The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-11
| ALKING
IT OVER
BY DANIEL
NEW YORK, Feb. II.

d peace pact which ended the
long drawn out civil war in the
Brooklyn baseball club. there is a
more interesting and dramatic
story. 1t throws John J. McGraw
and Wilbert Robinson into the lime
light in a touching tableau which
they had not staged since Robbie
quit as Macs assistant in 1914, and
undertook the management Of the
Dodgers. And in the background
Of this friends again" scene there's
a McGraw visit TO Steve McKeever
which perhaps had an important
bearing on Stevens decision 70 &C
cept Robbie for another two-season
term
For years and years McGraw and Rob
bic we're pals. They played on the re-
nowned Orioles together. They became
business partners In the Blue Diamond
saloon In Baltimore, then in the Inflated
American League venture in that city
They went TO the Cardinals together, and
as a pair they quit st. Louis. After Rob
bic had retired to the butcher business,
Mae needed an assistant on the Giants
and Robbie quit the shop, the cleavers
and the scales, and hurried into a uni
form again. to help McGraw develop Rube
Marquard and other pitching stars.
DUT when Robbie went to Brook
ID lyn a GOODNESS arose between
the one-time pals. Small incidents
were magnifed. Tale bearers and
meters got in their dirty work.
And by 1916 Mac and Robbie no
longer were on speaking terms.
They glared and sneered at each
other across the field. They hurled
testy repartee and picturesque in
vectimes from dugout to dugout.
n
Season after season this went On-but
now their old friendship has been revived.
Robbie will battle Fardcr than ever 10
knock those Giants out Of the race, but
they who were pals in Baltimore have
buried the hatchet.-and all because Rob
bic last December was in danger of being
forced into retirement. and McGraw found
tho resurgence of the old friendship
stronger than the artificial and synthetic
lntiplthles of Gfteen years.
1T was at the National League
4 meeting in December that NC
Graw and Robbie met. They looked
sheepishly at each other.
How is everything, Robbie?"
asiIed the leader of the Giants,
breaking the ice.
Not so good. Mac" the portly
central figure Of the Flatbush war
Omitted. "NIcKeever is set on get
ing me out. I am set on sticking.
It looks like a long battle. really
have nothing against him. But
every time we rect we growl and
sputter like a couple Of Kilkenny
cats.
Now you know NIcKeever pretty
we'll He thinks you're the greatest
manager in baseball. Suppose you
90 to him and pacify him. Will you
do it?"
They shook hands then and there, and
Mac told Robbie he would go over to
FIatbush before he left for his vacation
In Havana To this journey may be
traced the relentlng attitude CT McKeever,
and the smicable election watch ratified
Robbie's new two-ycar contract, installed
Frank York as president and Harry De
Mott as vice-president, and ushered In
new era for the ball club that once bore
the name of Superbas.
w Graw va and Robbie e.7 their en-
nifty began to wane three years ago,
but something happened to fan the
fires of the feud to greater heat
than ever. McGraw had become
interested in Overton Tremper,
University of Pennsylvania out
fielder, and had advanced certain
money to the collegian. 1t was I'M
derstood in the New York Offices
that when Tremper was graduated
he would join the Giants
But, much to the surprise of Nc
Graw, Tremper showed up at
Ebbets field one day in a Dodger
uniform. The Giants carried the
case to Lands, who ordered Trem-
per to settle up with the New Yorks.
AS matters turned out, Robbie did the
Giants big favor by grabbing Tremper.
as the varsity man has yet TO show jor
league promise. But McGraw accused
Robbie Of going out of his way to sign
Tremper because of Macs apparent eager
ness to land the outfielder at the Polo
grounds.
u
But that's all forgotten now. The
old Orioles are fellow Orioles again.
HkpI TAKEC MAT On