6 15 time for Arizona close ups presented by Hanis Adams at First Street
Arizona close ups featuring MEREDITH Howard Harless brings you intimate
glimpses of personalities in the news. MEREDITH has taken us from
Hollywood to Washington D. C. With their interviews with such celebrities
as mickey, Rooney, Kirk, Douglas, brian, Ahern, senator William benton and
other famous individuals. Today she takes you to the sports world for an
interview with the new york Yankees, none other than joe DiMaggio himself
and manager. Casey stengel, Joe DiMaggio is one of the game's only $100 a
year men. Three times the American league's most valuable player. He tops
all active players in home runs with 352 and he has paced the Bronx
bombers to nine pennants and eight World series crowns in his 12 seasons
at the Yankee stadium. Here we are at the phoenix municipal stadium with
Arizona close ups and MEREDITH Harless. This is MEREDITH Howard Harless
broadcasting to you were right in the dugout here with the new york
Yankees and as you well know, they were the world champions in 1950 were
particularly delighted today to have with us a very great joe DiMaggio and
Charles. Casey stengel, the manager under his guidance in 49 50 and 51.
They've won two pennants and two world series perhaps Casey, you'll just
say hello, our radio audience and tell us a word or two about the team and
how much you're enjoying this training season here in phoenix. Arizona.
Well, I'm delighted to say hello, I'll have to say about the new york
yankee ball club that we have an outstanding ball club again for 1951. We
have an outstanding catching staff. We have younger bear was possibly the
best catcher that's in the league. We have a double play combination chart
and second we have DiMaggio in center field. That is the outstanding
player in the last 15 years. We have some outstanding pictures which vic
crashes our leader and we have Reynolds and low Pat, we have some other
young men that are coming forward. We think we're going to be a great ball
club again this summer and we're not wearing too much about the weather.
It's been rather cool, but we'll be all right for the season is over.
Well, we've heard so often that the coach is the coach job is considered
the best job in baseball. What would you say about that now? And who are
your coaches? Well, that's a very good question. I would say the coaching
is very important. We have an outstanding coach that Yeah, good name
turner. He handles the pictures. He does a remarkable work. He stays,
spends most of his time just handling the pictures. And then we have Mr
Dickey was also a great coach in regarding to catch them to catching has
improved under his direction and then we have Mr Hendricks, that's in the
outfield. He's been an outstanding
Ball player. As far as the outfield was concerned, he's doing great work
working some of the young outfielders as far as spring training is
concerned? I would say we're very well sooner this regarding our coaches,
I don't think we need anymore. They've all done very good work. I see Joe
DiMaggio coming over here and you've just said that he was the greatest
baseball player in the last 15 years. Uh perhaps joe, you'll just say
hello to our audience and I'd like to remind them to that you were the
batting champion in 39 41 47. And then of course since 37 48 with a home
run hitter champion, were you not? Well in 39 41? I did lead the league in
batting. However, I don't believe in 1947 I would have liked to end of
that year to Oh, I see. Well now joe, we are so proud to have you here in
phoenix Arizona. But what do you call home? I call san Francisco home,
although I spent a great deal of time in new york, which I might consider
my second home. I mean people that have been very nice to me, of course I
make my living there. Most of my friends are there because I've spent so
much time there, I would say asking anywhere from 7 to 8 or nine months
out of the year right there in new york. However, I have my closest
friends right home in san Francisco and your parents and your family are
there now, where is little joe whom we've heard so much about. Well he's
now going to, he's attending a Black Fox Military Institute and that is in
Hollywood California is a very fine school and I'm happy that he's going
there because he really enjoys his classes in the military end of his life.
And does he play baseball? Well, he has played a little baseball, he
played basketball, he just completed that and he is now out for baseball,
which they played about three weeks And I was particularly interested and
I used to go out to watch him work out and the coach one day tell me,
asked me if I wouldn't give the boys a few pointers, which I consider
quite a privilege to talk to all those boys, a grand bunch of fellas and I
think the school is doing a great job with those girls. How long have you
been with the new york Yankees? Well this is going into my 16th year, my
13th active, I put for years in the service, three years in the service.
