Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-26
DEATH is DECLARED DUE
TO HIS BASE BALL ZEAL
Slapped of Strength by Efforts Devoted to Flag Bat
tie, Physician Says-A. L. Games Tomorrow
Called OFF as Tribute.
BY WALTER TRUMBULL.

AZ ILLER HIGGINS left this
M worlds field Of play yesterday
V and not only his friends, but
1 i base ball will miss him
Through a good deal OK early
opposition and criticism. he came
gamely on to prove himself fine Judge
and great leader of men.
This has been year when sport mas
| lost several of its most efficient repre-
| sentatives.. Tex Richard. James Rowe,
sr., Sam Hildreth and Miller Higgins,
| all have gone within q space OF nine
months. Rowe, Hildreth and Rickaro
were older men, but Higgins appeared
to have decades of usefulness ahead OF
him. He was only ~.
Long before Higgins came to manage
the Yankees, in 1917, to win with them
six pennants and three worlds series.
he was q player Of note. Breaking into
the big leagues with Cincinnati. In
1904 he went to the st. Louis Cardinals
in 1909. and it was there that he got
his first managerial experience.
Won Fame As Player.
But is was as a second baseman that
he first won fame. A great student OF
batters and splendid fielder, Higgins
could cover q lot Of ground and was
great on making double plays. At bat.
he was one of the hardest hitters TOT
a pitcher to work on who ever stood
at a plate. Standing about flve feet
| four inches, there wasn't any too much
room between his shoulders and MS
knees anyhow and In addition he had
an eye like q hawk. You didn't md
Higgins going after any bad balls:
When Higgins first took hold OF the
Yankees. some Of them thought he was
too small for the job. He soon demon
strated that he could, II the occasion
warranted it, be just as tough as a
man seven feet tail After a few bouts
| in which he scored technical knockouts.
he had no further trouble and do not
believe that any leader ended by In
spring more confidence and loyalty.
Higgins had both a college and law
school education and his mind was keen
and clear. He was a good deal OF a
PSYCHOLOGIST. When we talked OF the
chances Of the Yankees in Florida this
Spring Higgins said:
IT have a good team this season, but
what 1t will do is all a matter OF dis
position. You can't inspire or drive q
team which has won the nag often
enough to make 1t an old story as you
can a team with an ambition yet to be
realized. z...
Another thing is that all parts Of a
machine do not wear the same. 1t may
run SI0OOCQly, DuL tIldL may DC uCSouSe
the strong parts are carrying the part
which has grown weak, and 1t does not
become noticeable until it breaks.
For the sake of spirit and for the
sake of replacing any worn parts one at
a time, 50 as to build your machine
over gradually and always keep 1t run
ming at top speed, I like to add some
thing each year-make perhaps one
small change; keep the machine oiled.
THE trouble is that experience
counts, and it Is hard to tell just when
q new part which Is not worn In is
better than part which has begun to
weaken, but still is doing pretty well.
You can't afford to rebuild all at once.
You have to stop the machine entirely
to do that"
Always Wanted to Win.
Higgins, like all players Of the old
school, hated to lose. It hurt him to
run any place except first.
1T might be better for the American
League and base ball in general II some
other club took a turn at winning" he
said to me, but am going to win by
40 games II can. It is my job to lead
the Yankees to the nag. The others
start from the same place and they
must look out for themselves"
A fine, game, brainy little man, Mil
Ter Higgins, with heart and spirit
bigger than his body. He played the
game and it can III afford to lose him.
(CopyriEht, 1929, by North American News
paper Alliance.l