.669 --> 00:09:15.217 Washington, D. C. Now, what date are you open there? I think it's the 16th 00:09:15.250 --> 00:09:19.026 or 17th. We opened one day before the rest of the league opens up at the 00:09:19.059 --> 00:09:22.516 next day, the official opening of all the kings. Well, I certainly look 00:09:22.549 --> 00:09:25.886 forward to seeing you in Washington. That happens to be my home to joe as 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:29.457 well as Arizona. We know you enjoy phoenix Arizona. Is this the first time 00:09:29.490 --> 00:09:31.787 you've been here? You know, I've passed through here many, many times 00:09:31.820 --> 00:09:34.766 after all, it's only about 6, 700 miles away from san Francisco. I have 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:38.677 spent a couple of days here but I haven't really, when I say it's been a 00:09:38.710 --> 00:09:41.876 couple of days that that's on the way east. I stopped here just on the way 00:09:41.909 --> 00:09:45.636 traveling and I enjoyed Arizona always have. I like the heat here. It's a 00:09:45.669 --> 00:09:49.606 dry heat and I certainly enjoyed a lot more than that humidity. We have 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:53.026 another places I'm speaking of other places now. This is the first time 00:09:53.059 --> 00:09:55.467 you've traded, so to speak with the Giants, isn't it there in ST 00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:58.896 Petersburg and you're here. Do you think you'll trade again another year? 00:09:58.929 --> 00:10:03.116 I think so as I remember correctly, the Yankees have a 10 year. They 00:10:03.149 --> 00:10:07.506 signed with Al Lang at ST Petersburg where the Yankees have to train seven 00:10:07.539 --> 00:10:12.317 out of 10 years right there in ST Petersburg. However, uh, three of those 00:10:12.350 --> 00:10:14.947 years, they can train anywhere. And I think this is one of the year's now 00:10:14.980 --> 00:10:17.947 , whether they will train here next year, I don't know for sure that 00:10:17.980 --> 00:10:21.626 something had to be determined by the Yankees and about, oh, I guess when 00:10:21.659 --> 00:10:24.917 spring meetings start again next year, when you travel, you go by train or 00:10:24.950 --> 00:10:29.106 plane generally by train and you mean you sleep in pullman's all the time. 00:10:29.139 --> 00:10:31.957 And how do you find that incidentally? Well, that's a pretty big fellow 00:10:31.990 --> 00:10:35.846 to be. Yes. I mean I could use a couple more inches, some of those felons. 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.707 Well, I think we are spend only two nights in, there were hotels this 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:42.876 year, the rest of time we spend right there in those sleepers, which is a 00:10:42.909 --> 00:10:45.447 little difficult, but after all, we've got to get used to because the 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:48.626 season will find us on those planes most of time. So it's a good thing to 00:10:48.659 --> 00:10:52.967 get used to. You know, I happened. I know beans, Reardon and uncle charlie 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:55.646 Moran and some of the old time umpires and I've often wondered how you 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:59.167 fellows felt about the umpires, how you really feel man to man when you 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.096 get the game over with. Well that's true. We see quite a few of the 00:11:02.129 --> 00:11:05.657 Empire's during the winter and we get out and banquet circuits with them 00:11:05.690 --> 00:11:09.026 and we kind of compare old time knows what happened during this season. 00:11:09.059 --> 00:11:11.776 They're a bunch of human beings, just like anyone else? They certainly a 00:11:11.809 --> 00:11:15.726 grand bunch of fellas and they played no partial or no your favorite. They 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.766 call the place as they see them when we take that grant. In other words, 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:22.606 we know that they're doing their best job. Believe me, I have to admire 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:25.986 for the things that they have to go through and actually the booze, they 00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:30.246 can't satisfy everybody in the hometown. I want a decision is against them. 