And how would you say you've got into this great feel this great sports
field. Oh my God, that's quite a long story, sort of a coincidence, in a
way, my brother Ben's who started before me was playing with the san
Francisco seals and I was around watching him play without any passes or
didn't have the money to get into the game and without his knowledge, I
used to be around the right field bleachers and we used to have and I'm
not kidding, you know, my goal, which is to which we used to pick through.
And if you'll see my left eye. Yeah, my bloodshot eye. And it hasn't
healed ever since. It doesn't look too bloodshot. My step about 11, 12
o'clock. Now, that's another thing. You boys really lead a very wholesome
life. Don't you have to keep early hours and it's where you do stay up
later? Well, that's true. I never get to bed too late. I mean, we have
rules, I think that the boys get in before 12 o'clock. That's the standard
rule for all ballplayers. And tell otherwise, fella has to stay out of one
or two o'clock in the morning because it's something that might come up.
He has to get permission or you should get permission from the manager.
Casey stengel naturally would listen to reason and nine out of 10 times
would give that permission. Would you say that the training season is the
hardest part of baseball, especially after playing for nine or 10 years.
It gets to be quite a grind. It gets tougher all the time. In other words
, the bones don't react to all the muscles don't react, you know, to right
away they have to take a little more time you take about, I would say, you
have to go at least two or three more weeks before they really loose
enough. And as a matter of fact you don't start off right away like you
used to be when you played your first or second year, you've got to really
go and take it. You've mentioned time aren't you, the great veteran on
this team. Now
johnny minds I believe it's got a couple of years on your own age. I think
we play something like about the same amount of time. Well is there an age
limit to baseball players? You start very early in life? You know there's
no age limit. It all depends on the player themselves were good enough to
cut the buck. Why they are set to play as far as how old you have to be
the play ball. You can go on until you well you feel yourself that you
can't go on any longer. Well you know you'll be going on for many, many
years to come and tell me this you have an opportunity to play much golf
or outside sports activities, Miss Harlots, I've only started to play golf
just two winters ago and I haven't played very much. I think the first
time I've got I play something like about 25 rounds in this past year,
Something like about 20 rounds but I've had a pretty bad me and that has
kept me away from the golf cart. Although I enjoy the game very much and
maybe someday when I get through playing baseball, I expect to put all my
time in golf and hope that my name is all right. So I can't take advantage
of the game. You mentioned all your time. Don't you have other outside
interests? It seems I've heard of a restaurant connected with the famous
name of joe DiMaggio. I did have it one time until about four years ago
and I sold my interest out to my two brothers. One is tom who runs the
place, the oldest boy in the family and the other job makers with the
boston red sox and they're pretty active around there and speaking about
that restaurant over there in san Francisco. We had all the boys down
there, the negro yankee team and they certainly had a wonderful time for
the first time. They had tasted cracked prayer like we have in san
Francisco and that was quite a delicacy for them And they haven't been
talking about it yet. As a matter of fact, I'd like to have old brother
Tom send me about two dozen crabs right now. Is that good? I hope you're
listening in and I certainly help you. Well, maybe a brother tom doesn't
someone else can be very nice when you leave here. Will we be going? I
think we are going to Tucson will be here for another five days. We've got
to Tucson el paso Houston and work our way up to the east. We wind up the
pitch berg and three games in Brooklyn and the regular season starts,
which we open up in Washington the day before the rest of the league in
Washington, D. C. Now, what date are you open there? I think it's the 16th
or 17th. We opened one day before the rest of the league opens up at the
next day, the official opening of all the kings. Well, I certainly look
forward to seeing you in Washington. That happens to be my home to joe as
well as Arizona. We know you enjoy phoenix Arizona. Is this the first time
you've been here? You know, I've passed through here many, many times
after all, it's only about 6, 700 miles away from san Francisco. I have
spent a couple of days here but I haven't really, when I say it's been a
couple of days that that's on the way east. I stopped here just on the way
traveling and I enjoyed Arizona always have. I like the heat here. It's a
dry heat and I certainly enjoyed a lot more than that humidity. We have
another places I'm speaking of other places now. This is the first time
you've traded, so to speak with the Giants, isn't it there in ST
Petersburg and you're here. Do you think you'll trade again another year?
