Kansas City Gets A Kid To Build A Dream On

The quick success of Nash has caused many people to look twice at what the Athletics are currently doing. The A's have added 19 new players to their roster in the last year. At home they have a 32-29 record. They are obviously banking on the future of young pitchers like Nash, and to help them the club has raised and pushed back the fences. A total of 354 homers were hit in Municipal Stadium in the past two seasons, but only 37 have been hit there in 1966. At Dodger Stadium, supposedly the toughest park for a home-run hitter, 57 have been hit this year.

It has not been easy to be a Kansas City fan for the last 11 seasons. There have been no Rookies of the Year, no Most Valuable Players, no batting champions, no 20-game winners, or 19-game winners, or 18-game winners, or 17-game winners. Players like Roger Maris, Hector Lopez, Clete Boyer and Ryne Duren were traded away, while others like Art Ceccarelli, Walt Craddock, Gerry Schypinski and Joe Astroth stayed. Now things are different. Now there are players like Jim Nash, and hope.