The Washington times., 1933-12-23
SERIES SEEN
AS YEARS
FEATURE
BY GARRETT WATERS
ooh, for just another world
series at Griffith Stadium"

Ou, lOT JUST dlOtuCE WOAAO
series at Griffith Stadium"
Fans began praying for this
soon after Clark Griffith, prest'
dent of the Washington Griffmen,
grabbed all those players at the
annual baseball meetings during
the winter of 1882.
They got their wish even though
the Griffmen failed to cop the
of the world. The
New York Giants, guy named
Carl Hubbell, another by the name
of Mel OFT, and still another by
the name of Bill Terry, were the
causes of this latter downfall. But
it's all past history now and the
Griffs believe the sooner they for
get about it the better.
The Big Beginning
But to begin at the beginning.
It's an old story now. but we'll
worth reviewing again. President
Clark Griffith released Walter
johnson as manager to start the
ball rolling. surprising the base.
ball world by naming the youthful
Joe Cronin as Johnson's successor.
Jumping up to New York for
the baseball meetings little
later on, Griff and Cronin got
their heads together with the
other owners and managers and
came away with a carload of new
players under their respective
belts.
The first trade sent Outfielders
Sammy West, Carl Reynolds and
Lefty Lloyd Brown to the st.
Louis Browns in exchange for
Outfielders Goose Goslin, Fred
Schultz and Pitcher Wally Ste
wart.
The second deal brought
Pitcher Earl Whitehill, of the
Detroit Tigers. here in exchange
for Pitcher Fred Marberry, while
a third transaction saw Pitcher
Jack Russell and Rookie First
Baseman Bruce Connaster coming
here for First Baseman Harley
Boss.
About month later, the trad
ing was finished when Catcher
Roy Spencer was sent to the
Cleveland Indians for Catcher
Luke Sewell.
Spring Training Next
The annual spring training
grind came next and it was fol-
lowed by the usual spasmodic
start of the regular season Sched-
ule.
After a shaky start, Heine
Manush went on a batting spree.
So did Manager Joe Cronin.
Fred Schultz hit everything that
came his way. Luke Sewell had
several games, in which he col
lected three and four hits in an
And Ossie Bluege-
yes, dear old Ossie, got himself
up among the 300 hitters by
an average of .316.
On July 4, the plucky band Of
Griffmen entered New York half
a game in the lead. They had
tradition to back them up even
though they faced the fate of los
ing the double-header on schedule.
That tradition told the story that
the team in 6irst place on July 4
was the team that always won
the pennant by the hour the race
was ended.
The games began. A hectic
afternoon was spent. but the
Griffmen were winners in both
by sundoWn-much
to the joy of the fans who gave
their heroes a grand celebration
on their arrival at Union Station
later on that right. And best of
all the Griffs gained two full
games on the Yanks, which adj
gave the team that GER
tain courage to go on as the
weeks and days progressed.
The World Series
Then came the world series.
Five days it stayed, but five Of
the most palpitating days in the
history of baseball locally. The
Giants won the first two games
a. New York. The Griffmen, with
Earl Whitehill pitching one OF
his best games in his career, took
the third clash by a 4 to 0 score.
Then the Giants won the next
two contests. but not before en-
gaging in two of the toughest
battles of the season.
To pick out the leading Grift
player of the season is a diff
cult task here because every man
played exceptionally we'll from
the start of the race to the finish.
And Joe Cronin? Well there
need not be a great deal said OF
him as plenty has been said Of
MIN already in other laudatory
stories. Briefly here, it must be
stated again the young manager
was inspiration itself to the team
inspiration that carried the
Griffmen to heights truly unex-
oected by the supposed wise base
ball heads.