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— ■ . = ► Yankee Structure Crumbling Without DiMaggio in Line-Up Former Teammate Says Joe i Was G/eat Inspirational Leader as Well as Player By MILTON RICHMAN United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., May 13.— "Joe DiMaggio was the foundation — and without him, the whole Yankee structure is crumbling." Snuffy Stirnweiss of Cleveland, an old Yankee himself, repeated the phrase over and over again. "Theyre not the same ball club any more," he added. "DiMaggio was more than just a great ball piayer. He was the leader of the Yankees. Everyone on the club leaned, on him. "The Yankees werent the only ones who knew it. . .Other clubs knew it"/ too. Opposing pitchers would work on the Yankee lead-off man with fear in their hearts. If I put this guy on, DiMaggio will come up this inning, they used to say to themselves. "Believe me, I know. I played for the Yankees and against them. You have no idea what kind of a psychological lift it gives a team merely to have a fellow like DiMaggio in the line-up." Stirnweiss, one of baseballs more analytical players, gulped some water from the drinking fountain and returned to his seat. Change Has Taken Place "You cant imagine the change thats come over the Yankees," he said. "They dont jump on you as soon as you make a mistake any more. They used to do it all the time. You couldnt get away with anything against them before. Now, you make mistakes and get away with them. "We even made two or three mistakes and beat em," he said, referring to,the Indians clean sweep of a three-game series in Yankee Stadium last week. "We never could do that in the old days." Without DiMaggio, Stirnweiss said, the Yankees are almost completely lacking in power. "I dont care who they get to bat fourth, no matter how good he is," the veteran Cleveland infielder insisted, "he isnt, and he never will be, another DiMaggio. "Its hard to believe that one fellow could make such a difference to a club, but DiMaggio does. "Dont take my word for it! Ask Hen-rich, Dickey and guys like that. Theyll tell you the same thing. You talk to Hen-rich and all he ever mentions is DiMaggio. Theyll never find a replacement for him, no matter how far or how long they look." Stirnweiss dug some of the snuff out from his teeth and got up from his seat. "You know," he said, recalling his play-, ing days with the Yankees, DiMaggio never made a big fuss or anything like that when he made a great catch or came through with a hit that won the ball game. "He figured it was his duty. . .He fig-urged thats what he was there for. -He took a lot of pride in his work but he never looked for a pat on the back. "By jupiter, those Yankees miss him. . ."
