ONE OF BASEBALL'S GREATEST,

New Orleans, La. (AP) -- MEL OTT, one of baseball's "nice guys" and a member of baseball's Hall of Fame, died Friday after surgery for a kidney injury.
The 49 year old former New York Giant player-manager and his wife were injured in a two-car accident near Bay St. Louis, Miss., last Friday. A 50 year old Negro carpenter, driving the other car, was killed in the crash. OTT and his wife received multiple fractures of both legs, internal injuries, lacerations and bruises.
OTT underwent preliminary surgery at Gulfport, Miss., last Saturday. He was brough to Touro Infirmary here Thursday when his condition took a turn for the worse. He was brought here because the operation required an artificial kidney and specialists.
An eight-hour operation, using the artificial kidney, was performed Thursday night to correct a blocked kidney. The ailment reappeared again Friday, necessitating another operation.
He died at 12:35 p.m.
Surgeons attributed death to uremia, kidney damage, multiple fractures of both legs, ribs and an arm, and lacerations.
Bringing him to New Orleans was a last-ditch effort to save his life, a hospital spokesman said. Preliminary diagnosis had offered little hope.
His two daughters and a brother were at his bedside when OTT died.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Metairie Cemetery.
His wife, MILDRED, is in Gulfport Memorial Hospital, reportedly in fair condition. Hospital attendants said she had not been told of her husband's death because of her condition. The hospital said she may be moved to New Orleans later.
Officers at Bay St. Louis, a small Gulf Coast resort city about 60 miles east of New Orleans, said the accident occurred when the OTTS pulled out onto the highway from a roadside cafe. Poor visibility because of fog was blamed for the wreck in which LESTER F. CURRY was killed.

Melvin Ott