European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 13, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday. July 13.1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 commentary who will be the next Dickie Thon Andre Dawson like in Many older Bailers who have been Hii by pitches this season got up from the venal by Field dirt last tuesday Yam Dia Recd the Mound. But three Jears ago Dickie Thon did t get up. He was carried off on a Stretcher. He and been struck in it face by a Asibal thrown by Ifju. Hinder Mike Torre then pitching for Itie men an now. Finally Dickie Thon has left the Houston astros the vision in his left Cyc Sliff impaired. It s difficult to walk away from a game i d do anything to play Thon said last week. I d do any thing to play during the i98j season Thon batted8fi with 20 homers and 34 stolen bases. He was lie National league s Best shortstop. But now at age 29, he May never play again. Thai s what can happen when a Bailer is hit by a bean Ball or a Brush Back Pilch that gels away. And that s what a. Badelt Giamati the National league president was refer ring to in his thursday edict threatening severe penalties possibly including Lor any act that in his opinion is intended o cause severe physical harm to an opponent. Bea Balli and similar ids arc highly unsportsmanlike Giamatti said. They Are danger out. They must Giai Tiati s words have been posted in each National league clubhouse by now. Thon s words should be posted there too. One of baseball s truths is that pitchers Are entitled 10 Brush hitlers Back to move them off the plate with an inside fastball. Bui another of it truths is Ibal some pitchers try to intimidate Bat ters by throwing at their Heads. And every so often those truths create the consequences of ruining a Bailer s career As Thon knows and Smike Torcz recalled saturday during a Yankees old timers Day. I thru Csc him out the time before on a fastball out tide Torrez mid. The not time i sinned him out inside and to just froze. I called and told him that the bait got than has consistently absolved Toni of having thrown 1 him. But the consequence Are that inc Jattros shortstop has never been the same. And no be May never play baseball again. Thankfully for All the Bench Clearing brawls provoked by Hil batsmen this season no other player s career is now in jeopardy. But it Only a Mailer of time. And that s what Giamatti i edict is trying to Avert. Although the National league end american Dave Anderson a Appolo Dickie ton three Days after his 1984 caning. League offices profess not to keep statistics on How Many Bench Clearing brawls Are provoked by bean balls it s Lime they did. According to Gianotti Hii edict Wai inspired not by Dan son i being Hii in lie be by Eric show of the padres but rather by this scion i accumulation of such incidents. But sooner or later another Batter we a charge Pitcher who has hit him intentionally or not. And that s when Siamalu or r. Hohly drown the american league president mail to level a suspension Hill not Only will titter other players bul will show that baseball Hain t adopted the National hockey league mentality Llyl violence is born an emotional safely valve fur the players and an attraction for the spectators. One problem with tin1 current bean Bull polity is hat he first Iram s Picher jets a Hue shot us Insp a. Once the Umpire issues a warning if either Pilcher is deemed Lobo throwing Isle Nunnally. Heon be ejected it s Jar Tom in Maceio move now for hatters to charge the Mound hereby Clear ing both benches. Bui Yean ago teams Seldom re acted Hal Way. When i was playing being thrown at was accepted Joe Dimaggio said. "1 remember the giants and the Carlin ass going onto the Field one Day after dizzy Dean turned Jimmy Ripple s Cap around with a fastball. Bat these Days i sometimes wonder if the tailed Aren t digging in Joe would just turn his Back when he was throw Nat Mickey Mantle said. You a isl look it for granted Thon. Hut now i won a if the hitlers Don t egg in on by standing at the plait1 and watching a Long Home run Ihen Laking Iivo minutes 10 go around the baits. Pitchers Don t like Jocko Conlan the Hall of Pam Umpire who is now 87 years old remembered thai hitters in ear Lier eras considered it a weakness to show a Pilch or be was bothered by a Brush Back pitch. In thai Lime before helmets two Hall of Fame Hillers Mickey Cochrane and Joe Medwick. Were never quite the same after serious a casings. Tony Conigliaro of the Boston red sox had his career ended prematurely Bya beaning. Paul Blair was luckier. Hay 31, 1970, at j 3u in the afternoon in an Aheim i la never forge it Ken Tatum hit me. Broke my cheekbone broke my recalled Blair who was then the orioles Center fid Jit. A was Oul three a cedi. But my vision was never Blair has a solution. If a Pitcher Hin a Batter in inc head Itie Pitcher should be suspended for As Long As the hitter is out of the lineup. It s a one Way Street now. If a Pitcher strikes you out 16 times in a Row you Don t throw a Bat Al him. It s Jutt not right thai a Pitcher is Able la end your career and his career those Are Nicl consequences for a Pilcher if in inside fastball gets away. Ill it s Lime thai inc pitch ers and the hitters lived on the same two Way Street. Tim How r have had its Imri t on tuesday s game is full when Law nation Al a sex Ivalinn of broadcast Vaud Tochu fians Nalitt and if Cibij of Lak Jand agreed that Nachet Kuulii have Only informational Piek cts and would nol Dii Ruel Ali Camf we a Readd an agree ment hut it a Lull a tentative agreement said f me Diggs Adams president of a Taftt locaj53 in Burbank a jail. What we Are Kung is looking for a Way to get our Mcquag across and not screw Oakland. Our in tin is against nut ithe network icle Visini tuesday s fv1111 Cha a noilting against Jak and
