The Day Williams Couldn’t Be Fenced In

The recent illness of the great Ted Williams brings to mind the day in April 1936 when he first burst on the Southern California baseball scene. The Pomona 20-30 Club tournament was the unofficial SoCal championship in those days and Williams’ San Diego Hoover High School team won the consolation championship.

On the final day, doubleheaders were played. In the morning, Williams hit two home runs in the same inning as Hoover drubbed South Pasadena, 13-1. There were no outfield fences and the diamonds were back-to-back.

One of his homers rolled all the way to the pitcher’s mound on the other field, more than 500 feet.

In the afternoon, he pitched a 7-0 shutout, hitting another home run off Bob Merriam, who was named all-tournament pitcher.

Indicative of the 20-30’s prestige is the fact that then-Gov. Frank Merriam (no relation) threw out the first pitch. Also in the tournament was a leadoff-hitting catcher from Muir Tech, Jackie Robinson, and a pair of future major league all-star infielders, Vern Stephens of Long Beach Wilson and Bob Dillinger of Glendale.

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Trivia time: Williams was the last player to hit over .400 in the major leagues with a .406 average in 1941. Since then, who has been closest to .400?

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What’s in a name: Among imprisoned financier Robert E. Brennan’s assets is a $40-million golf course, built on his 221-acre estate in New Jersey. The course is up for bid in bankruptcy court.

Its name: Due Process Golf Course.

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Choices, choices: Jacksonville sports-radio host Joe Cowart had this to say about the Jaguars giving Coach Tom Coughlin a contract extension when Steve Spurrier was available:

“There is complete and total outrage here.

“Wayne Weaver sticking with Coughlin instead of courting Spurrier is like dating Aunt Bee and blowing off Penelope Cruz.”

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Nepotism? Ed Carpenter, USAC sprint car rookie of the year, announced he will drive this year in the new Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series for Swinden Racing.

Carpenter’s stepfather is Tony George, founder of the Indy Racing League and the Infiniti support series.

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Fair enough: Outfielder Roger Cedeno did not play the final 19 games of the season for the Detroit Tigers. Manager Phil Garner told the Detroit News’ Joe Falls why.

“We’d been off for five days because of 9/11 and were having a light workout,” said Garner.

“I asked the guys to run the bases so they could get the feel of it. I didn’t care how fast they went.

“Cedeno said he didn’t have to do it, and he said, ‘We don’t even have to play any more games.’ I couldn’t believe that.

“OK, if that’s your attitude ... then you don’t play any more games.”

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Trivia answer: Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres, who hit .394 in 1994.

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And finally: Ty Tryon is only a junior in high school but has an 11-member entourage while he plays on the PGA Tour.

Dean Acosta of the Arizona Republic followed Tryon during the Phoenix Open and counted two swing coaches, a trainer, a yoga instructor, a tutor (by phone), an image consultant, a caddie, a sports psychologist, an agent and two massage therapists.

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Shav Glick