I think so as I remember correctly, the Yankees have a 10 year. They
signed with Al Lang at ST Petersburg where the Yankees have to train seven
out of 10 years right there in ST Petersburg. However, uh, three of those
years, they can train anywhere. And I think this is one of the year's now
, whether they will train here next year, I don't know for sure that
something had to be determined by the Yankees and about, oh, I guess when
spring meetings start again next year, when you travel, you go by train or
plane generally by train and you mean you sleep in pullman's all the time.
And how do you find that incidentally? Well, that's a pretty big fellow
to be. Yes. I mean I could use a couple more inches, some of those felons.
Well, I think we are spend only two nights in, there were hotels this
year, the rest of time we spend right there in those sleepers, which is a
little difficult, but after all, we've got to get used to because the
season will find us on those planes most of time. So it's a good thing to
get used to. You know, I happened. I know beans, Reardon and uncle charlie
Moran and some of the old time umpires and I've often wondered how you
fellows felt about the umpires, how you really feel man to man when you
get the game over with. Well that's true. We see quite a few of the
Empire's during the winter and we get out and banquet circuits with them
and we kind of compare old time knows what happened during this season.
They're a bunch of human beings, just like anyone else? They certainly a
grand bunch of fellas and they played no partial or no your favorite. They
call the place as they see them when we take that grant. In other words,
we know that they're doing their best job. Believe me, I have to admire
for the things that they have to go through and actually the booze, they
can't satisfy everybody in the hometown. I want a decision is against them.
They have to take all those boos and believe me, I can't see how they
take it, but they certainly do a grand job now before you leave us, joe
DiMaggio. And may I tell you what a real thrill it is for me to have you
on this program? I've been one of your fans for just about 15 years when I
used to go to the Yankee Stadium in new york. And Rupert has a team, you
know? Yeah, you're sitting in the Rupert box as a matter of fact at that
time. And of course now they'll web our local phoenix. Arizona man is your
owner along with dan topping, is that correct? And had two fine fellas.
Believe me and I hear them also, they only professional football team in
new york, don't they did? Until this past year. I think they told Mr
Collins technology. Oh, I see ted Collins now before you leave us, What
would your advice be to young men To the boys who are really anxious to
get into this great sport field? Well, I guess I should really give it
pretty accurate. I don't know description of that as you might say, but
perhaps joe Jr in mind why there's one thing that I've always preached to
the young boy and that's the practice continually practice every day. You
can't do enough practice. And as a matter of fact, even your major league
ballplayers that accomplished will be out there trying to correct balls
that they have. Now, for instance, like this morning I was out at 10
o'clock this morning trying to get some extra batting practice because I
haven't been hitting the ball in the last three weeks or as long as we
felt this spring training. So I have a hitch in my swing and I'm trying to
correct that. So I would say that practice is very, very good for a young
boy. He should keep his regular meals and above all, of course he should
get his 10 hours sleep. I believe when they're still across the drawing to
be a man. I know that athletes require everybody hated nine hours sleep.
Well, thank you very much, jorge Mario for being our guest today and we
certainly agree with Casey Single that you are the greatest baseball
player. Not only in the last 15 years that perhaps in our history. Well,
thank you very much, Miss Alice and I hope to see you again. Thank you
very much.
You've just heard Arizona close ups with MEREDITH Howard Harless presented
by Hanis Adams at First Street Hanis, where you find quality merchandise
at the right price and for the convenience of our winter guests, Hanis at
24th and Camelback
Today, MEREDITH's guests were the great baseball player, joe DiMaggio and
manager of the new york Yankees. Casey stengel join us next week. At this
same time, we're married with bring us a timely transcribed interview with
several members of the U. S. Congress, Arizona's own congressman, Harold
Patton, congressman, walter bearing of Nevada and congressman Wesley do it.
This is bob Pollard inviting you to tune in a 6 15 next sunday for
Arizona close ups presented by handneeds