The twelve staff members of the EUCOM Baseball and Softball Coaches and Officials Clinic arrive in Frankfurt, Germany, on February 4, 1951. At left, Capt. Russell Sarff greets Dick Butler. Behind Butler, in pairs from left to right, are Red Sox manager Steve O'Neill and umpire Larry Goetz; former Cubs manager Charlie Grimm and umpire (and NFL referee) Charlie Berry; players Jerry Coleman of the Yankees and Dizzy Trout of the Tigers; Athletics player Elmer Valo and clinic instructor Joe Frannicola; and players Jim Konstanty of the Phillies and Stan Musial of the Cardinals. At top is former Giants and Cardinals star Frankie Frisch, who along with Musial is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
GARMISCH, Feb. 4 (Stars and Stripes) — This winter playground town was a topsy-turvy place tonight. Hordes of skiers and skaters from all points in the zone, clad in warm winter clothing, were talking baseball.
They were discussing America's national sport with men well qualified to speak on the subject — the 12-man staff which tomorrow will begin week-long instruction in the second EUCOM Baseball and Softball Coaches and Officials Clinic.
The group, which includes 11 major league players and officials, and a prominent Stateside softball figure, arrived here late this afternoon. Almost immediately, they were besieged try baseball-hungry GIs, officers and civilians.
The instructional staff — Dick Butler, Stan Musial, Jim Konstanty, Jerry Coleman, Elmer Valo, Paul (Dizzy) Trout, Steve O'Neill, Frankie Frisch, Charlie Grimm, Charlie Berry, Larry Goetz and Joe Frannicola -- arrived in the zone at 4:45 pm yesterday afternoon.
After clearing customs at Rhine-Main airport, the group was escorted to Wiesbaden, where last night they were wined and dined in a tour of EM and officer clubs.
In return, the major leaguers endeared themselves to everyone who had known them just as so many names in the baseball world. Although understandably fatigued after 27 hours in the air, the group didn't pass up a single opportunity to shake some admirer's hand or to discuss baseball with anyone who was willing. And there were few who were not among the latter category.
This morning the entourage visited Mainz and made a short tour of the Rhine River area. Then early this afternoon, an Air Force plane whisked them to Neubiberg, from which point a motor caravan completed the journey to this winter playground.
Last night, the group proved to one and all that a tremendous sense of humor goes hand in hand with baseball knowledge. Goetz, for example, made himself eligible to receive the key to the city of Garmisch. When the group arrived at Rhine-Main, all were requested to sign the VIP ledger containing such pertinent facts as name, home town and destination. Under the latter column, Goetz wrote "Heaven."
Grimm lost little prestige. Often billed as the funniest man in baseball, the former Chicago Cubs pilot had guests at the EM Rocker Club holding their sides as he came forth with a sparkling rendition of "When You Wore a Tulip" — in German.
The Philadelphia Athletics were last in the American League in 1950 but their rightfielder, Elmer Valo, was far from that position in popularity. The good-looking, Czechoslovakia-born fly chaser spent the entire evening shaking hands and talking baseball. He didn't even seem to mind when some fans hoped that "his" Phillies would repeat in the National League pennant race.
