Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-18

manager, he'll run the
Washington base ball club,
That's certain. At times thought
too lenient with recalcitrant play
ers, too eaSy-going in matters OF
discipline, Johnson, through MS
action in the Sam Jones case, mas
let the world know his word Is
law for the Nationals. Veteran as
we'll as rookie must heed the
Washington manager. p
johnson might have dealt more
harshly with Jones. He might nave
suspended the pitcher Immediately toI
the angry protest in the presence OF
other Washington players against the
managers orders on the field in Boston
wednesday. Instead Johnson only sent
Jones back to Washington to think
things over, although suspension Will
follow if the pitcher does not prove
more tractable when the club returns
to its home lot.
The manager feels, however. that the
reprimand is sufficiently severe to make
the other players realize they must
obev him or suffer punishment. And
he hints that in the future punishment
will be more severe.
IT am running this ball club and I
want every player under my d1rection
to know it, too" said Johnson this
morning. There may be times when
I do not run it to the satisfaction OF
some of the players, but 1t is not their
right to disobey my orders. am re-
sponsible for the conduct Of the club
only to President Griffith. He has
given me full authority over the players
and / aim to exercise this authority.
st do not mean by this that I will
be unduly severe In handling them. !
know that at times certain orders may
irk q player. / was a player myself
many years and understand just how
the player feels about such matters.
But when a player thinks he has
reasonable kick against how the
manager is handling him he should
find a better way to make a protest
than do so in an angry manner before
other players. That will not go on this
club as long as am at the head OF 1t.
Criticized Last Year.
''I was criticized last year by fans
some friendly some otherwise-as being
too easy with players in matters of dis
cipline,' johnson went on. We'll,
maybe 1 was at times, but don't be-
lieye I let any player get out of hand.
And don't intend to do so this year
not. By a long shot. Every man with
the club must work for his club and
must respect his managers orders. II
he doesn't, trouble will follow. 1t viii
not be slight trouble. either.
"a ball club is something more than
a collection of players" declared the
manager. Its a collection of players
hustling every minute on the field for
the good of the organization, boosting
one another and with all following or
derS without question, even though they
may think the orders questionable. It's
a collection of players plus spirit. That's
the only kind of a ball club that gets
anywhere, and it's the kind OF ball
club I intend to have"
Ordinarily johnson is a man of few
words. When he discourses at such
length as he has on his idea of han
ding a club, one may be sure he means
business.
Jones Remains Silent.
Before leaving for Washington yes
terday Jones had nothing to say regard
ing the reprimand other than that he
never had had any such trouble before
in his base ball career. Sam is start
ing his seventeenth season in the Amer
lean League. He pitched for the In
dams, Red Sox, Yankees and Browns
before joining the Nationals. This is
his third year with the Washington
club.
Jones is to work out daily in Griffith
Stadium while the Nationals are on
the road.
Manager johnson plans to send Myles
Thomas and Fred Marberry against
the Athletics in the games here today
and tomorrow, starting with Thomas
this afternoon. He has Lloyd Brown
in reserve for the Sunday battle with
the Yankees in Washington, and when
the Nationals visit here again next
Monday he intends to have Irving Had
ley fire at the world champions.
Too cold in Boston yesterday for base
ball. All the natives were bundled in
furs at noon time so the Red Sox man
agement called off the game. 1t will
be played when the Nationals visit
Beantown early in July.