The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-08-22
Ace OF Majors Lost in
Ousti,lg OF 'tShuf1zi,1 Phil Douglas
BY BILLY EVANS

BY BILLY EVANS
The passing Of 'Shufflin' Phil
\ douglas OF the New York Giants
from organized baseball marks the
passing Of one OF the greatest pit.
cheers in the history OF. the game.
(. Douglas has geen barred for all
time by Manager McGraw of the
Giants because, McGraw claims, he
offered for money consideration
to leave the team at this critical
time In the race when the Giants
needed him most.
Douglas never reached the lofty
position in baseball that his re-
markable ability justified. simply
because he was his own worst en-
envy.
Physically Douglas was perfect
specimen OF manhood When in
condition. there was no more effec,
tive pitcher in either league. Men;
tally, Douglas had the brain OF a
child. 1t was an easy matter to
lead him astray.
! In baseball it is a tradition that
all left-handed pitchers are erratic.
Ball players had habit of calling
"Shufflin' Phil the "right-haDded
southpaw."
J Douglas has been pulling eccen-
| trio stunts ever since he got into
the majors His career, while not
as colorful as that of RUDE waddell
was in many ways similar.
1t was not unusual for Phil to
desert his team just at the time it
needed him most. Often his where.
abouts for sometimes as much as
two weeks at a time, would be a
matter of mystery
Then he would return. always
lrepentant and would invariably
pitch so sensationally that his
escapade soon would be forgotten.
Manager McGraw has suspended
Douglas dozen times during his
career with the Giants. But Nc.
Graw, knowing the pitchers weak.
ness, has been lenient with him,
and it is said that he returned
later every fine he ever assessed
against Douglas. His salary has
been trebled since he joined the
Giants. and no salary grivance is
believed to have been harbored by
him.
Shufflin' Phil's pitching unques.
tionably made it possible for the
Giants to win the world series from
the New York Yankees in 1921
Douglas three times opposed Carl
Mays. the American League ace.
He lost the opening clash to O..
In his next two starts he won
against the Yankees and Mays 4
to 2. and 2 to l.
He kept the Giants in the ser.
Is after most of the experts had
figured them out of the running
The most remarkable feature
about the work of Douglas in the
1921 series was the way he cross.
ed UP the Yanks throughout Re.
garded ASA spitball pitcher almost
exclusively, Douglas used the spit
ter only occasionally feeding the,
Yanks instead 4 sweeping curve
ball over which he had absolute
control.
The passing of Douglas may Cost
the Giants the 1922 peHnant Man
ager McGraw often has been accus-
ed of buying Il pennant for New
York in paying huge sums for play
ers he needed. but in the ousting
of Douglas he proved that he is
just as willing to throw out star
who discredits the game, even
though it kills his chances as he
is anxious to build up pennant
winning team, whatever the fin
ancial cost.
Douglas had not pitched a game
for the Giants since July 81. when
he was beaten by the Pirates. He
had just returned to the club afte:
one of his mysterious disappear
ances when McGraw called him I'M
and the explosion occurred.
The letter that Douglas is charg.
ed with having written making the
offer to quit the team for a con.
sideration. is now in the hands OIL
the New York club.
Douglas was born in Rome. Ca,
in 1890, and first played with his
home town in the Southwestern
League in 1910 He pitched for
Macon, Ca. the following year,
and was twice drafted by the White
Sox. who farmed himSto Des Moines
and San Francisco for seasoning.
Douglas has also been with thu
Cubs and the Boston Red Sox- From
the latter club he took another trip
to the minors in 1916
In 1919 he was traded to the
Giants by the Cubs, coming to New
York in the deal that sent Davey
Robertson to Chicago.
stands, over six fet and : weighs
close to 100. pounds.
81 .