The Wonderful World Of Sport

In Philadelphia on friday night Wes Santee won the mile. There was no pace setter, and Santee reluctantly accepted the lead. At the half-mile Nielsen, upset by the slowness of the race, passed Santee but ran even slower (3/4-mile time: 3:11.3). With 220 yards to go, Santee exploded past Nielsen, outsprinted him and beat him to the finish line by a 10-yard margin in 4:10.5.

In Washington on saturday night Gunnar Nielsen won the mile. This time there was a pace setter, but the pace was miserably slow (first quarter: 68 sec). Neither Nielsen nor Santee wanted to lead. Finally, at the half-mile (2:12.2), Santee took over and began to drive. Nielsen stuck with him, burst past on the last backstretch and raced home first by 15 yards in 4:09.5.

HOT STOVE CIRCUIT

While other sports hogged the winter limelight, baseball stood impatiently in the wings, titillated the appetites of fans with banquet-circuit and "pact inking" ceremonies and with reminders of past and present baseball heroes.

"Tops In Sports" banquet of Maryland Professional Baseball Players Association in Baltimore seated together (left to right): Golfer Sammy Snead, Yankee Catcher Yogi Berra and Giant Pinch Hitter Dusty Rhodes. Standing is Oriole Manager Paul Richards.

Contract signing at St. Louis brought grin from Cardinal Owner August A. Busch Jr. as he handed pens to $80,000 employee Stan Musial (left), $40,000 employee Red Schoendienst. Observers are Secretary Mary Murphy, General Manager Dick Meyer.

Moving day came for the offices of the defunct Philadelphia Athletics. Roy Mack, Connie's oldest son, was on hand to check the effects of the deceased team. In Kansas City, workmen were busy renovating the stadium for newly born Kansas City A's.

A refugee from winter baseball in Puerto Rico, Giant Outfielder Willie Mays traded his bat for an Alabama cue slick.

Unemployed Joe DiMaggio, out of baseball three years, wistfully announced he would like front office job in California.