Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
Today Marks End
OF Harris Tenure
As Criff' S Manager
Capital Fans Speculate on
Bucky's Successor: Cards
Favored for Series.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor, The Star.

Sports Editor, The Star.
Today marks the end of the big
league base ball season and the tenure
of Stanley Harris as manager of the
Washington club.
All that remains for followers Of the
sport now nearing its annual eclipse b.
foot ball Is the world series with the
New York Yankees defending their
championship against the st Louis
Cardinals.
For the Capital fans these title con-
tests will be followed with an eagerness
heightened by the fact that each con-
tender staggered to the wire in races
that for closeness seldom have been
excelled.
With the local club at no time having
chance for the title, what concern
has been manifested in 1t by devotees
of the sport has been confined to its
successful cleventh-hour battle for a
first division berth. but the identity of
its manager for 1929 is live topic and
may remain 50 until we'll into the off,
season.
Harris Expected to Quit.
That Harris assignment as pilot OF
the Nationals will cease this evening
with the final game of the campaign at
st. Louis there is no doubt
No statement to that effect has been
made by either of the two persons most
interested, but Harris is said to have
told close friends that he does not care
to carry on as manager here, and the
invariable reply of President Griffith
to all inquiries on the subject may be
regarded as significant. 1t is: Il don
want 10 talk about that until after tAe
close of the season"
Whether official announcement OF a
change in the leadership of the Wash
ington club will come fron Griffith OF
Harris remains to be. seen, and wher
it will emanate. also is problematlcal
as are the. Feasons that will be ascrlbed
We-have our own ideas as to the lat
ter: They are, briefly, that Harris Il
fed up on the razzing he has beer
subjected to by unthinking fans, anc
that Griffith is disappointed by Bucky'S
1
ments for slipping athletes through the
medium of developing raw material sup.
piled him.
There undoubtedly are factors aside
from these that contribute to the im'
pasSe reached by the club president and
pilot and one of them is salary.
PiIoted Series Winners.
1t is understandable that Harris NIGH
feel that. having been boss of the team
that won the only two pennants thu
Capital ever has known-and when frs
placed in charge, too-and that having
finished in the first division the three
succeeding seasons he has fairly earned
the 100000 he is reputed to have re-
ceived for 1926, 1927 and 1928. and Is
entitled to a continuation of this scale
Contrariwise, there would seem to be
nothing illogical about conviction on
the part of the club president that the
comparatively lean financial seasons the
club has suffered since the Nationals
have been relegated to the also-ran
class do not justify the expenditure of
$4,000 year to a playing manager
whose playing and managing both have
taken decided slump.
But as to the identity of the man
who will ever take over the reins when
Harris lays them down this observer
must confess to having not so much
as hunch. much less any informa-
tion.
Since 1t first was rumored. many
weeks ago. that the Nationals would
have a new field leader in 1929. con-
siderable speculation has been INDUCED
in by writer's all around the circuit
and number of gratuitous nominal
tions made, but none of them has been
more than a guess. and. in the opin-
ion of this chronicler. poor ones at
that.
Walter johnson Eliminated.
One has had Walter johnson coming
here TO lead the team he starred with
as pitcher for two decades. Barney
Is under contract to continue as pilot
In Newark for at least another season
at salary exceeding that paid a
majority of major league bench bosses.
This eliminates Johnson from con-
sideration, even If his services were
desired
Another and even more persistent
report, but equally unfounded. has had
George Moriarty of the Detroit Tigers
swapping places with Harris in connec-
ton with the transfer of several plav-
the fact that the Detroit officials would
not dare antagonize their fans by Civ
ing up Second Baseman Gehringer.
the only player on the Tiger roster that
Washington conceivably might covet.
and by the further likelihood that If
Moriarty's regime as Detroit manager
is ended he will return to umpirine a
field IN which he boasts undeniable
class.
In their efforts to figure out what
active members of the Washington club
might be considered for elevation to
manager in the event that the policy of
selecting a leader from the ranks is
followed. as was done with Harris and
his predecessors. Mcbride. Milan and
Bush, local fans are inclined to believe
Muddy Ruel and Joe Judge are most
eligible.
AS to that this writer prefers to main-
tain discreet silence. 1t Is not our
province to advise those who are 5istat-
ing the policies of the club. It is to
their advantage tn please the fans by
selecting for manager one who is calcu-
lated to get the best results. AS to who
1t will be we haven't the faintest idea
Continued on Page 2, Sports Section3