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Williams Has Fans In Dither Already About Evenly Split Whether Star Was Right in Selecting Friday 13th as Return Date By AL WADE United Press Sports Writer BOSTON, Mass., May 12.— Boston Red Sox fans, rejoicing at the return of Ted Williams, wondered today whether hell be a "new Ted Williams" or the "old" temperamental character they once knew. The highly talented — an equally controversial — slugger had the fans divided again even before his arrival by selecting Friday the 13th as the date of his return. Half the Fenway Park bleacher regulars were sure it was a bad omen. The others point to September 13, 1946 — also a Friday — and claim his date selection is a good sign. It was en September 13, 1946 that Boston copped its only pennant in 37 years with a Williams home run when the chips were down. He did it the hard way with an inside the park homer against Lou Boud-reaus Cleveland Indians and the original "Williams shift." You can walk from the south end to back bay and no two people will give you the same opinion on whether the 36-year-old outfielder will help or hinder the ailing, seventh place Red Sox. They all agree, however, that "Terrible Ted" will be in some kind of controversy before the World Series. Marion Thinks Ted Has Mellowed Marty Marion disagrees. The Chicago White Sox manager thinks Ted has "mellowed" and is past the tantrum stage that marked his previous 13 seasons with Boston. It may only be a minor flareup like the ones in 1942, 1946 and 1951. These usually start when Ted makes a booboo while the Sox are in a slump — just like they are now. They start with a razzberry from the left field bleachers and wind up with Ted getting even by slowing down on the base paths. "Im just thick headed enough, and screwy enough, and dumb enough, and childish enough, to let those wolves in the left field bleachers get under my skin," he said. In 1942, he threatened to take 25 pounds of hamburger into his left field position "and invite the wolves to come down and enjoy it." In 1946, Yankee Stadium fans were hot on Williams after 15 straight Red Sox losses. His reply was to nonchalantly watch an easy fly drop in left field for a triple. Sportswriters branded him "cranky" but the official scorer held that Ted lost the ball in the sun. The Boston slugger is not expected to alter the habit that has most irked the cash customers — refusing to doff his cap in recognition of cheers from the fans. The practice was good enough for Babe Ruth, Jimmy Foxx, Joe DiMaggio and greats who played in Fenway Park but Ted refuses to conform. "Hitting baseballs still is my first love-not the fans," Williams once said.
