The Washington times., 1929-10-07

| there was HODOuy OUT. LOU "
down on the Yankee bench pa
A winners share was just around
the turn. One little hit, one little
sacrifice fly. and the series would
| come to a glorious conclusion. But
out on the mound. the Serbian.
John Milius, pitched as he had
never pitched before.
One strike, two strikes-a fast
ball down the middle, and Gehrig
had struck out.
lets try the squeeze play,
Hug" Pat Collins pleaded, as Bob
Meusel strobe to the plate.
Other players cried for the
same thing, Vets sacrifice.
Take n chance, Hug, It's our
only hope"
AS they clamored for action two
strikes were called on Meusel; then
third, and he, too, struck out.
A championship was slipping away.
| Only Higgins was calm--as motion
less as a staue, sitting there in
the dugout shadows. The clamor
persisted as Tony Lazzerl weighed
his bat carefully and stepped toward
the plate.
Then at last. Higgins spoke.
Listen" he said to those ex-
cited players, I'VE don't have TO
take a chance at all. That fellow
is bearing down too hard. 1t isn't
in the cards for him to get away
| with 1t. If Tony don't hit one he
wild pitch sure as fate
You know the rest. Miljus did
| wild pitch--and Earl Combs, wait
ing on third. came galloping home
standing up with the run that
| meant world title.
Miller Huggins' judgment again
had asserted itself. Pat Collins,
watching the winning run gallop
over the plate, paid involuntary
You called 1t, Hug, you called
1T" he howled. Boy! Howdy,
that's using the old beam"
Hug merely smiled and raced
to the club house. He had no
comment to make On his own
part-nOthing to say for the
strategy that has proved sue
>cpssful.
Nice work. gang" he yelled.
"You put 1t over ! knew you'
could, And then he ducked away
from the noise and confusion, away
! from the newspaper boys who
pounded at the door. 1t was his
players triumph and he wanted
them to have the credit. For that
was Hugs way.
Miller Higgins never gave up
his thought Of baseball. TO the
very end he was planning, planning,
planning.
| "We're licked this year. but next
year III have another winner he
told this writer on that fatal Thurs
day when he made his last appear.
ance at the stadium.
What all Of Hugs plans were no
one knew. He planned to make Lag
zeri a third baseman. He planned to
start Dusty Cooke in the outfield
next year. He had at least two deals
in mind that he had hoped to CON
summate efore the December
SHOWS. Now-well the mind that
planned those things Is gone forever.
Higgins probably had a Fremont
ton that his life span was about
| through. On that last appearance at
| the stadium this writer, worried by
his appearance, urged him to see
! doctor.
LISTEN" Hug replied, quietly,
"when I see a doctor this time
II will be a tough, tough pull.
I'm not going to get well In one
day or two days. This one Is
going to be serious. So I want
to straighten up everything
first. Then I'll fight the sick.
ness game"
Higgins was right. Five days
after he had made that state
ment the word went out that
Miller higgins was no more.
The myriad fights that he had
won before were of no avail
now. He had lost the greatest
fight of all. Death had beaten
him to the barrier.
And SO passed Miller Higgins.
Gentle, kindly, gracious-fair to
fault with the infinite patience
of father. there will never
be another like him. His real
value isn't yet appreciate. 1t will
take months and years to estab-
lish him for the gentleman ana
genius that he was.
But meantime, this writer who
knew him well and lived with
him, chooses only this for his
epftaph:
"Hs was man. real man.
through every ounce and every
atom Of his 1870 pounds of fight.
ing sinew.'
He rests now-and no man
ever more richly earned that
rest than he who toiled 30 hard
| to bring success to others