Dublin Core
Title
Box 14, Folder 3, Document 35
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Pe
SS
reais
SES
ES SSE ec ceseses
ie
-
5
50
—s +
Che Atlanta Journal and CONSTITUTION SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 1965
By HAL HAYES
The legendary “baseball hitter’s
paradise” is no longer a mere piece of
Eddie Mathews and Hank
Aaron, Braves of Milwaukee
until 1966 and Atlanta be-
comes their home, made the
discovery and Saturday con-
firmed its reality,
“This looks like a hitter’s
dream,” powerful Mr. Math- |
ews said early Saturday as ) =
the sun bobbed and weaved ©
from behind a heavy sheet §
of iron-gray clouds. “It sure =
does, this is beautiful,’
Hal Hayes
chimed Aaron, the batsman with lightning
in his wrists.
“This is tremendously impressive,” said
Mathews. ‘‘Play ball,” he yelled to Aaron,
“get somebody out there on the mound.”
The Braves’ stars, who Friday night
received special citations at the 100 Per
Cent Wrong Club banquet at the Americana
Hotel, were paying their first visit to At-
lanta’s marvelous $18 million stadium. The
occasion was one of warmth and merriment
for them, despite the chilling 45-degree
weather.
“THIS STADIUM should certainly be a
favorite with all the ball players,’ said
Mathews, himself long acquainted with pop-
ularity. ““Due to its circular structure, wind
currents won’t be a hazard to the hitters.
Pll especially like that,” he laughed.
“Won't we all,” Aaron offered. “Since
we won't have any wind currents here,
the other club’s pitchers won’t be nearly as
effective. Their ‘stuff’ won't have as much
of a chance to dance and dip as it normally
would in a ball park that is open.”
“You put a ball up in the wind in most
major league stadiums and it'll hang,”
Mathewg aid. “Only occasionally will the
wind nee a hitter and carry the ball.
“You take Shea Stadium in New York,”
he said in a normal tone of voice. “And,
sometimes I wish you would.” This time he
slightly lowered his head and half-way
mumbled.
“No, Sapa he said, “Shea Stadium
fictional real estate. There is such a place.
really gave me a lot of misery last year.
I didn’t get a home run there all season,
~ and it was due, at least partially, to that
wind that blows like crazy in from right
field.”
AARON, WHO considers 1964 an “off
year” despite his .328 batting average, 24
home runs and 95 runs batted in, wandered
toward right field. It is here he will devote
his waking hours when the Braves of Atlanta
play defensive baseball.
“T like to hit in a ball park where there
are no wind currents, and that’s why I
think I’m going to love this place,” he told
several writers who shadowed him and
Mathews throughout the morning.
“An awful lot more hits are going to fall
as they should in here,” he said. Both stars,
long regarded as undisputable—and un-
stoppable—candidates for the Hall of Fame
at the end of their careers, also studied the
foul lines.
“It’s only 320 feet to right field,” Mathews
said. “Well, that’s great. Somebody said it
was 380 and I was already thinking about
trying to switch hit.” Aaron said it would
“take quite a poke to hit one out, but you
ean bet I'll be trying.”
A Braves official brought two bats out of
the dugout and invited the sluggers to pose
with them for photographers. One was an
Eddie Mathews model, which Aaron hurried
to pick up. Mathews got the one with
Yankee great Mickey Mantle’s name on if.
“HEY, HANK, who is this guy,”
Mathews jibbed. “I don’t think I’ve ever
heard of him.” Aaron assured his teammate
American League pitchers wished they
never had.
“Atlanta Stadium will take a backseat to
none,’ Mathews said. “Honestly, this is
great.”
“Tt is great,’ Aaron said, nodding in full
agreement. ‘This is the first time I’ve ever
been in a stadium that is completely round,
and I am greatly impressed.”
