Mauch and Stuart Deny Feud

May 6, 1965 - There is supposed to be a king-sized feud brewing between Philadelphia first baseman Dick Stuart and manager Gene Mauch. Both deny it.

Stuart is incensed over a story in which he was quoted as calling Mauch a bad manager.

The article, published in New York Newsday, also quoted Stuart as saying: “I play 15 games. All of a sudden, he finds out I can’t hit and I can’t field. The team’s going bad, so he’s looking for a guy to blame.”Mauch had benched Stuart for three games after Dick had gone 0-for-13 in a four-game stretch ending Saturday. The Phillies lost all four games. Dick was hitting .222 with only two home runs and had committed five errors.

“I never said Mauch was a bad manager,” Stuart said before last night’s game with the Mets. “I would have to be crazy to say that about any manager. I make too many mistakes myself.

“When I was with the Red Sox, I had several run-ins with Johnny Pesky. But I never called him a bad manager.”

Mauch and Stuart had a 20-minute conversation in the privacy of the manager’s office before last night’s game, which was won by the Phillies, 1-0. Stuart, back in the lineup, rapped a line single his first time at bat.

“I benched him because I thought it was the right thing to do,” was all Mauch would say. “We talked. I think he has a whole new approach to it.”

It is no secret that Mauch has not been happy with Stuart’s lackadaisical play in the field. He believes that Dick has not been diligent in his efforts to improve his defense.

“I just know he can improve,” said Mauch. “I’ve seen him make enough good plays to know he can field. But he’s got to work at it.”“I feel I give 100% all the time,” Stuart said. “But maybe I give the impression of being lackadaisical. My basic movements are nonchalant. All tall guys have a tendency to look nonchalant.”

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