The Washington times., 1929-07-11
A[l|VT IS BAD
START As ]
PILOT
BY bob Thayer

CLEVELAND, Ohio, July
Hive been q failure in
MY first year as big league
manager and nobody knows il
better than myself. Although
/ signed a three-year contract
with the Washington club last
fall, / will not stand in the
way il a change is desired,
I'm not ready to quit my job,
though. and unless my resignation
II wanted I'd like another stab q
Ill. Then il convince myself that
4 i can't make good III step out on
my own accord, !,
sIn this manner Walter Johnson.
one of basebalHs ail-time tmmortais
and present leader OF the Washing
ton Griffmerl, today replied to re-
ports regarding his passing as pilot
sf the Griffmen at the close OF
the present season.
Rumors have been flying thick
and fast to the effect that Johnson
Il due to he replaced as team
director OF the Griffs in 1880 and
Also that he Is ready and willing to
turn over his duties to some other.
.That's not so,g he declared
while referring to the topic!
s'1'Ve had q had year and I'm
willing to admit it but / still
believe that I'll make the grade.
'If / felt that / could not i'm.
prove on this yesS's showing I'd
willingly give up my post but I'm
sure can. And unless I'm dead
wrong you'll probably find me
doing business at the same old
stand next season.
I've talked things over with Mr..
Griffith" he continued after a
nlomentary pause, and so far as
/ know it's ali settled for me to
return> as manager next year. He
knows that I've made mistakes, but
is willing to give me another
chance.
There's nobody who ever wanted
t0 turn out winner as badly as
/ did at the start OF the pres snt
season. With thousands Of fans
HulllElk IOE HIS 4CIb lll0J OWCd
it to them to make good. The fact
! that i haven't makes me all the
more determined to stick to my job
until I come through"
Walter makes no effort to defend
himself for the disappointing show
ing of his 1929 Griffmen. Rather
he seemss to go out OF his way to
assume the, entire responsibility Tor
their flop.
IL had a pretty good team
at Tampa this spring." he rea.
sons. ''Yet with that same COM
binatiOn I've produced sixth
place club i'm the present Amer
lean League race.
i.While we may have been over
rated as a result of our. spring ex.
hibition record, it's a einch that we
ought to be better off than Wa are
right now. The only thing that
can find to blame for this state of |
affairs is my own mismanagement |
II know for one thing that I've |
nEed bad Judgment on lots OF occa-
Sions. Had / acted differently at |
such times we might be up there in
the running right now rather than
buried down in second division with |
! little chance of getting out,
BY switching a pitcher here or
pulling a player there / could have |
saved a lot of those tough, games,
Walter added, while smiling family, |
"but at that guess we've got to |
learn our lessons in any profession. /" |
Though admitting that many |
changes probably will be necessary
In the makeup of next years team.
Johnson hastened to the defense. OF |
several players on his present roster
who have been blamed for the clubs |
downfall.
''Some Of the boys have been
off-key." he agreed, ''but hon
estly believe that they've an
given me their best. As d
matter OF fact, sometimes won.
der If they haven't hurt them
selves by playing too hard for
me.
When a player works under a
strain he is seldom able to get the
results OF one who is normal and
relaxed. And several of nv men
have appeared to be constantly
worrying when they failed to carry
out some self-appointed task.
That's real loyalty, but It doesn't
pay big dividends.
I've warned them all to take
their time and not overdo them.
selves but, in many cases, ii hasn't
done much good. This goes par.
ticularly for some Of the Younger
boys who are continually on the
run while going about their work p
Failing to alibi in the manner OIL
other managers and finding no fault I
with anyone save himself walter.
Johnson, In characteristic stvle. /
brought this discussion to eigse. /
No, sir" he announced, while |
squaring his jaw, TIN not til. .ough.
as q manager. 1 may have llad my |
bumps this year but I've learned
something. I've passed up lots of
chances to better our standing but |
those who are writing me out OF the
picture would do well to remember
that 1880 Is another year.