Ken Wood of Orioles Carries Gun Arm to St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (UP) - (copy of 1949 article)Since the nomination of "sleepers” has become fashionable, the St. Louis Browns today checked in with a rousing vote for Ken "Shotgun" Wood, a rifle-armed rookie outfielder who may yet make his mark on the mound.

There's some talk about converting Wood to a pitcher but he will probably be given a chance to win a regular berth in the Brownie outfield first.

The 25-year-old Wood, a likable long-ball hitter from Charlotte, N. C., is reporting to the Browns from their Baltimore farm club of the International League. While the husky six-footer walloped 32 homers, drove in 98 runs and batted .285 for the Orioles the past season, observers were far more impressed with his extraordinary throwing arm than with his bat.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE Managers Paul Richards of Buffalo, Johnny Keane of Rochester, Joe Becker of Jersey City and Jack Dunn Of Baltimore all insisted that Wood's arm was not only the strongest in the circuit but probably in all baseball as well. Others are more conservative and say that Wood and Bob Usher of Cincinnati, last year with Syracuse, are about on a par.

Keane advised his Red Wings not to run on Wood "unless you're 99 per cent sure." The Rochester skipper added, "It's impossible to have a better arm than wood. His throws are strong, accurate and easy to handle. He has the perfect shotgun."

Wood was credited with 28 assists the last season, just one short of the International League record, he undoubtedly would broken the mark but for two reasons-he didn't play with the Orioles in their first 32 games and base-runners learned not to go on him.

Although he's a rookie, Wood is no stranger to the Browns. This will mark his third trial with St. Louis and as the boys in the back room say, "This time it's for the marbles.” He either makes the grade now or probably goes back to the minors for good.

FREDDIE HOFMANN, the Browns’ coach who scouted Wood this year, declares enthusiastically:

“I don’t see how Wood can miss. He has improved tremendously as a hitter and he throws blue darts from the outfield. If they asked me, though, I think he’d make a first rate pitcher.

He has more stuff on the ball than a lot of pitchers whom I saw in the International League,” added Hoffman, a shrewd judge of baseball talent. Wood doesn’t have any particular preference for a position so long as he plays regularly. Before putting in the 1949 campaign with Baltimore, Ken played with San Antonio of the Texas League and Elmira of the Eastern League.

“I’ve had enough of the minors,” he says resolutely. “This time I’ll make it, mark my words. There’s only one place to play as far as I’m concerned, and that’s in the majors.”

For a time, it looked like Ken would win his big league spurs back in 1948. He walloped American League pitching solidly early that year and looked like a cinch until he tapered off and drew his release to the San Antonio Missions.

Cleaning out his locker the day he learned of his demotion, Wood was quite a long time. It was plain to see he was distressed despite the reassurances of several teammates.

“One of these days I’ll make it”, he said finally.

And maybe that day is just around the corner.