European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 25, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 25,1986 the stars and stripes Page 19 commentary. Worst Wall this Side of Berlin Fenway Park in Boston is not so much a Ballpark As an heirloom a relic of Ages past like theroman colosseum. It is a Holdover from the Days when they fitted Ball Fields into the configuration or the City at targe not vice versa. No one would dream of condemning buildings or streets for a Mere game in Hose Days. In 1912, Landsdowne Street was considered too important a thoroughfare to be grassed Over just so men could play boys games. So they Cut the Ballpark in wedges and gave in like a lot of Boston the characteristic of some place George Washington might have slept. The left Field Fence had to be Cut so close to the infield a Mere 3it feel from Home plate that the third baseman and the left fielder seemed to be playing the time position. They have a decent respect for the past in Boston. No one has yet come up with the suggestion they tear Down Faneuil Hall to make used Brick fireplaces in Petaluma and no one would think of erecting a round domed Glass and Chrome Palace where Fen Way Park once stood. You step Back into 1912 when you enter Fenway historians love it. Pitchers Hale it. They Don t see the left Field Wall As an artefact hey see it As a Green  it did t matter much in the Early Days of the grand old game the bean bag Era. Bui when the Home run came in in ruined the red sox. When Tom Yawkey the millionaire Lumberman bought the club in the 30s, he look one look at that Wall and went out and bought every right handed Power slugger he could bid on. He bought Jimmie fowl from Philadelphia. Joe Vosmik from st. Louis. Joe Cronin from Washington Junior Stephens from st Louis and Rudy York from Detroit. The red sox went right handed hitters on it Sel Dom fewer than eight. This was terrific when they were at Home catastrophic when they were on the Road. But a strange pattern developed. Some of the greatest hitters in Fenway Park history proved not to be right handed sluggers but lefties. Look in up. Begin with of All people babe Ruth. Ruth was a Pitcher with the red sox in 1918 but he led the league in Home runs with 11. The red sox Only got is Home runs As a team that year Klueh meant that the rest of the lineup came up with 4 on its own. The next year As a Pitcher and part Lime outfielder Ruth came up with 29 Home runs out of the team s 33 which was More than four teams in the league got using full time outfielders. Alter Ruth there were Ted Williams Carl Yastrap Jenski Doc Cramer Johnny Pesky. Reggie Smith tred Lynn Wade Boggs left handers by whose Power alleys were 3ro feet away. I bring this up because i talked the other Day to a the monster at Fenway is nol left Field. It s the left fielder Jim Rice T Man who May be the single most devastating player in the game certainly he s no worse than second or third Boston s James Edward Rice. Jim Rice May be the Best looking specimen in the cd today. Six foot two 215, not an ounce of fat on Flat belly Iron wrists he looks like 50 Home runs just standing there. He was a 10-Leiter Man in High school. He could doubtless have been a Louring Golf pro. Whatever could be done with a Ball and 3 stick Jim Rice could do he and Fenway Park seemed As made for each other As John Wayne and a horse. He is inc Only player in baseball history Ever to have three 35-Home run and 200-hit seasons in a Row. He has hit 351 Home runs. He is one of a few Modem players whose lifetime average is above .300. He has exemplary habits and plays out of that slight truculent be All great competitors have. If you were to Start a league tomorrow chances Are Good you would pick Jim Rice As the first player. Tommy John the Pitcher once said of him the monster in Fenway is not left Field it s the left  so it is maybe hard to picture Rice As 3 tragic victim of Fate. I mean you would say on the basis of those statistics he has t had a career he s had a Parade. He had everything going for him Liat Short Fence a place to play where baseball is not a Only a tradition it s a vocation like holy orders. And yet. Listen to Jim Rice As he stands in the Middle of he red sox clubhouse buttoning his shirt angrily the Fence listen i m not a Home run ? never mind the 351 Home runs. Who would you say is a Home run hitter Dave Kingman Reggie Jackson those Guys go up there thinking Home  m not a pull hitter. My Power is to the Center Field  he Points to a teammate. How Many balls would you say i pull Over the Fence he Chal Lenges then answers his own question. Very few. The Only time i think about the Fence is when i have to play it. Since they changed it what you did t know they remade the Fence where you been it s got this padding on it now in did t use to have and you had to icam to play it All Over  the Fence in Short is nol an ally it s an enemy. Maybe the enemy. You wonder How Many right handed hitlers gradually found