Slaughter Came to Hall Bearing a Special Gift for an Earlier Inductee

In the 1941 All-Star game, Ted Williams hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning at Tiger Stadium to give the American League a 7-5 win over the National League.

The ball hit the upper facade in right field, and Williams never saw the ball again--until Sunday.

The ball was presented to him by Enos Slaughter at the Hall of Fame ceremonies.

“I was the right fielder that day,” said Slaughter, then of the St. Louis Cardinals. “The ball hit off the facade and dropped onto the field. I picked it up and put in my back pocket, and I’ve had it ever since. I gave it to Ted today.”

Curiously, the hero of the game until Williams homered was Pittsburgh shortstop Arky Vaughan, who had homered twice for the National League.

Vaughan, like Slaughter, was inducted into the Hall of Fame Sunday.

Add Slaughter: When Times staff writer Earl Gustkey visited Slaughter’s home in North Carolina 10 years ago, he said the most impressive memento in Slaughter’s den was a silver plaque with an engraved photo of Don Larsen’s final pitch in his perfect game for the New York Yankees in the 1956 World Series. Slaughter was the Yankee left fielder that day.

It says: “With sincerest appreciation for your efforts and contributions in accomplishing the first perfect game in World Series history. Gratefully, Don Larsen.”

Said Slaughter: “That was a great thing for him to do. He sent everyone on the team one of those for Christmas in 1956.”

Trivia Time: Is it truth or myth that Babe Ruth once was intentionally walked with the bases loaded? (Answer below.)

Jerry Coleman, king of the malaprops, has struck again.

The San Diego Padres announcer, commenting on Cincinnati’s surprising showing, said: “If Pete Rose brings the Reds in, they ought to bronze him and put him in cement.”

From the letters-to-the-editor column in The Sporting News: “Your man in St. Louis, Rick Hummel, wrote of Cardinals pitcher John Tudor: “If not for April and May, Tudor would be having a great season.

“Terrific! If not for World Wars I and II, Germany would be having a great century.”

ERIC ROLFE GREENBERG

New York

In view of Tony Dorsett’s reported problems with the IRS, this January statement by former agent Witt Stewart takes on an ironic twist: “My goal is to give him life after football.”

Add Agents: Said Dallas Coach Tom Landry when told that Howard Slusher now is representing Dorsett: “When you hire Howard Slusher, it just means that you are playing hardball. You’re not playing softball anymore.”

Trivia Answer: It’s true. In a 1922 game between the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Browns, Ruth came to the plate for the Yankees in the ninth inning with two out and the bases loaded and the Browns leading, 3-0. St. Louis left-hander Herb Pruett walked Ruth intentionally to make the score 3-1. Wally Pipp then grounded out to end the game.

Quotebook

Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, on why he’s no fan of the shotgun formation: “Do you know what it’s like to worry about making a long snap when Randy White is ready to beat on your head?”