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►By SPEC. 5 RANDY MURPHYSS Sports WriterTOKYO — “You notice you don’t get the real superstars to come over to do this, but in my book these guys are my superstars,” said Arthur Richman, head of a four-man USO team touring the U.S. military hospitals in the Far East and the Pacific areas.Who are these “superstars” Richman is talking about?Doug Rader, third baseman for the Houston Astros, for one and Mike Ryan, catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.Just how difficult is it to get major league athletes to come overseas? Not so easy when you consider they’ve just finished a season in which they’ve been traveling since February and away from their families.It was noted in a recent interview with Pacific Stars and Stripes that these two guys gave up their own free time for three weeks without any compensation to go on tour entertaining the troops.Would Rader ever consider being a designated hitter if the National League adopted it as the American League has?“I certainly would like to see it swing into action in the N.L.,” said Rader. “I’m not saying I could do that sort of thing, because I’ve tried pinch hitting from time to time and I haven't had a whole lot of success at it.”He felt it would help him personally having the pressure of driving in runs to make a living. “The more people on base, the better opportunity for me tomake that living. So I’m all for it,” said Rader who has added punch (.254 batting average with 89 RBIs and 21 homers) to the Astros’ batting lineup.“One other thing,” said Rader, “it adds another dimensionRYAN RADERto the game — it scores more runs, and I think that’s what the people come out to see.”What about Ryan, would he consider being a designated hitter?“Yeah, I definitely would, providing I had the qualifications to do so. I’m not offensively that much of a threat, so therefore, I’d like to see baseball stay the way it is in the NX.”In inter-league play would Ryan, who played for the Boston Red Sox of the AX. the yearGuitar Player GoodLOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Guitar Player ($3.80) came home the winner in the K Men’s Association Purse by two lengths over Eternal Link at Churchill Downs.they won the World Series, like to see this incorporated into bscbQll?“I think the fans would like it, but it would be a lot tougher on the players, because it’s tough enough learning the pitchers and hitters as it is now without going to both leagues,” said Ryan.“You don’t see them enough and when you start getting into the other league and all those pitchers, it would be too tough on both the pitchers and hitters.”“I like for things to stay pretty much the same and stay nice and cozy,” said Rader. “Besides, I know the pitchers by now in the NX. and I’d have a little more trouble.”What happened to the Phillies’ Steve Carlton, the man who posted a 27-10 record last year with an ERA of 1.97 and who was NX. Cy Young Award winner in 1972, compared to a 13-20 record this year with an ERA of 3 93?Ryan, catcher for the Phillies, and Carlton made these comments:“He wasn’t the Steve Carlton he was a year ago, the old fireball wasn't there. He was lacking a little bit. His consistence with his velocity was not there, and it hurt us. We're hoping he’ll be back in form next season.“Carlton is an established 20-game winner, but last season he put together a year I don’t think I’ll ever witness again. In ’72,” he said, “Carlton was probably the most overpowering pitcher I’ve ever seen or ever caught.”There have been stories pub-ished that someone is out to get Hank Aaron before he breaks Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record of 714. Now that Aaron already has 713, how does Rader feel about the threats that Hank is receiving?“I think it’s just part of being in the limelight the way he is,” Rader said. “I think that there is a certain percentage of sick people anywhere you go, in any city you go and the more you’re in the papers, the more these people are going to come in your direction.”Rader added, “I’ve had my difficulties from time to time, my life has been threatened and other people’s lives have been in baseball, but it really doesn’t mean too much. As long as someone says they’re going to kill you, chances are they won’t, it’s the guys who don’t say anything you’ve got to watch out for.”Rader also figures it’s much more difficult nowadays to hit a home run, “no matter where you play.” Hence, Aaron’s chances of hitting a home run are less than they were for Ruth.“Back in Ruth's playing days, he’d get to see the same pitcher three or four times at bat the same game. Now with the innovation of the relief specialists and things of this nature, I think it’s much more difficult to hit a home run,” said Rader.“Today, it’s possible to come up four times and see four different pitchers. I can’t see where Aaron has had it any easier than Ruth.”
Newspaper Details
Pacific Stars and Stripes
Tokyo, Tôkyô, JP
Fri, Nov 09, 1973
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Marc H.
VA, USA 25 Apr 2023
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