The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1935-01-15
Boo Birds Will Be Heard Early
Unless indians Obtain
Flying Start
BY HARRY GRAYSON
NEA Service

| johnson QlQnC nina Delng IN tight
spots some years ago when his rat
tlesnake whip arm cracked baseballs
across the plate. The Big Train rev.
eled in them, as q matter Of fact.
But pitching baseballs and manag-
ing baseball players are altogether
different, and now, as chief Of the
Cleveland Indians, the load they've
placed on Johr1son's shoulders doesn't
seem quite fair.
Baseball prophets have cooked up
plenty Of headaches for johnson in
the event that the Cleveland In
dians fail to 60 on the warpath with
whoop this spring.
With a Babe Ruth-for- Manager
organization active on the banks Of
the Cuyahoga, all Johnson has to do
to escape the wrath Of the boo birds
is lift a club that finished q tired
third in 1894 to q pennant. Mickey
Cochrane and other managers have
performed more remarkable feats, but
they did not start with the handicap
of having their clubs made champion
by proclamation.
Hopes They're Right
Rogers Hornsby was first to hang
the title tag on the Cleveland entry.
Other pilots joined the chorus. Coch-
rane is the only American League
guide who has cast dissenting vote
to date, and one Of his stars, Goose
Goslin, says that If the Detroit Tigers
do not again grab the gonfalon the
Indians will.
Baseball writer's contracted the
Cleveland fever, which now has per-
meated the ranks Of the Indians
themselves. The latter really is the
only healthy sign, for prognosticators
habitually are as far wrong as the
majority Of them were in regard to
the Washington outfit Of last season.
The Senator's, picked to repeat their
pennant feat OF 1888, finished lame
sixth.
Mel Harder, hero of the all-star
game OF last July. Is the latest to
predict a pennant for the indians.
How can we miss?" asks the
youthful Nebraskan, promising to
account for Is games himself.
Johnson, milking his cows and
feeding his chickens in the solitude
Of his Bethesda, Md, farm, hopes
they're all right, especially Harder.
Branded Managerial Failure
No one knows better than Johnson
that he had best enjoy the peace and
quiet Of his farm while he has
chance. No one realizes better than
johnson how Cleveland, which takes
its baseball quite seriously, is set t.
get aboard him at the slightest slip
Johnson may still be baseball lido
outside Of Cleveland. but, while resi-.
dents Of the pretty city on the shore
Of Lake Erie respect him as q fine
character, he starts tho 1885 season
branded as managerial failure II
the Indian village.
That has been drumned into TIKI
cleveland populace by the baseball
writer's Of the city. It repeatedly ha.
been pointed out that Johnson.
record in Washington and Newark
reveals him as no great shucks as I
baseball strategist.
Il The Cleveland baseball writer
were unanimous in a vicious attach
upon johnson last summer. This lex
Ito johnson actually being booed from
1.-The Cleveland park one afternoon
when his judgment in switching
pitchers was questioned. Not conten
with booing the pitching immorta
from the premises, hundreds stoo'
outside the park waiting to boo hin
downtown.
II Gagged BY Bradley
When President Ava Bradley en-
gagged johnson in the middle Of tn
campaign Of 1888 he forbade tn
, famous right hander to participate
in press conferences In the club
offices after games.
Bradley sought to protect johnson
from the vacuum" applied b.
cleveland baseball writer's. For som
strange reason. Realtor Bradley at
tributed the failure Of Roger Peckin
Ipaugh, whom johnson succeeded, 3
the continual questioning Of the writ
ers.
Bradley was wrong in that re-
gard, and erred again In insistin
; that the friendly johnson make him
. self scarce after games. The latte
, order resulted in alternating johnson
, and the baseball writer's.
Il Unbelievable as it seems, durtn
the storm Of last summer johnson
complained that he had not been IN
terviewed by Q Cleveland baseball
. writer more than two or three time
. since spring training. News re
! porters, not baseball writer's, wrot
; his side Of the story when the de
|mand was that johnson be removed
, Personally, I thought johnson d
! quite well with what he had.
The Indians catching was poo
: All OF their pitchers except Harde
. were consistent in only one respet
showers. Hal Trosky. r.
!, markable first year hitter, was heav
/ hoofed. Odell Hale appeared miscas
I at second base. Willie Kamm va
in and out on one good heel. Eal
/ Ayerill was the only Grade A Out
5 fielder who performed regularly.
!. Naturally, the Cleveland club fie
;. ures to do better this year. MOI
! clubs do.
Il Johnson's life will be more pleasaS
; II Boze Berger, up again from Ne
: Orleans, clicks at second base;
: Hale fits in at third; II Bruce CamE
bell hits in as many runs as he d