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♦ — ♦ Bobby Shantz Almost Certain A. L Starter in All-Star Game j | j | ; ; , , • ; a « £ l Athletics Little Southpaw f ♦ Would Rather Face Sluggers Than Go Before TV Cameras By FRED DOWN United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., June 18.— Bobby Shantz, the Philadelphia Athletics 150-pound giant of the mound, is almost certain to be the American Leagues starting pitcher in the 19th All-Star game with the National League on July 8. Shantz, with his 11-1 record and 10 consecutive victories for a sixth-place team, will be an automatic choice when Yankee manager Casey Stengel picks his pitching staff. And what could be more of a "natural" than to start the little fellow with the big heart before a home crowd at Shibe Park? This will be Shantz first All-Star test, although he made the squad last year, and it would be difficult to conceive of a more dramatic setting for his debut. To begin with, the five-foot, seven-inch Shantz will look like a little lost boy among the six-footers and 200-pounders who will abound on both teams. Secondly, Bobby will be at two tactical disadvantages which ordinarily might persuade Stengel to by-pass Shantz or any other lefthander against the National leaguers. Plenty of Right Handed Power Hitters Regardless of how the fans choose, the National League squad is certain to be sat- ! urated with right handed power hitters. It will be possible for Leo Durocher to field j a line-up of Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Al Dark, Bobby Thomson, Hank Sauer and Ralph Kiner with Stan Musial the only southpaw swinger. i Then, too, the tactical advantage will be £ with the National Leaguers because of the park — where right handed hitters have a very definite edge over left handers. So there will be the little Shantz, seeking 1 to make up the enormous physical gap t through his poise, "heart," and assortment t of curves and knucklers — the traditional 1 underdog against the massive sluggers who « look like they could snap him in half. i But it will be nothing new for the little man who has had to accept the underdogs role throughout his career. And, who by * the way, admits to only one fear, going be- j fore television cameras. "Anything but that," says Bobby. "My j knees start to shake when I even think of " going on a television program." Shantz fear of the television cameras is so great he pleaded to be excused when Joe . DiMaggio invited him onto his pre-game Yankee show recently. J "Joe," Bobby said earnestly, "Ill give you j 00 bill if youll excuse me — I just couldnt get myself to go in front of those J cameras." But going against mere men like Robin- j son, Musial, Thomson, Sauer, Kiner, Cam- panelli and Hodges? Why, certainly, any c day of the week. £
