|
Wayne Comer is the personification of that old baseball chestnut about the guy "who comes to play." For that is the only way Comer knows how to play baseball. For the versatile ex-Tiger believes in giving no quarter and asking for none, and if that means bowling into a big catcher or running into a centerfield wall, he's been known to do both.
The Comer philosophy of play is symbolic of the Pilots' approach to their first American League season and is one of the big reasons why the Seattle nine has been in, or close to third place all season. Comer, who is only 25 years old, never got the chance he needed to play with the World Champion Detroit Tigers, but the expansion draft last October opened the door for the speedy fly-chaser, who has also been known to catch a little and may next year try his hand at third base. As you might guess, Comer was an all-sports man in high school and lettered four years in football, baseball and basketball, as well as two years in track. He was an all-stater in football and won district awards in his other sports. He was signed to his first contract by George McQuinn of the Washington Senators and played his first season in 1962 with Raleigh. Comer was later named to the Southern League All-Star team in 1965 with Montgomery, and claimed the same honor in the International circuit the following year with Syracuse and Toledo. |
