The Washington times., 1929-01-05
S|NGES AIR
WITH HIS
SCORN
BY Kirk Miller

BY Kirk Miller
Very seldom in his quarter
Of century in baseball does
President Clark Griffith hit
the ceiling, so to speak, his
sang-froid having been one of
his outstanding characteristics
during the days when he was
a foxy young professional
baseball pitcher, and long be-
fore he even dreamed of being
a magnate.
But this morning the genial
managing director of the Washing
ton team almost scorched his
heavily hirsuted eyebrows with his
vituperation against the ridiculous
ten-man team proposed by John
Heydler, who is old enough to know
better and should think twice be-
fore foisting any such idea in a
meeting where people might not
, understand he was joking.
1t may come under the general
heading of a fresh question" as
reporters are sometimes wont to
ask, but seeing that John McGraw
and DOME Bush might permit their
teams to hook up in such con-
test during the spring exhibitions
at San Antonio, Griffith was asked
II nd GFSl
such playing conditions between his
team and the Giants during the
series these two clubs are to play.
Well, sir, you would have
thought some very sacred pre-
Cinct in Griff's great past had
been invaded.
He turned more colors than
spectrum. He bounced out of that
mahogany swivel chair, walked
around from his desk and shook
both fists so precariously close to
our reportorial nose that we were
about to invoke the unwritten law
which has to do with never hitting
q gentleman with his glasses on.
In about two thousand we'll
chosen words that reeked with
adjectives, adverbs, split infinitives
and compounded redundancy, Presi-
dent Griffith gave fairly definite
hint to the effect he has no use
for the ten-man baseball idea and
that il he catches any of his players
even thinking of how the scheme
might work out If it is ever adopted
by baseball, he will fine or suspend
them, or both.
y
His declamatory remarks anent
the 10-man ball club might mot
vet be concluded except for the
fact his cigar went out, and he
had to stop speaking moment
to relight it.
Taking advantage of the moment
of silence, an apology for ever sug-
gesting such an insane idea was
offered and Mrs. King, Griff's private
secretary, was asked il she took
down everything Mr.. Griffith said.
I took down all of 1t that IS
printable" replied the demure lady
who lends such a touch OF refine
ment around local baseball head
quarters, and she promised copy
of Griffith's extended passage so
that all who care may read-when
she gets around to it.
So any day now, the world may
expect to hear pointedly from Clark
Griffith as to the inadvisabiiity OF
further tanpering with the baseball
playing rules, he being of the con-
firnned impression that baseball
doesn't want to be slowed up by
continual tampering with the play
ing regulations, as he believes mas
happened in the case OF football and
basketball.
Out in Detroit they are taking
much heart in the fact the
Tigers win have an experienced
manager for the first time since
Hughie Jennings took over the
Michiganders' reins, when Bucky
Harris commences functiOning
next month.
Both Ty Cobb and George
Moriarty, though splendid ball play
@rs. were novices as managers when
Filey first headed the Detroit out.
fiji. The fans out in the lake dis
trict argue that Harris. though
Younger than either OF his imme.
date predecessors in the Detroit
saddle. has five years experience IN
the task he is about to take up
Taken with the fact Harris Is TO
have superior material at his dis
posal. Tiger rooters are anticipating
Immediate success for their favorite
ball club.
Messrs. Navin and Briggs, the
Detroit owners may lend further
encoura cement by the addition OF
another pitcher to the clubs forces,
in which case hopes will indeed run
high in the Motor City.
President Ernest s. Barnard.
of the American League has
come out with his annual state
nent that baseball will have Q
good year and that much
closer race will result in the
American League than i'm the
preceding season.
If we are not mistaken, the good
president regaled the baseball
ncribes with. very similar state
Tnent when ne was making a tour
of the Southern training camps
/ last March. predicting then. as
now. that the Yankees would not
again make one ring circus of the
race. How the various club owners
hope he is not talking through his
official hat this year, as he was
year ago!