New Britain herald., 1927-09-14
Harris Major League Record
(BY BILLY ENANS)

An American league discard, Joe Harris, may be the player who eventually will have the most to say about the winning of the 1927 pen nant in the National league.
 Joe Harris, as you robably know, Pirates. Already his black bat has figured in many Pirate victory and no one. unless it be Paul Waner, has done more to keep that club in the running.
 Barney Drcyfus, owner Of the Pittsburgh club, is one Of the shrewdest maenatcs in baseball. He knows the artistic end Of the game as well as the financial. His csti- mate Of players worth means something.
 Last season. Joe Harris was a member of the Washington club Of the American league. Feeling that Harris, despite a seven year major league batting average Of better than 300, had slowed up so much in the field that he had become excess baggage, Washington asked for waivers on the veteran.
 How he WAS waived out Of the American league is still mystery 10 me. l so expressed myself at the time all clubs in the Ban Johnson circuit passed him up. Had it not To. ,is would have probably passed to the minors never 10 again return 10 the big show. Joe is 35. and that is pretty old for regular.
 Harris? Where have I heard that name before?' So must Bar ney Droyfus have thought when the waiver stuff on Harris was passed on to the National league. It didn't take Barney long 10 recall that one Joe Harris had made his club go the limit of seven games in 1925 10 beat Washington in the world series.
 Getting out hls record book. the Pirate owner learned that Harris had hatted .d4O against the star Pittsburgh twirlcrs, had made II hits in 25 times al bat, many Of them for extra bases, including q couple of home runs. AS he re- called the liberties that Harris had taken with Meadows, krem"r, Ald- ridge and the other Pirate stars. Drcyfus decided that such 2 batter could do no harm if he was on the 1 Pittsburgh payroll. He claimed him over the draft route.
 When the season opened, thc | aluw-footed Harris was on the 1 bench: but not for long. A spring , batting slump that made it evident 10 Manager Bush that he could usc | Harris and his big black bat caused ! Bush 10 invite criticism by sending | First Bascban Grantham to socont and using Harris at the initial sack to get more power.
 i The punch that Harris wields a he bat soon made itself manifest The Pirates immediately came ou Of the slump and started on a win ming streak that soon put the club il the first division. where it has re mained ever since.
 Injuries have several times forced Harris out Of the lineup. but other wise. he has been in the game h" cause Of his ability 10 hit the ball Recently. if was Harris. who by hi biting alone. figured in all four run that enabled Pittsburgh 10 hoa Chicago hy q onc-run margin and z into first place. There are mcn expert" who believe the Pirates vii newer be dielo1gcd
 Should the Pirates win th" pen rnnt and meet the Yankees in th world series that club being alm Ns certainty 10 cop the f1ag in th American, Harris will have anothc chance 10 w~eak vengeance on hi former Hcc0oiatoS.
 Hac', in 1914. tho Yankees n''r c1'""nd loo lInrris from the Bay Cf "1nh cf the Southern N'rh'Pn lca"1 on trial and turned hinl bac as bit shy of the majors Thirtoc years later the Yanks again waive on him.
 Y would be the irony Of fate Harris and his big black bat wouN overthrow ;hn yartoos in the wor1 eor'os ehould Pittsburgh win in th National.