Both said they welcomed the chance to
hit here in 1965 when the Braves play some
exhibition games. So will Atlanta and all
Dixieland.
vows AARON, MATHEWS VISIT STADIUM
Ves Peer Into the Future
Rist Hho ieth Siriesn
EDDIE MATHEWS, HANK AARON READY TO GO
Braves Stand at Plate and Await Cry of ‘Play Ball’
anes
od
8 sogutnamenensctraacern
|
2
pega e aes
SS
reais
SES
ES SSE ec ceseses
ie
-
5
50
—s +
Che Atlanta Journal and CONSTITUTION SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 1965
By HAL HAYES
The legendary “baseball hitter’s
paradise” is no longer a mere piece of
Eddie Mathews and Hank
Aaron, Braves of Milwaukee
until 1966 and Atlanta be-
comes their home, made the
discovery and Saturday con-
firmed its reality,
“This looks like a hitter’s
dream,” powerful Mr. Math- |
ews said early Saturday as ) =
the sun bobbed and weaved ©
from behind a heavy sheet §
of iron-gray clouds. “It sure =
does, this is beautiful,’
Hal Hayes
chimed Aaron, the batsman with lightning
in his wrists.
“This is tremendously impressive,” said
Mathews. ‘‘Play ball,” he yelled to Aaron,
“get somebody out there on the mound.”
The Braves’ stars, who Friday night
received special citations at the 100 Per
Cent Wrong Club banquet at the Americana
Hotel, were paying their first visit to At-
lanta’s marvelous $18 million stadium. The
occasion was one of warmth and merriment
for them, despite the chilling 45-degree
weather.
“THIS STADIUM should certainly be a
favorite with all the ball players,’ said
Mathews, himself long acquainted with pop-
ularity. ““Due to its circular structure, wind
currents won’t be a hazard to the hitters.
Pll especially like that,” he laughed.
“Won't we all,” Aaron offered. “Since
we won't have any wind currents here,
the other club’s pitchers won’t be nearly as
effective. Their ‘stuff’ won't have as much
of a chance to dance and dip as it normally
would in a ball park that is open.”
“You put a ball up in the wind in most
major league stadiums and it'll hang,”
Mathewg aid. “Only occasionally will the
wind nee a hitter and carry the ball.
“You take Shea Stadium in New York,”
he said in a normal tone of voice. “And,
sometimes I wish you would.” This time he
slightly lowered his head and half-way
mumbled.
“No, Sapa he said, “Shea Stadium
fictional real estate. There is such a place.
really gave me a lot of misery last year.
I didn’t get a home run there all season,
~ and it was due, at least partially, to that
wind that blows like crazy in from right
field.”
AARON, WHO considers 1964 an “off
year” despite his .328 batting average, 24
home runs and 95 runs batted in, wandered
toward right field. It is here he will devote
his waking hours when the Braves of Atlanta
play defensive baseball.
“T like to hit in a ball park where there
are no wind currents, and that’s why I
think I’m going to love this place,” he told
several writers who shadowed him and
Mathews throughout the morning.
“An awful lot more hits are going to fall
as they should in here,” he said. Both stars,
long regarded as undisputable—and un-
stoppable—candidates for the Hall of Fame
at the end of their careers, also studied the
foul lines.
“It’s only 320 feet to right field,” Mathews
said. “Well, that’s great. Somebody said it
was 380 and I was already thinking about
trying to switch hit.” Aaron said it would
“take quite a poke to hit one out, but you
ean bet I'll be trying.”
A Braves official brought two bats out of
the dugout and invited the sluggers to pose
with them for photographers. One was an
Eddie Mathews model, which Aaron hurried
to pick up. Mathews got the one with
Yankee great Mickey Mantle’s name on if.
“HEY, HANK, who is this guy,”
Mathews jibbed. “I don’t think I’ve ever
heard of him.” Aaron assured his teammate
American League pitchers wished they
never had.
“Atlanta Stadium will take a backseat to
none,’ Mathews said. “Honestly, this is
great.”
“Tt is great,’ Aaron said, nodding in full
agreement. ‘This is the first time I’ve ever
been in a stadium that is completely round,
and I am greatly impressed.”
Both said they welcomed the chance to
hit here in 1965 when the Braves play some
exhibition games. So will Atlanta and all
Dixieland.
vows AARON, MATHEWS VISIT STADIUM
Ves Peer Into the Future
Rist Hho ieth Siriesn
EDDIE MATHEWS, HANK AARON READY TO GO
Braves Stand at Plate and Await Cry of ‘Play Ball’
anes
od
8 sogutnamenensctraacern
|
2
pega e aes
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