The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-17

McGraw
Fame
By FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL

BY FRANK BUCK" O'NEILL
The Hall of Fame at Coopers.
town, dedicated to baSeball'S inn
mortals, will be a hollow edifice
without the bust of John j. Nc
Graw. Due to some oversight the
name of the Little Napoleon"
does not appear on the list Of
players submitted by the commit.
tee for the consideration Of base
ball writer's and fans. Yet no one
can name a man who has con.
tributed more to Americas ma.
tional game than that doughty
leader of the Giants.
Baseball was war to John ]. Nc.
GraW. He fought the other team
during the game and was willing
to carry his feudS into the night
if anyone challenged him. He
fought umpireS and fans. Not
even rival club owners were i'm.
mune from his biting sarcaSmS
and abuse. He waged relentless
war on stupidity and loose base
ball.
Make all the errors you
must; they're part Of the
game" he said repeatedly to his
players. "But do not make q
stupid play"
COULDN'T TOLERATE
He carried his preceptS into
practice. He would fine a player
who missed a sign and ride him
numerically for his mental blum
ders. McGraw actually fined a
player 500 who hit a game-win.
ming home run when McGraw had
signalled for sacrifice bunt. He
would rage over errors in a pinch,
but forgave them quickly as part
of the human element.
McGraw raised baseball in New
York from low estate. He assumed
command in 1902, going to the
metropolis from Baltimore. He
| fired half the men he found on
the bench and replaced them with
youngsters and carefully selected
players. The Giants at that time
were perennial second division
deniZenS.
He won his first flags in 1904
and before he handed his baton
and cloak to Bill Terry in 1882,
won 10 pellnantS. No other man
ager has ever equaled this record.
Under McGraw, the Giants won
the world series in 1905, 1921 and
/ 1922. In 1904 he refused to &C
knowledge the American League
as major organization and
would not meet the Boston Red
SoX in a world series.
His pennants were won in 1904,
1905, 1911, 1912. 1918, 1921, 1922,
1923 and 1924 No other manager
ever won four consecutive pen.
nants. He also won the pennant
in 1917, triumph that was all
but overlooked in the emergency
of Americas entry into the World
War.
McGrawS record as a ball
player matches his achievements
as manager. He came down
from Clean, N. Y, a trim. slim
youngster with a fiery temper and
fists of steel. He had been in the
minors for a brief spell. playing
at Cedar Rapids, or somewhere
out there.
When he reported to the old
Orioles, the team he proudly con-
tended was the greatest ever, he
found only the end of plank
bench upon which to sit. Some
of the rough and ready Orioles
pushed John off the plank. With
a snarl of rage he flew at the big.
ger man in a whirl of fists and
fought his way back on the bench.
He offered to fight them all. He
was a D'Artagnan in flannels.
Made HitRun Famous
He found his Aramis, Porthos
and Athos in flame-haired Hughis
Jennings, in quiet but mighty
Willie Keeler and N the fleet,
adroit Joe Kelley.
McGraw with Jennings, Keller
and Kelley made the hit and run
play famous. McGraw could stand
at the plate and foul off pitches
until the pitchers were about eX'
hausted. 1t was because Of his
skill in this that the foul strike
rule was adopted.
A fine hitter. a fearless and
skillful baserunner,. McGraw Is
entitled to his place with the
greatest on playing ability alone.
Coupling his athletic ability with
his executive genius McGraw
stands head and shoulders above
the field.
Above all, McGraw was
picturesque. He lived in the days
when the Giants were New York
and John j. McGraw was the
Giants. And so, gentlemen, the
Hall of Fame without the Little
Napoleon?