While Gil Hodges and Ralph Kiner are comparing batting notes, another famous slugger is sitting in the opposite corner with his Cardinal teammates. Here in a row are Red Schoendienst, Enos 'Country' Slaughter, Gerry Staley - and Stan Musial. Into their midst comes Dave Grote, the National League publicity man... he shakes hands all around.

Grote says: Say, Stan, I was going over the (batting) averages the other day. They're down about ten to 30 points from a few years ago. How do you account for that?

Musial: Well, the pitching has shown a definite improvement the last year or so. I think there's more young good-looking pitchers coming along. You got to give those young pitchers credit.

Eddie Stanky (St Louis Cardinal manager and a coach for The NL All-Star squad): How about Mizell for one? There's a boy that's got it all.

Musial: Yes, Mizell. Almost every club's got two or three they're pitching regularly. You take Philadelphia (Phillies), with Simmons coming back (from the Army) and Roberts, too; and Russ Meyer's pitching good ball. The Giants with Jansen and Maglie, and in Boston (Braves) there's Spahn and Surkont. In Chicago (Cubs) there's Bob Rush. You know. All over the league there's more good-looking pitchers coming along than anything else.

Grote: Last year you gave an interview just about now, in July, with a heck of an estimate on how you'd wind up in the averages.

Musial: (Smiling) Yes, sometimes I guess right. I had a fairly good year last year (Stan hit .355 to win the NL batting championship)... Mainly, you just want to have a good season and do all you can, no matter what.

Grote: Are you ever surprised when you get a hit? It ought to be the other way. Musial: One thing about hitting is you never know when the next base-hit is coming. And the last hit you made is always the best one.

Wes Westrum (NY Giants All-Star Catcher)... nodding towards Simmons: Curt's really coming in with that fast ball now. Do you think he lost anything being in the Army?

Robin Roberts (Phillies Hall of Fame pitcher): At first he wasn't as smooth as he was before he went into the Army. I don't know, he just didn't look the same. And he couldn't get past the seventh or eight innings for awhile. But now he's stronger than he was before he went away. And real, real tough...

Leo Durocher (NL All-Star manager from NY Giants): Simmons starts (1952 All-Star Game)... then Bob Rush or Staley to follow.

Curt Simmons looks through the window at the rain falling heavily: - Humming and says 'Pitching in the rain... I'm pitching in the rain.'

baseballhistorian.com - 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 1952 New York Giants 1952 St Louis Cardinals 1952 Boston Braves

The scene was the dugout right before the All-Star game, which was won by the National League for the third year in a row, the result on July 8, 1952 was 3-2 for the Nationals in a five-inning game cut short by rain. The Phillies clubhouse manager Hunk Russell, and 'Senator' John Griffin, the famous Brooklyn Dodger handyman, are preparing six dozen balls for the stars to autograph. The New York Giants trainer, Frank Bowman, stands at the rear of the room.

The first of the squad to arrive is Fred Fitzsimmons, NY Giants coach.

Fitzsimmons says: This is my day. (Shakes hands around). My first All-Star game... as he starts autographing balls, Bobby Thompson and Eddie Stanky arrive.

While Eddie Stanky and Giants outfielder Bobby Thompson are talking and signing balls, a bus arrives from the hotel with National League players. Al Dark (shortstop NY Giants), Sal Maglie and Jim Hearn (pitchers NY Giants), Warren Spahn (Boston Braves pitcher) and Bob Rush (Cubs pitcher) and teammate catcher Toby Atwell. Stanky stands up to greet Monte Irvin (NY Giants third baseman), who, as a special quest arrives with Jackie Robinson (Brooklyn's second baseman).

Stanky: Great you see you, Monte (Irvin). How's it coming?

(Irvin is the center of attention as various players inquire about the condition of the leg he broke during spring training).

Irvin: I've been hitting some, but it's slow mending. I'll be all right.

Stanky: I don't get on the training table anymore. Don't need to. I'm a manager.

Bobby Thompson: How's it feel to be back in the ranks, Eddie?

Eddie Stanky: Feels good to be back.

Thompson: You must be feeling good these days (the Cardinals were on a hot streak prior to the 1952 All-Star game).

