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Story
June 10, 1958
Atlanta Daily World
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
What is this article about?
UPI sports column by Milton Richman: American League pitchers unanimously call Chicago White Sox' Nellie Fox the toughest 'pest' hitter due to his unpredictable style. Other nominees like Avila and Runnels also frustrate pitchers with their hitting prowess.
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SPORTS
PATROL
By MILTON RICMAn
NEW YORK. - (UPI) - WHO'S the biggest "pest" in baseball?
Exasperated American League pitchers are practically unanimous in nominating little Nellie Fox, the tobacco-chewing punch-and-poke specialist of the Chicago White Sox.
"Fox can drive you crazy with his bat," says Don Larsen of the Yankees, echoing the sentiments of his pitching brethren. "He just seems to peck at the ball and there's no set way to pitch him. At least, I haven't heard of any."
Southpaw Billy Hoeft of Detroit supports Larsen's statements on Fox.
"I've heard 'em say Willie Keeler used to hit 'em where they ain't," Hoeft said. "Fox goes Keeler one better. He hits 'em in places that ain't been discovered yet."
Fox, however, isn't the only pestiferous hitter who annoys American League pitchers.
OTHER "PEST" NOMINEES
Some of the other nominees include Pete Runnels of the Red Sox; Frank Bolling and Harvey Kuenn of the Tigers; Joe DeMaestri and Vic Power of the Athletics; Billy Gardner of the Orioles, Tony Kubek of the Yankees; Eddie Yost of the Senators and Bobby Avila of the Indians.
"I just can't get that Runnels out to save my life," said Ray Moore of the White Sox. "When he comes up to the plate, he looks like a combination of Ted Williams and Mantle to me. If I had to earn my living pitching to him, I'd starve to death."
Avila's name cropped up more often among the pitchers than anyone else's with the exception of Fox.
"Sometimes, Avila is uncanny," offered southpaw Jack Harshman of the Orioles. "For a fellow his size, he has almost as much power as some of the bigger guys in the league."
AVILA SPRAYS HITS
"What beats me about Avila," added Billy Pierce of the White Sox, "is that he hits the ball all over the place. How are you gonna play him?"
Here are some of the comments of the other pest hitters in the league:
Gardner-"He never takes; he's swinging all the time."
Yost-"He's always taking until you least expect it, then he swings."
Bolling- "Best in the league at throwing his bat at the ball."
Kubek-"Kills you with those spray hits of his."
DeMaestri-"For a guy who's generally around .250, he line-drives the life out of you."
Fox, the undisputed champ of the pest hitters, has only one thing to offer in rebuttal.
"Us hitters," he grins, "have no monopoly on that pest title. I know a lot of pitchers who are pests, too."
PATROL
By MILTON RICMAn
NEW YORK. - (UPI) - WHO'S the biggest "pest" in baseball?
Exasperated American League pitchers are practically unanimous in nominating little Nellie Fox, the tobacco-chewing punch-and-poke specialist of the Chicago White Sox.
"Fox can drive you crazy with his bat," says Don Larsen of the Yankees, echoing the sentiments of his pitching brethren. "He just seems to peck at the ball and there's no set way to pitch him. At least, I haven't heard of any."
Southpaw Billy Hoeft of Detroit supports Larsen's statements on Fox.
"I've heard 'em say Willie Keeler used to hit 'em where they ain't," Hoeft said. "Fox goes Keeler one better. He hits 'em in places that ain't been discovered yet."
Fox, however, isn't the only pestiferous hitter who annoys American League pitchers.
OTHER "PEST" NOMINEES
Some of the other nominees include Pete Runnels of the Red Sox; Frank Bolling and Harvey Kuenn of the Tigers; Joe DeMaestri and Vic Power of the Athletics; Billy Gardner of the Orioles, Tony Kubek of the Yankees; Eddie Yost of the Senators and Bobby Avila of the Indians.
"I just can't get that Runnels out to save my life," said Ray Moore of the White Sox. "When he comes up to the plate, he looks like a combination of Ted Williams and Mantle to me. If I had to earn my living pitching to him, I'd starve to death."
Avila's name cropped up more often among the pitchers than anyone else's with the exception of Fox.
"Sometimes, Avila is uncanny," offered southpaw Jack Harshman of the Orioles. "For a fellow his size, he has almost as much power as some of the bigger guys in the league."
AVILA SPRAYS HITS
"What beats me about Avila," added Billy Pierce of the White Sox, "is that he hits the ball all over the place. How are you gonna play him?"
Here are some of the comments of the other pest hitters in the league:
Gardner-"He never takes; he's swinging all the time."
Yost-"He's always taking until you least expect it, then he swings."
Bolling- "Best in the league at throwing his bat at the ball."
Kubek-"Kills you with those spray hits of his."
DeMaestri-"For a guy who's generally around .250, he line-drives the life out of you."
Fox, the undisputed champ of the pest hitters, has only one thing to offer in rebuttal.
"Us hitters," he grins, "have no monopoly on that pest title. I know a lot of pitchers who are pests, too."
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Biography
What themes does it cover?
Triumph
What keywords are associated?
Pest Hitters
Nellie Fox
American League
Tough Batters
Baseball Pests
What entities or persons were involved?
Nellie Fox
Don Larsen
Billy Hoeft
Pete Runnels
Frank Bolling
Harvey Kuenn
Joe Demaestri
Vic Power
Billy Gardner
Tony Kubek
Eddie Yost
Bobby Avila
Ray Moore
Jack Harshman
Billy Pierce
Where did it happen?
American League (Baseball)
Story Details
Key Persons
Nellie Fox
Don Larsen
Billy Hoeft
Pete Runnels
Frank Bolling
Harvey Kuenn
Joe Demaestri
Vic Power
Billy Gardner
Tony Kubek
Eddie Yost
Bobby Avila
Ray Moore
Jack Harshman
Billy Pierce
Location
American League (Baseball)
Story Details
American League pitchers nominate Chicago White Sox' Nellie Fox as the biggest 'pest' hitter for his unpredictable poking style. Other nominees include Runnels, Bolling, Kuenn, DeMaestri, Power, Gardner, Kubek, Yost, and Avila, praised for their annoying hitting abilities. Fox retorts that some pitchers are pests too.