The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-05
TALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Aug. 5.-Rogers
- Hornsby has been released as
manager Of the Cubs. 1t seems to
have been the fate Of Hornsby to
play dark, sinister role on the big
league stage, a cross between Ibsen
and Conan Doyle. For years his
steps have been logged by mystery
and mutiny.
He has been the manager nobody
knows. There is something about
his presence that transforms peace
tul, rolling hills into roaring vol
canoes-a mysterious something
that always leaves in it's wake an
undertone of the inscrutable.
He brought st. Louis its first pennsnt IN
more than thirty years and was fired. He
joined inc Giants, long interested IN his
summary dismissed. From the Giants he
went TO Boston and replaced his manager
IN mid-seaSon. Moving on to Chicago he
had p similar experience hired hand at
the start. he ultimately took over the club
NO other man in baseball has ever had
sucn turbulent career No other man
mas ever been the pivotal figure in so
many unexplained revolts. No other man
mas ever been such a consistent success
ano at the same time such an ephemeral
Here Is man to whom everybody con-
cedes the elements OF greatness in his
held. He was great hitter and by all
as great manager And yet the man
can not hold a Job Eagerly club owners
reach for him, enthusiastically they drop
What is the answer? In baseball. the
breath OF scandal has never touched him.
AS player and manager his record has
Ia
always been the victim of Whims and
preJudices. The mounting list of his dis
mlssals argues against that. There must
be a flaw in his technique somewhere a
very vital flaw.
~THE trouble with Hornsby"
Il club owner told me today. us
that he refuses to admit that the
man who pays him his salary is en-
titled to any voice in the conduct
of the business he controls. I think
Hornsby would be an enduring sue
cess if he had his own club. Then
he could dominate both the dia-
mond and the front Office"
This seems to be the real indictment
against the man. I'm not sure that it
is serious one. There are some club
progress If they turned over all their
interests to the manager-or the bat boy.
Still. can appreciate the point. Even
a club owner is deserving Of some con-
siders ton.
Hornsby is baseball fanatic Nothing
else interests him. His conception of the
business. begins and ends on the field.
His credo is. take care of your affairs
and will take care of mine" He is i'm
patient Of advice, intolerant of sugges-
tions. a lone wolf in thought and action.
with it all Hornsby has always been
big enough to stand or fall by his own
decisions. Nobody ever heard him make
an albi. His intense passion for the
game developed in him a sense of in
failibility He was so close TO the
mechanics of the game that he felt every
move he made was instinctlvely right
II was probably this more than any
thing else that provoked his sudden dis
missal from the Cubs, since 1T develops
that ,Hornsby and the club president we're
a odds over the relative abilities of some
of the players who we're in the lineup
and some, who were not. It is easy to
picture the outspoken Hornsby saying,
I'm running this team. Stay out of it,