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:33.297 They have to take all those boos and believe me, I can't see how they 00:11:33.330 --> 00:11:36.577 take it, but they certainly do a grand job now before you leave us, joe 00:11:36.610 --> 00:11:39.837 DiMaggio. And may I tell you what a real thrill it is for me to have you 00:11:39.870 --> 00:11:43.827 on this program? I've been one of your fans for just about 15 years when I 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:46.986 used to go to the Yankee Stadium in new york. And Rupert has a team, you 00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:50.356 know? Yeah, you're sitting in the Rupert box as a matter of fact at that 00:11:50.389 --> 00:11:55.376 time. And of course now they'll web our local phoenix. Arizona man is your 00:11:55.409 --> 00:11:58.917 owner along with dan topping, is that correct? And had two fine fellas. 00:11:58.950 --> 00:12:02.486 Believe me and I hear them also, they only professional football team in 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:05.476 new york, don't they did? Until this past year. I think they told Mr 00:12:05.509 --> 00:12:09.266 Collins technology. Oh, I see ted Collins now before you leave us, What 00:12:09.299 --> 00:12:13.376 would your advice be to young men To the boys who are really anxious to 00:12:13.409 --> 00:12:16.717 get into this great sport field? Well, I guess I should really give it 00:12:16.750 --> 00:12:21.996 pretty accurate. I don't know description of that as you might say, but 00:12:22.029 --> 00:12:26.427 perhaps joe Jr in mind why there's one thing that I've always preached to 00:12:26.460 --> 00:12:30.287 the young boy and that's the practice continually practice every day. You 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:33.047 can't do enough practice. And as a matter of fact, even your major league 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:37.386 ballplayers that accomplished will be out there trying to correct balls 00:12:37.419 --> 00:12:40.787 that they have. Now, for instance, like this morning I was out at 10 00:12:40.820 --> 00:12:43.427 o'clock this morning trying to get some extra batting practice because I 00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:45.766 haven't been hitting the ball in the last three weeks or as long as we 00:12:45.799 --> 00:12:48.986 felt this spring training. So I have a hitch in my swing and I'm trying to 00:12:49.019 --> 00:12:52.437 correct that. So I would say that practice is very, very good for a young 00:12:52.470 --> 00:12:56.697 boy. He should keep his regular meals and above all, of course he should 00:12:56.730 --> 00:13:00.386 get his 10 hours sleep. I believe when they're still across the drawing to 00:13:00.419 --> 00:13:05.067 be a man. I know that athletes require everybody hated nine hours sleep. 00:13:05.100 --> 00:13:09.096 Well, thank you very much, jorge Mario for being our guest today and we 00:13:09.129 --> 00:13:12.457 certainly agree with Casey Single that you are the greatest baseball 00:13:12.490 --> 00:13:15.667 player. Not only in the last 15 years that perhaps in our history. Well, 00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:17.986 thank you very much, Miss Alice and I hope to see you again. Thank you 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:21.307 very much. 00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:24.937 You've just heard Arizona close ups with MEREDITH Howard Harless presented 00:13:24.970 --> 00:13:29.827 by Hanis Adams at First Street Hanis, where you find quality merchandise 00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:33.717 at the right price and for the convenience of our winter guests, Hanis at 00:13:33.750 --> 00:13:41.750 24th and Camelback 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:04.116 Today, MEREDITH's guests were the great baseball player, joe DiMaggio and 00:14:04.149 --> 00:14:07.996 manager of the new york Yankees. Casey stengel join us next week. At this 00:14:08.029 --> 00:14:12.077 same time, we're married with bring us a timely transcribed interview with 00:14:12.110 --> 00:14:15.886 several members of the U. S. Congress, Arizona's own congressman, Harold 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:20.907 Patton, congressman, walter bearing of Nevada and congressman Wesley do it. 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:24.677 This is bob Pollard inviting you to tune in a 6 15 next sunday for 00:14:24.710 --> 00:14:28.730 Arizona close ups presented by handneeds