The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-09-24

1T OVER
WITH JOE WILLIAMS
NEW YORK. Sept. "a.


A S this goes to press the WORD
"A from the hospital is that Miller
Higgins may not live through the
day. Miller has been manager OF
the YankS for number OF years.
He has been a successful manager.
He has led the Yanks into many
championships. AS the great man
ayers Of the game go his name IS
linked with McGraw and Mack. He
is known as a genius of the playing
field. a Napoleon of the diamond,
a Houdini Of the dugout. Techni-
cally he has been the perfect gen
eral. the Bismarck. the Grant and
the Foch of the greensward.
II .. customary in these instances 70
bestow such superlatives. as uniting as
they may be, on sports leaders, bIt 70
character builder. HIS success With the
Tanks has been unique and extraordinary
Stsn,ed. n that is TIE word. his stars into
routine Of respect and deceney.
HE HAS BY THE TREMENDOUS POW
ER OF HIS SUBTLE YET STRIKING PER-
sONAL1TY MADE THE RUTHs AND THE
MEUsELS OF HIS TEAM COME AROUND
TO HIS WAY OF DOING THINGS.
r ALWAYS have thought that in
J. the long run character and de-
cency must yield winning tickets
and 1t has been a source Of graft
fication to learn that even in base
ball it works out that way. At least
1t has seemed to work out that way
with Miller Higgins. 1 don't know
of anyone who could have taken
over troupe of artificial prima
donnas such as was handed to
Miller when he first came to New
York and turned them ultimately
into a perfect machine-like organ
ism. 1t took patience, understand
ing. restraint and self-abnegation
to turn the trick. Not many men
could have done it. Not many men
would have tried to.
Once two ball players-Ruth and Meusel
tried TO throw Higgins of train en-
route from city to another. An un-
named Negro porter, who was SOBER, saVea
his life. IL vas fortunate Tor all tndb u
ended in a mere prank. To Higgins this
incident was just Taught Ruth was Ruth
and Meusel was Meusel. they did their
stuff, on the ball field or they didn't.
ALWAYS HE HAS BEEN THE MAN
AGER, ALWAYS THE PLAYERS HAVE
BEEN THE PLAYERS. ALWAYS THE
GAME HAS BEEN THE GAME. NOTHING
HAS MATTERED TO HIM BUT VICTORY.
i THINK THE RECORDS SPEAK FOR
THEMSELVES. IN SPITE OF EXTREME
ANTAGONISTS HE HAS BEEN THE
STANDOUT MANAGER IN THE LAST
DECADE HE HAS RISEN ABOVE THE
CHILDISH. COMIC SHEET WHIM OF HIS
STARS AND MADE THEM LIKE 1T.
n
T AM tempted to write that his in
Il telligence finally overawed a dug
out OF ballplayers, who in the be-
ginning had nothing but contempt
for him-I say intelligently hesitat-
jngly, because am not sure that is
the word, but If Miller Higgins
didn't know more about baseball
than any of his high-salaried serfs,
who at times attempted to make it
plain they knew more, the Morgans
know nothing about mergers.
n q n
By the sheer force Of his active, ac-
eurate brain he commanded a reluctant
and an answering respect. He has had
the toughest job in basebaII and he has
come through 100 per cent. Nobody can
take that away from him. Whatever is
his fate in this crisis his character and
unyleldinF SerupleS must stand his
eDitath. BY these magnificent qualities he
rose to greatness that falls to the lot
Of few men in baseball.
IN HIS OWN WAY HE HANDLED MEN,
AND HE HANDLED THEM IN A MANNER
THAT MADE THEM APPRECIATE BOTH
THEIR WEAK NE S AND THEIR
STRENGTH. NO SERMONIzER IN THE