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Williams to Rejoin Red Sox Friday Sluggers Marital t i Problems Settled Return of Star Outfielder Is Expected to Boost Gate Throughout Junior Circuit By JOE PHELAN United Press Sports Writer BOSTON, Mass., May 11. — Outfielder * Ted Williams, his marital problems set- j tied by a Miami court, agreed today to $ rejoin the Boston Red Sox for another t season — his fourteenth in the major leagues. General manager Joe Cronin talked with the 36-year-old slugger by telephone and I announced that "Williams would arrive here ■ in time for Friday nights game against ■ the Kansas City Athletics. r Cronin said it would be up to Williams r and manager Mike Higgins as to when and how the slugger would break into the Sox f line-up. | The announcement was a shot in the i arm for the hit-starved Red Sox and was j greeted with cheers in American League front offices. I Cronin said Williams return "undoubtedly would help at the box office." An- as- c sistant said Boston attendance would jump i 3,500 to 5,000 a game "with Williams in i the line-up." 1 Aids Entire American League General manager Frank Lane of the Chicago White Sox was more enthusiastic. He said Williams in uniform would mean an additional 00,000 in American League j gate receipts and would mean "5,000 more j attendance per game in Chicago and 10,000 on week ends." I Williams, fit and tanned, said that "altered circumstances" had permitted his j return to baseball. "I hope I can do the team some good," I he said. "One thing is certain. Ill do my best. I said last year was my last, but I ] love the game and altered circumstances i have cleared the way for my return." Williams apparently referred to todays decision by Miami Circuit Judge George 1 Holt in setting up a financial settlement to accompany the divorce he granted Mrs. ] Williams Monday. - I Holt awarded Mrs. Williams a 0,000 cash settlement and gave her custody of their 2,000 home and a Cadillac. He I directed the slugger to contribute 00 a month toward the support of his seven-year-old daughter, Barbara Joyce. Williams promptly took his daughter on a fishing trip. t Holt also directed the lanky outfielder to ; pay ,000 in attorney fees for his ex-wife plus taxes and insurance due on their , home and car. Cronin branded as "ridiculous" a report ; from Miami that the Red Sox would ad- ! vance Williams the 0,000 for the cash settlement. The court gave Williams two years to pay the money to Mrs. Williams. Start Out As Pinch Hitter Higgins, whose young team has lost 11 out of its last 12 games, said he would await Williams arrival here before deciding when to put him in the line-up. It was generally agreed, however, that Williams would be used as a pinch-hitter until Higgins was satisfied he was in playing condition. Williams, holder of more outstanding batting feats than any other active American leaguer, holds the all-time batting record for the Red Sox— a full season .406 in 1941. Cronin indicated that he and Williams came to terms in todays brief telephone conversation and that the agreement would be formalized upon Teds arrival Friday. The Miami court listed Teds 1954 salary at 5,000 but it did not cover a full season. It was believed Williams would get the same amount for the remainder of this season — based on 00,000-a-season. Boston trainer, John Fadden, said Williams "could easily be in playing condition within one week." Clubhouse keeper, Johnny Orlando, considered Williams closest friend in Boston, laid out the big sluggers No. 9 uniform. "Ive had these ready since January," he smiled. "I also have a dozen of Teds bats and boy watch us go now." Williams announced nearly one year ago that the 1954 season was his last in baseball. No one took him seriously, however, and expected him to show up at spring training. Until Cronins telephone call today no • one was certain that Williams had not played his last game in Fenway Parks left field.
