Noren Likely to Quit, Open Bowling Establishment If 1957 Season Unproductive

This is very likely to be the stop or go season for Jamestown-born Irv Noren, the New York Yankee outfielder. Failing to come through with the type of season he feels he is capable of producing, Irv will settle down in California where he plans to open a bowling establishment. His father, Perry, here for the funeral of his father-in-law, said yesterday operations on both knees have strengthened Irv's underpinning and set the stage for his do-or-die season in the majors.

"I doubt Irv will want to play in the minors," Perry, who moved 21 years ago from Jamestown to Pasadena, Calif., where he operates a bakery, explained, adding, "He is interested in opening a bowling establishment, in fact has been looking over several sites in the Arcadia area where he lives, and I look for him to go into that business when his playing days are over." Irv is employed off-season in a bowling establishment.

Irv has been riding a bicycle to strengthen his knees and he should be in the best condition he has enjoyed since coming to the Yankees from Washington. Young Noren, who was 11 years old when his family moved to California, appeared in 29 games for the Yankees and batted only .216 last season. "His ailing knees handicapped his swing," his father explained. "He lost his accuracy and power through favoring his touchy underpinning."

Just what Irv would consider a satisfactory season the elder Noren declined to predict. "It will have to be one he feels should be the basis for continuing," he said.

It is obvious Irv, whether successful or not in opening a bowling business, intends to make his home in California. He has purchased a new house in the winter resort community of Lake Arrowhead. Young Noren now has three children, two boys and a girl aged 8, 4, and 2.

Irv came up from Santa Barbara of the California League through two seasons at Fort Worth and one at Hollywood before being sold to Washington by the Stars for $80,000 in 1950. Noren had been quite a sensation in the minors. He led the California League in games, at bats, hits (188), triples (14), runs batted in (129) and set a league record for doubles (33). He batted .323 and .330 for Fort Worth and Hollywood. He had his second best major league season with Washington that year, appearing in 138 games and batting .295.

Noren was in 125 games at first base and the outfield for the 1954 Yanks, batting .319, his best in the big leagues, and appeared on his way to stardom when his knees started to act up.

The senior Noren and Mrs. Noren have been traveling quite extensively in recent years. They are trailer-house enthusiasts and their next junket will be to Florida to visit Rev. and Mrs. G.W. Palmgren. Rev. Palmgren, retired, is the former pastor of Zion Mission Covenant Church here. Noren's bakery in California is being taken over by his older son, Everett.

Ed. Note: Shortly after this column was written, Noren was traded by the Yankees to the Kansas City Athletics. Irv also saw duty for the Cardinals, Cubs and Dodgers before finally retiring in 1960 after 11 years and 1093 major league games.