In Later Years, Did He Scout for the ’62 Mets?

A letter is displayed at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum dated Sept. 26, 1937 from an unidentified New York Yankee scout to team executive Ed Barrow about Ted Williams:

“Williams is a very slow lad, not a good outfielder. There is a big doubt whether Williams will ever be fast enough to get by in the majors as an outfielder.

“His best feature now is that he shows promise as a hitter, but good pitching so far has stopped him cold.”

A talent scout?

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Trivia time: What do Bill Hewitt, Travis Grant, Kenny Carr, Earl Jones and Ken Barlow have in common?

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Modesty: USC’s Keyshawn Johnson, the No. 1 pick in the recent NFL draft, in an interview with the New York Times: “I’m not looking to turn the Jets around. I’m just looking to be part of a football team that’s looking to be turned around.”

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Clip and save: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “Crystal Bawling: By 2006 PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods will be re-creating old Palmer-Nicklaus act.”

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What’s the record? Cincinnati Red second baseman Bret Boone on his elbow surgery: “I have the five bone chips in a bottle. They’re about the size of baby teeth. They told me at the clinic they took 20 bone chips out of Troy Aikman’s elbow.”

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Picky, picky: Brian Hanley in the Chicago Sun-Times: “St. Louis general manager/coach Mike Keenan has lodged a complaint with the league about the length of the team benches at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena. Keenan claims the home bench is 45 inches longer than the visitor’s bench, creating an unfair advantage for the Red Wings.”

Reportedly, the longer bench helps the Red Wings make quicker line changes.

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Seeing stars: An astrologer’s unfavorable forecast has caused three weightlifters from the Republic of Georgia to cancel a training session for the Atlanta Olympics, officials said.

“They have listened to their stargazer, and the stargazer has told them they should not come early to train,” said Kim Goff, manager of the Olympic Training Alliance, which matches athletes with suitable training sites. “We’ve had several people talking to them trying to get them to come anyway, but they’ve chosen to go with the stargazer over no-cost training.”

“They are very in tune to the nature of their bodies as calculated by their advisors,” said Calvin Hill, U.S. attache to the Republic of Georgia. “They practice a lot of homeopathic medicine and feel they’d lose their edge by arriving early.”

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The life of Riley: Steve Aschburner of the Star Tribune of Minneapolis reports that Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley has just bought a new two-acre, Biscayne Bayfront estate in Coral Gables, Fla., for $6.3 million. His annual tax bill will be $116,769.

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Why not? Orlando Magic General Manager Pat Williams on the dilution of talent through NBA expansion:

“If there was only one McDonald’s franchise, it would have the greatest hamburger ever made, the finest hand-dipped shakes ever created. But it probably wouldn’t be a real profitable business.”

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Marathon man: Senior tour golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez can’t explain his recent problems in competition. He said he feels better than ever, having quit smoking more than a year ago.

“I can run nine holes,” he said. “I just can’t play them.”

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Trivia answer: They were all first-round draft choices by the Lakers.

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And finally: Bob Verdi in the Chicago Tribune, comparing the city’s Bulls and Blackhawks:

“The Bulls transcend sport. They’re the lead story on the 10 o’clock news, ahead of the real world. The Hawks as co-tenants of the United Center is like sharing a penthouse with a rock group. When room service arrives, you have to signal for a fair catch and hope you get a bone.”