The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-22
/ ALKING
IT OVER
by JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Aug. 22.-An-
IN nouncement is made that
Frank Navin, owner Of the Detroit
Tigers, has purchased a race boss
costing 100000 At the moment,
Navins Tigers are in last place in
the American League race. Some
OF his constituents seem to feel this
is wanton extravaganza and that
instead Of buying a race boss he
should have bought pitcher.
They know Nsvin mainly as the owner
Of the Tigers and they can not under
stand what he needs with a boss OBJ
viouslv. YOU can not send a boss to the
pitchers box when the bases are full
and Babe Ruth is coming to. the bat. al
though for all the good the average
pitcher acoomplishas In such circum-
stances, boss might Just as well be used
For some reason the overlords Of base
ball frown upon turf associations an
attitude which is not altogether hattering
TO the aristocratic first families who
virtually control the tracks in this country.
Rogers Hcrnsby had to take a pledge
that he would not visit the tracks again
before he was signed to a contract BY
the Giants. DOME Bush was dismissed as
manager Of the Washingtons because he
mingled socially with a bookmaker who
happened to be a relative. At one time Iris
Speakers interest in the improvement Of
The thoroughbred was Of such character
That either the American League or
Landis's office turned the matter over to
a detective agency.
But az far as anyone knows. Navin's
adventure in the turf world has provoked
no official protest. or moral outcry. To be
sure. Navin is vice president of the league
one OF the Oldest Of the club owners and
a man Of considerable wealth. and this
may make a difference. 1t generally does.
n
WILL HARRIDGE, the new
w president of the American
League, plastered fines on a num-
Der Of players recently because they
engaged in conversation with the
customers. 1t appears that the
league has rule which forbids a,
player to speak to q spectator dur
ing the game except in reply to
request for information about the
progress or state of the game"
The rule was designed to keep the Ath-
letes pure and pious. the theory being
that one never can tell who the anable
gentleman in box will turn out to be
another Arnold Rothstein one Of the
PLAYERS thus fined protested he had been
talking to his father who had come a
long distanc to see him. Nevertheless the
resolute Harridge insisted that the fine
must stand Apparently the league draws
no distinction between blood kin and
blood suckers
TIar rfI ar I1&oe
not be a repetition of the White Sox
scandal OF 1919. when the Chicago team
sold out to the Gamblers. Hence the rule.
OF course. it is silly rule as all rules
aiming to control tn individuals morals
must be. No ball PLAYER is going to enter
into an intrigue with a gambler openly on
the ball field.
Harridge is much too rational to believe
hat any such adolescent legislation is 60
ing to eliminate betting evil if a betting
evil exists. But as the new president Of
the league he probably thought it neces-
sary to make some sort of gesture. 1t
isn't easy for a league president to breal.
into print these DAYS:
THIS is the open season for
4 the new manager of the Brook
lyns. SO far the job has been given
to Ty Cobb, John McGraw, DOME |
Bush, Casey Stengel, Andrew Mel
lon and Izzy the Painter.
Considering the hilarious spirit OF the |
game it is interpreted on the banks /
OF the Gowanas it seems strange that such
profound scientists as viii Rogers. Ed
WYNN. George Jessel. Lou Holtz. Charlie
Chaplin and the Four Marx Brothers have
been ignored.
At that it would be hard to improve on
Uncle Wilbert Robinson For a number
of wears he has demonstrated that as The
editor of bsseballs comic supplement he
has no superior.
And besides. any change in control that
would threaten to eliminate the line-"no
runs. No hits, No lahs'-from the running
story Of Flatbush games would be I'M
thinkable.