out Over the Yean thai the Fence like an unfaithful wife was cheating them out of the Best years of their lives. Consider this a smart Pitcher checking the trigonometry would Sec All that space in right Field. You could Graze Buffalo in right Center. At the plate he s got a free swinging High meander. The Only Way that pitch is going to be anywhere but on the outside Comer and Low and twisting is if the Pitcher makes a terrible mistake. Some years ago this reporter at a world series i Fenway saw Johnny Bench taking 380-degree swings in the batting Cage. No John the reporter advised pointing to the right Field moorlands. You hit inc Ball that Way in this Ballpark. You h never Sec a pitch you can even mail to left  Jim Rice has shifted his emphasis this year. After seasons in which he has hit 46 Home runs once 39home runs on three other occasions and 55 Home runs in the last two seasons he has hit 20 this season. But he is batting .324 and is fourth in the league and has 12 game winning hits. He is baiting As if he were in one of those round symmetrical ballparks where he May belong. Only trouble is the pitchers Aren t pitching As if they herein one of those round symmetrical ballparks so Jim Rice does t gel those round symmetrical pitches. The secret of Fenway Park May be that the Wall makes it a hitlers Paradise All right for left handed hitters. For right handers it May be inc worst Wall this Side of Berlin. Lot  jets Walker still has big play skills new York a in his 10th nil season Wesley Walker finds be still has to prove  doubts about Walker s health and desire resurfaced earlier this year when he had a poor preseason due to a knee problem the new York jets offence seep at wide receiver with a Toon Kurt Sohn and Jojo Townsell and Walker made Only 34 receptions in 1985. But he also scored five touchdowns and averaged 21.3 Yards a catch last sea son after missing the first four games with his knee troubles. Bulb  a ii my. Lions in two games. While to end Mickey Shuler and the backs increasingly have become the Mam focus of Ken Pbrien s throws,.Walker s contributions seemed to be diminished the dolphins and the rest of the league foamed otherwise sunday As Walker caught six passes four for touch Downs and compiled 194 Yard in up ing the jets si4s overtime Victory on the last play of regulation Walker zipped Over the Middle leaped and caught o Brien i passing Lyle the z-y""1 Lule Ndell into the end zone Between a pair of Miami defenders. On the fifth play of the overtime he had forced Walker sped Down the Nghil sideline past Corae Baek Don Mcneal and caught o Brien s 43-Yard bomb to still Walker made the big plays no something unusual for a Man with a flair for the dramatic and one of the fastest players a the nil throughout his Ca reer. As a Rookie in 1977. The second round draftee from the University of California where he caught passe from Steve Bartkowski and vice Ferra Gamo Walker had to overcome a Case of the drops. Often he would get free deep Only to fait to hold onto passes from Richard Todd. But he did enough to make the All Rookie learn and the next year Walker caught 48 passes for 1,169 Yards and eight touchdowns to become pro bowl the next two Yean were wrecked by flowing injuries and he entered the 1981 season with those question Marks hanging Over  Don l know about anyone else but i had Confidence in myself he said. "1 knew i could still do the  which he proved in 8 with a career High in needs in 47 receptions. In 1983, Walker caught 61 passes and had seven touchdowns. Walker traditionally hat had his Best Days against Miami. In 16 games with the dolphins he has caught so passes for 1,106 Yards and 14 touchdowns. This should answer All the questions about Wes being Over the Hill o been said. You just saw a great receiver at his  he s not even 100  last thursday. Walker skipped prac Tice with a slight Groin pull. Jets coach Joe Walton Wash sure How effective Walker would be sunday. Once Wes got into the excitement of the game and the Way things were going Walton said the adrenalin was flowing in him and i Don l think the Groin was bothering him. But it the in jury is there i was t Able to go All out with bursts of full Speed at the Start Walker explained. I had to keep it under control and gel Wanned up. 1 Hurt in a Little in the first Quarter and i did t want to pull  Walker who is legally Blind in Hii left Eye did t let the injury slow him Loo much. He was t about to sit around against a defense which allowed 50 paints la san Diego in its opener. Late in the fourth Quarter with the game tied 38-38, Walker caught a Short pass turned to run upfield and fumbled. The dolphins recovered and scored to Takea-3blead. It s to his credit the Way he came Back and made the big plays after that Walton said. "1 Lold Kenny i blew it 1 Cost us he just Lold me we d get another  Walker said. Walker got two which was enough to lie and win the game. And reinforce Walker s status As one of football s Best gamer makers