The Washington times., 1935-11-21
LRBegins
At 66 for
GriH
By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

Times Sports Editor
Clark Griffith passed an.
other milepost in his eventful
baseball career and took it like
an express train going through
Pumpkin Corners.
"Shucks," he told his 50-odd
guests at luncheon in the ball
park office, '1ife begins at 66,
any way you look at it. Why,
I could go out there and pitch
nine innings right now!"
He made this bold assertion
with the gestures of winding up,
and I noticed particularly that
Nick Altrock, col. Billy Smith,
Mike Martin, former Representa-
tive Fred Britten and severa
others of the old-timers who re.
member Griff when he was q
pitcher, duck their heads under
the table.
SuSS % AVV va GAA0S
And, too, thought detected
q slight "titter" around the two
tables, loaded with viands and
well-wiShers, a mark of bad birth.
day manners when the guest Of
honor has the floor.
But that sense of humor Of
Griff's is one of the attributes Of
his makeup that has kept him
young in mind and a veritable
magnet to those whose lives are
woven around his.
I have seen some men feel a
little sore at Griff from time to
time, but have yet to see one
stay sore at him very long. Any.
one who can make friends and
keep them as has Clark Griffith
during the nearly so years he has
been in baseball, must have some
thing on the ball.
A Couple Of Love Birds
Why, only last October, at the
world series, I saw Griff with his
arms around Judge Lands, the
two of them chattering away like
a pair of magpies; yet there have
been times since Lands has been
in the drivers seat Of baseball that
Griff would verify have liked
to tear Kenesaw Mountain limb
from limb because of rulings the
high commissioner has made
against the Washington club.
Of such a nature is the head
Of your local ball club, and the
hour of his anniversary is as
good a time as any to say it to
his face. Once I stepped into his
office unannounced to find him in
a dither over the act Of a news.
paperman. 1t was with difficulty
that I could quiet his rage. He
was threatening dire consequences.
Gone and Forgotten
Within a week the two were
romping down the fairways Of Co
lumbia Country Club, arm in arm,
but not. necessarily supporting
each other.
On another occasion he was
frothing over a seemingly slight.
ing reference made to him by yet
another scribe.
"Why, that upstart!" he raved,
"I'll see his publisher, etc.!"
He must have seen him, for
within 10 day Griff's picture ap'
peared in the sheet as Judge in
baby contest therefor.
And shall NEVER forget one
of his momentary distastes he
formed for me. He called i'm.
mediateIy on the managing edi
tor, anding satisfaction.
Thence we all went to the Bowie
race track and had the time OF
our lives.
Just a PuSh-Over
I mention these incidents to
show that, despite the fact Griff,
often within his rights, has
shown his ire and contempt for
the bedeviling reporters Of base.
ball activities, he's a perfect
push.over and an old dear before
the cock crows in the morning.
Sometimes he has an awful bark,
but practically no bite at all.
I have always tried to judge
Griff by his own yardstick. He
wouldn't give a quarter for a
ball player who never showed
any fight. And he wouldn't
give a dime for one who couldn't
forget it, when the game was
over.
And I say now, in response to
a genuinely-meant tribute he yes.
terday paid the washington
corps of typewriter technicians
when he called them as fine a
group of Square-Shootin' upstand.
in sons o. guns with which
he has ever been associated from
Chicago to New York to Cincin-
natl to Washington, the major
league bases he has touched.
why shouldn't they be, sitting
on his vest six months Of the
year and unconsciouSly having
their lives nodded by his!"
AS the trees inclined, so often
hnnHath fha fuJi0