The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-09-06

In from his position at short. atop trots Q young man with q big chin that has been wagglng nt um. pires, opposing batters and Nc. Afee all through the game. It's Joe Cronin, 26-year-old fighting man. ager of the Nationals, who is on his way to become the youngest boss of a pennant winning team in tho history of major league baseball.
 Out Goes McAfce
 Cronin grabs the resin bag from McAfec, rubs his hands and whis- pers orders in the pitchers ear But 1t doesn't work. McAfee walks the first batter.
 Then he gives the next one two balls. With the score tied. Cronin Knows the play is to sacrifice the runner into scoring position. He waves McAfee out of the box and yells to the bull pen for Jack Russell. Washington's star relief pitcher.
 The fans boo. They thinl, Cronin is bringing in Russell in an attempt to strike out the hit ters. But Cronln's idea Is some- thing else. Russell Is one of tho best fielding pitchers in the busi- ness and it's just to knock down those impending bunts that he's coming Into the box
 It Works-and Fails
 The batter is given his base. The next one lays q slow roller down first base line. Russell Is after 1t like a cat and throws him out at first. It's n hard play but Russell knows 'hls fielding. The runners advance. The next man is given walk to bring all the plays to the plate.
 There is one out now, the bases full, score tied and q bunt might be poisonous. Sure enough, 1t happens. This time Bleuge is on 1t and cuts off the marker at the plate.
 1t is beginning to look as If the kid managers strategy will work --except that in tho end Russell loseg control of just ono pitched ball, forcing in tho deciding mark err and Cronin follows tho um- pire protesting, all the way to tho dugout.
 Too Many Lunches?
 Who is this kid who is about to enter Sports Hall of Fame? His name is Joseph Francis Cronin, working his first year as manager of the Washington Senators. A San Francisco boy who has been in and out of the major leagues since he was IS.
 Baseball experts have continu. ally found fault with his ideas and theories of managing, but fhaR1 ThaV say he works pitchers too hard, that he Is inclined to lean too much toward playing lunches in his strategy.
 Be that as 1t may, Cronin and his fighting, Johnny Evers chin were born for baseball and If ever . guy poured his soul into the game, it's Joe. Tho record of the Mats this season Is the result.
 He came to Washington in 1928 and clicked Immediately in that badly-patched outfit. And during those years when owner Clark Griffith was trying to mold another pennant-wlnner, Cronin's poppy yipping was tho sparkplug of the team.
 Gives Joe Command
 So, finally, when Walter John sons contract as manager ran out, Griff chose the nervous, chatter ing young Cronin to be the suc- cessor to his other kid wonder, {. Bucky Harris, who managed the 1924 world champion Senators.
 Griff gave Joe full command. The kid started out on his own and used ideas that veteran base bali authorities couldn't under stand.
 In the matter of pitchers, the story about the star fielding Rus seli is an example. Sometimes he works pitcher two or three days in a row, as has been the case with Crowder, but only for an in- ming here or a single man there. Usually 1t has worked. Otherwise the Mats wouldn't be where they are.
 Worry? He Loves It
 They say Griff was spelling a klne young player by giving him the worries of the managers job to take his mind off his own game.
 But Joe has thrived on worry. He is playing the best ball of his