Nov. 29, 1964 - Baseball’s winter meetings got off to a resounding start in Houston today when the Red Sox traded their slugging first baseman, Dick Stuart, to Philadelphia for the Phillies’ left-handed pitcher, Dennis Bennett.
The deal returned Stuart to the National League, where he hit 101 home runs in five seasons after breaking in with the Pirates in 1958. It sent Bennett to the American League after three seasons that had cast him as one of the promising young pitchers of the Philadelphia pitching staff.
“The last time I saw him in 1961,” Philadelphia manager Gene Mauch said in Houston, “Stuart was as tough a righthanded hitter as there was in the National League.”
The Pirates traded him to Boston, where he hit 75 home runs in two seasons and drove manager Johnny Pesky berserk with his fielding — earning the nickname “Dr. Strangeglove” — and his antics.
“His fielding didn’t keep Pittsburgh from winning the pennant in 1960,” Mauch argued. “And I never saw him fail to hustle in the National League. He’s anxious to be on our club because he thinks we’ve got a chance at the pennant in 1965.”
Bennett, 25 years old, finished 12-14 last year while hobbled by arm trouble near the end.
“I was surprised by the trade,” Bennett said today. “I had heard the Yankees wanted me, and last week [general manager] John Quinn told me to have my arm checked, so I thought something might be up.
“I guess they figured they had a chance to help the club. But that’s a lot of first basemen they’ve got. Maybe ‘The Little General’ [Mauch’s nickname] can play one every inning.”
You can’t blame Bennett for being a little bitter. Lefthanded pitchers don’t jump for joy when they get traded to Boston.
“If we can do something that would involve any of those fellows [first basemen on roster], we’re in a position to do it,” Quinn said.
“It’s no secret we’ve got to strengthen our pitching a little bit,” Mauch said. “Getting Stuart makes some of the guys available. Stuart will play every day. I can see him driving in a bunch of runs, hitting behind [Johnny] Callison and [Richie] Allen.”
Stuart, meanwhile, has heard the bad-fielding, bad-attitude raps so often he doesn’t flinch when someone mentions them.
“Most big men move slower,” said the 6-3 first baseman. “I’ve always had this reputation as a bad fielder. I’m bound to make some plays, but when I do, nobody says anything. When I boot one, they say, ‘There’s Stuart up to his old tricks.’
“As far as attitude, it’s hard to get along with everybody. When I have a good day, I’m happy. When I have a bad day, I’m not. My main interest is to do well and help the team. They didn’t get me to win any personality contests.”
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