The Washington times., 1936-03-21
Baseball
Is Mw TO
Briggs
BY FRANK BUCK oNEnL

1t is all new to me. I'm trying
to learn, and love the game
The speaker Is Walter O.
Briggs, president of the Detroit
Tigers, who succeeded to the post
Of the late Frank J. Navin. Nature
nodded Mr.. Briggs upon ample
lines. Kindly providence gave
him sense Of humor, and an ap-
probation of things that men with
his resources often lack. Directing
the affairs of the Detroit Tigers,
and Of course Mickey Cochrano
does most of the directing, is de-
lightfully refreshing to him. He
held open house yesterday at the
headquarters Of the Tigers at
Lakeland.
Even the headaches of running
a major league club are part of the
glorious adventure that clrcum-
stances thrust upon this gentleman
of the Middle West. The holdout
of Hank Greenberg; that's also an
experience. There are no harsh
statements coming from the Tigers
on the status of the hard-hitting
Hank. His case Is discussed very
frankly. There Is a difference Of
opinion, quite difference of opin-
ion as to how much Greenberg Is
worth to the Tigers.
Bonus Ruling Okay
Mr.. Briggs will tell you that q
man is entitled to his opinions.
He will also tell you that the club
is entitled to it's opinions.
"Feel upset about the COmmis-
siOner's ruling on the bonus I
offered the bOyS?" demanded Mr..
Briggs with a merry smile. WELL
there's the Commissioner right
over there talking to Larry Nc
Phail of Cincinnati, and Bob
Quinn of Boston. He writes the
orders and 1 build them. No. no;
that isn't it. He writes the orders,
and in baseball, 1 take 'em:
That's the way it works.
different In the automobile
business" Mr.. Briggs carried
on. "YOU can pep up q staff
to spread eagle the field. But
rules are rules. It's Ok. with
me and just hope the boys
win the flag again.
"Have you seen AL Sim
mOns?" he asked. Mickey tells
me that AL looks as good as
he did-nOw when was 1t; oh,
yes, in 1880. Well, he hit one
to right field in Orlando, and
he hit one over the left field
fence here. Those are the only
vulnerable fences, I take it.
"Greenberg,'' repeated Mr..
Briggs. For just a minute his
grey eyes lost their twinkle.
"WelI' we've made q fair offer
to Greenberg.
"Hank asked for $4,000 and
said he didn't mean $39,O0O.'
We do not believe that he Is
worth that salary to US. We
have some other ball players
who are very good men.
; "There is a wide difference
, in our views on the matter"
} LEARNING ABOUT CAMPS
From authentic sources, not
from Mr.. Briggs, this reporter
learned that there was a differ.
: ence of more than $4,000 in
what Greenberg wants-$40, 900,
and what the club has offered
It is common talk that the
Tigers offered $4,000.
81 am learning q great deal
about spring training camps"
Mr.. Briggs spoke on, and We
must return him to the rOS-
trum. 81 once thought that
you went out and bought good
young ball players, and that
settled the matter. But to my
amaZement I learn that If q
club gets one good yOungSter
out of the spring crop it may
consider itself lucky.
Mickey tells me that we.
have several exceptionally prom
Using kids. Now If that is so,
We will be all right. I really
expect Simmons to have q fine
year. I've watched him close.
ly and he has fine spirit.
ut was always one Of the,
principles of Frank J. Navin to-
treat baseball players fairly"
Mr.. Briggs said in level tones.
"It is my intention to carry on
those principles. Ball players
know when they are fairly
treated, and will give their best
efforts when satisfied"
YORK GOING STRONG
eve believe that we have
made Hank Greenberg q fair
offer. His counter proposition
Is out of line, as we see the
matter. We have made our last
offer to him. Now let us look
at the replacementS available.
Rudy York hits a ball with
, power, and he is not the worst
infielder in the game-I quote
Mickey COchrane on that.
. "YOrk has confidence in him
, self. 1 asked him what he In
; tended to do when Greenberg,
5 came back, If Greenberg came
? back.
! "'Run him right off the job
was the unhesitating answer OF
: York.
' "What did Mr.. Briggs think
, of the Boston Red SOx?"
"Why, that's the team that's
going to win the pennant," he.
laughed. eyes, sir; it's all over
but writing the world series
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