Stanky: Yes, we got a good combination now. Hitting and pitching won nine straight. Lots of runs and good pitching, you know what that means! You get a fellow like Solly Hemus (Cardinals shortstop) getting on base and a fellow like Red Schoendienst, a good No. 2 hitter that can hit behind the runner hit-and-run... We got old Stan the Man (Musial) of couese, and old Country Slaughter's been coming through in the clutch.

Ralph Kiner, Pirates outfielder sits besides Gil Hodges, Dodgers first baseman, comparing bats...

Kiner: This Sauer (Hank Sauer, Cubs outfielder) has a hefty stick.

Hodges to bat boy: Hey, kid, get me some sandpaper to rub this down!

Thompson: I can't find out what I've been doing wrong lately. dropped 10 points in batting.

Sauer: I've been hitting better because I began to put the bat here. (He holds a bat low and at an angle). I used to go at an angle.

Thompson: But if you go after bad balls you lose your confidence.

Sauer: That's true. I was going great, and know what happened? I worked out with a pitching machine one day. Just took 20 or 25 cuts at it. And it threw me off. The ball comes to you at a different angle than when a pitcher throws it. I hit at it ahead of the ball getting to the plate, It threw me off.

Thompson: I think a pitching machine's okay in spring training when the pitchers are running and you can't get enough balls to hit. It gives you a chance to limber up. But it's no good for you once the season starts.

baseballhistorian.com - 1952 New York Giants 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates

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The first five batting leaders 1958 all were in the midst of their Hall of Fame careers

National League Batting Leaders 1958:

Richie Ashburn, Philadelphia Phillies .350... Willie Mays, SF Giants .347... Stan Musial, St Louis Cardinals .337... Hank Aaron, Milwaukee Braves ..326...

Bob Skinner, Pittsburgh Pirates .321... Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs .313... Orlando Cepeda, SF Giants .312... Ken Boyer, Cardinals .307... Johnny Temple, Cincinnati Reds .306... Lee Walls, Cubs .304...

Harry Anderson, Phillies .301... Dick Groat, Pirates .300... Alvin Dark, Cubs .295... Roberto Clemente, Pirates .289... Bobby Thompson, Cubs .283... Gene Green, Cardinals .281... Frank Thomas, Pirates .281...

Bill Mazeroski, Pirates .275... Don Blasingame, Cardinals .274... Del Crandall, Milw Braves .272... Dale Long, Cubs .271... Frank Robinson, Reds .269... BillVirdon, Pirates .267... Walt Moryn, Cubs .264... Don Zimmer, Los Angeles Dodgers .262... Jim 'Junior' Gillian, LA Dodgers .261...

American League Batting Leaders 1958:

Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox .328... Pete Runnels, Red Sox .322... Harvey Kuenn, Detroit Tigers .319... Al Kaline, Tigers .313

Vic Power, Cleveland Indians .312... Bob Cerv, Kansas City Athletics .305... Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees .304... Rocky Colavito, Indians .303... Minnie Minoso, Indians .302...

Nellie Fox, Chicago White Sox .300... Norm Siebern, Yankees .300... Frank Malzone, Red Sox .295... Roy Sievers, Washington Senators .295... Jackie Jensen, Red Sox .286... Jim Landis, White Sox .277... Gene Woodling, Baltimore Orioles .276...

Albie Pearson, Senators .275... Gail Harris, Tigers .273... Sherm Lollar, White Sox .273... Bill 'Moose' Skowron, Yankees .273... Frank Bolling, Tigers .269... Hank Bauer, Yankees .268... Louie Aparicio, White Sox .265... Tony Kubek, Yankees .265...

Pitchers Bios:

* Vern Bickford, Boston Braves, Right-handed - certainly captured Center Stage - the workhorse of the majors, he had a 19-14 W/L record, an 3.47 ERA with the 1950 Boston Braves, and led the majors with 311.7 innings, and led with 39 starts and in complete games with 27. The 6-ft, 180-pounder tossed the majors only no-hitter and pitched 3 Shutouts and recorded 76 strikeouts and 76 walks in '50.

