, 1923-10-02
By HENRY l.. FARRELL
UNITED Press Sports EDITOR

(united Press sports Editor
NEW YORK. Oct. 2-(United
Press).-In winning his third
straight American League Pennant
with the New York Yankees. Miller
Higgins. the little manager Of the
team. accomplished something that
should rate for him n place among
the real managerial leaders of base.
ball.
Higgins never has been able to
get the credit that he deserved for
meritorious performances in the
past. largely because he did not
seek glory or the spotlight. and ven
now. when n other manager
would be acclaimed for taking three
pennants in succession the little
Yank boss is still being PANIED.
New York never has taken to
Higgins and tho comment is -stiil
being heard that anyone ought to
win a flock OF pennants with a mil
lion dollar team and that the yam
KEGS won the pennant again this
year. not because of their manager.
but in spite of him.
Higgins lacks the spectacular
color of McGraw. he is not a mixer
like Uncle Wilbert Robinson. he is
not as picturesque as KID Gleason
and he lacks the outward qualities
of leadership that are embodied In
Frank Chance. He seldom deserts
the darkness of the dugout and he
goes about his way quietly and gets
results
I TIn v,,rraa -.-A..~ ha9 nh0xr1
no great ability as a developer of
young players since he took the New
York club. although he has had part
in making Ward and Meusel. But
in his position no other manager
would carr to saddle himself with
the responsibilities and gamble with
young players. Developing young
sters is a big problem. Connie
Mack has failed at It for seven years
and Mack has a great reputation
for bringing along young players.
When Higgins was given the
Yanks he was commissioned to get
q winner and something to compete
against the Giants as an attraction.
Had Higgins been the greatest mir
acle man in the world in developing
young players. he could not have
gotten together a pennant winning
team in the short space of time de-
manded by his employers.
He found himself in a fortunate
position where the owners were will
ling and able TO buy the players that
Higgins decided would work well
with his combination.
Higgins ut least did show some
real good judgment in buying play
ers. No other great stars that
Higgins let go Ear be found on
other teams like the castoffs Of the
Giants in the National League. The
players that Higgins disposed Of
never caused him a regret while
those he acquired delivered for him
better than they were expected to
do.
The smartest move made by Hug
gins was his recommendation for
the purchase of Babe Ruth. The
great Swat King proved a very prof
table investment for the club own
ers after they we're accused Of being
crazy by rival club owners for play
ing such a huge sum Of money for
Babe.
The craftiness of the little a
ager was also shown last winter
when he secured Herb Pennock from
the boston Red Sox. His critics
said he was foolish to dispose OF
young Murray. a promising pitcher
Mcmillan, a young infielder and
other players In the deal. but those
players failed to make good with
the Red sox. and Pennock, who
had been regarded as through. turn
ed out in his new uniform to be n
OF the best pitchers in the league.
Even with n million dollars be-
hind him and the permission to buy
and sell as the manager sees fit. It Is
not a cinch to go out and make no
mistakes on the market.
Higgins has made few mistakes
In his investments.
Regardless of how he got his
team together It is something for
any manager in these modern days
of baseball to practically oinch a
pennant before the middle of the
season.
Maintaining discipline among the
Yankee players was a job requiring
! the discipline of a McGraw, a Chance
or a Gleason. the diplomacy of a
Robinson. the tyranny Of a Cobb.
the patience of a Mack and a combi-
nation of each. When conditions
adjusted themselves so that he be-
came the absolute boss Of the team
Huggins got the results. No n
has been interested enough to find
out the methods. but the results
have spoken for themselves.
Some critics accused the Yankees
Of being a dumbell club. basing their
belief on the showing they made in
two worlds series with the smart