Jan. 11, 1965 - Yankee contracts go out this week, and everybody will be surprised, including Mickey Mantle. There will not be one pay cut, even for those who had disappointing seasons — and Mighty Mick will become the highest salaried Bomber in history at a raise of about $15,000 over the hundred grand he received the past three seasons.
“I don’t believe in cutting players,” general manager Ralph Houk said today at a press conference. “Some were cut last year, you know. Bill Stafford was one, but the cuts were based on bad performances which I felt were due to actions on their parts. But the difficulties of Stafford and Tony Kubek, who had trouble last year, were due to injuries.”
Houk said the player payroll would be the highest in club history — in the vicinity of $800,000 of CBS money.
Does Houk believe pitcher Jim Bouton will be a holdout again?
“I will do everything I promised him I would when he did sign last year,” Houk said. Bouton apparently had a promise of a fat raise if he had a good year — and he did, winning 18 games and two in the World Series.
The Bulldog got himself into the doghouse last year when he held out for a 100% raise after being a 21-game winner. Jim wanted $20,000 but had to settle for $18,500 after Houk threatened to deduct $100 a day from the proffered contract for each day Bouton prolonged his holdout. Jim was the last Yankee to sign in both 1963 and ’64.
After Houk spoke today, Perry Smith, who is in charge of the radio-TV production, said WPIX viewers would be treated to new techniques which he is working out, similar to the isolated camera and instant video tape replays which the networks used during the college football Bowl games and the NFL championship game.

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