Bickford posted a sparkling 11-5 mark, with a nice 3.27 ERA as a 28-year-old rookie for the pennant winning 1948 Boston Braves and in the World Series vs Cleveland he was 0-1, a with a 2.70 ERA in 3.1 innings... went 16-11 in sophomore season - '49... Vernon Bickford career stats: 66-57 record, 3.71 ERA, 182 Games, 149GS, 73GC, 1,076.3 innings, 467 Walks, 450Ks, 9 Shutouts... born in Hellier, Kentucky on 7/17/1920.

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* Art Houtteman, Detroit Tigers, Right-handed - a native of Detroit he debuted into the majors at age 18 back in the War Years of '45... a favorite with the fans in Detroit's Briggs Stadium, the 6-ft, 2-inch, 188-pounder was 15-10 in '49 and compiled a sterling 19-12 record with 21 complete games in 34 starts in 1950, while leading the AL with 4 Shutouts, and his solid 3.54 ERA was fifth best in the league. Served in US Military - 1951. Returned to the 1952 Detroit iTigers.

* Ken Raffensberger, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Left-handed - a master of control all thru his 15-year major league career... pitched for Cardinals, Cubs, Phillies - from 1939-47 before being traded in mid-47... throwing his well-regarded 'nothing-ball' he was the Redlegs steadiest pitcher from '48-'50. With the 1949 Cincinnati Reds, he led the staff in WL - 18-17, in innings pitched with 284 and in strike outs with 103 and he tossed 5 of the team's 10 shutouts and led all NL pitchers in games started with 38... in 1950, Raffensberger posted a 14-19 record with 5 shutouts... Born in York, PA. - 8/8/1917.

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1950 Innings Pitched Leaders:

National League:

Vern Bickford, Boston Braves 311.7... Robin Roberts, Phillies 304.3... Warren Spahn, Braves 293... Johnny Sain, Braves 278.3... Larry Jansen, New York Giants 275... Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers 267.3...

Ewell Blackwell, Cincinnati Reds 261... Bob Rush, Chicago Cubs 254.7... Preacher Roe, Dodgers 250.7... Cliff Chambers, Pirates 249.3... Kenny Raffensberger, Reds 239... Howie Pollet, Cardinals 232.3... Herm Wehmeier, Reds 230... Murry Dickson, Pirates 225...

Bill Werle, Pirates 215.3... Curt Simmons, Phillies 214.7... Sal 'the Barber' Maglie, NY Giants 206... Erv Palica, Dodgers 201.3... Sheldon Jones, NY Giants 199... Johnny Schmitz, Cubs 193... Paul Miner, Cubs 190.3... Howie Fox, Reds 187... Dave Koslo, NY Giants 186.7... Max Lanier, Cardinals 181.3...

Bob Miller, Phillies 174... Gerry Staley, Cardinals 170... Al Brazle, Cardinals 165... Willard Ramsdell, Dodgers/Reds 164... Harry The Cat Brecheen, Cardinals 163... Russ Meyer, Phillies 160... George Munger, Cardinals 155... Frank Hiller, Cubs 153... Bill Macdonald, Pirates 153...

American League:

Bob Lemon, Cleveland Indians 288... Art Houtteman, Detroit Tigers 274.7... Ned Garver, St Louis Browns 260... Vic Rashi, New York Yankees 256.7... Mel Parnell, Boston Red Sox 249... Bob Feller, Indians 247...

Lou Brissie, Philadelphia Athletics 246... Allie Reynolds, NY Yankees 240.7... Sid Hudson, Washington Senators 237.7... Ed Lopat, NY Yankees 236.3... Fred Hutchinson, Tigers 231.7... Alex Kellner, Athletics 225.3... Billy Pierce, Chicago White Sox 219.3... Bobby Schantz, Athletics 214.7... Early Wynn, Indians 213.7...

Hal Newhouser, Tigers 213.7... Ray Scarborough, White Sox 207.7... Ellis Kinder, Red Sox 207... Joe Dobson, Red Sox 206.7... Bill Wright, White Sox 206... Tommy Byrne, Yankees 203.3... Bob Kuzava, Senators 199.3... Al Widmar, Browns 194.7... Paul Dizzy Trout, Tigers 184.7...

Mike Garcia, Indians 184... Bob Cain, White Sox 172... Bob Hooper, Athletics 170.3... Chuck Stobbs, Red Sox 169... Frank Stubby Overmire, Browns 161... Randy Gumpert, White Sox 155...

baseballhistorian.com - The History of Baseball