The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-04


FoXX. This talk convinced me that
if Foxx had lost enthusiasm it was
due to circumstances which could
be readily remedied. Thus con-
WINGED I didn't hesitate to buy him.
Keep your eye on him this year.
He will have one Of his greatest sea-
sons"
Baseball men are saying the Red
Sox haven't got enough pitching to
win the championship, but nobody
IN the American League should be-
grudge Mr.. Yawkey any success.
They may question the values he
places on baseball material, but
they can never question his faith
in the future of the game. Any
man who will invest 100000 in
baseball in depression years is
either an incurable addict or very
foresighted business man-and of
course he could be both.
For Immediate Delivery
Some people seem to think I
pay excessive prices for ball play
ers," says Mr.. Yawkey. II don't.
You see don't consider what ball
player is worth in the general
sense: 1 consider what he is worth
to my ball club for immediate de-
livery. That's how I operate. 1t
explains the so-called excessive
prices paid for Grove, Cronin,
FoXx and the Others"
For one season it looked as if Mr..
YaWkey had been suckered into a
bad buy in Grove, but last year the
angular left-hander put on re-
markable come back, again became
20-game winner and led all the
pitchers in earned runs. Terrell, dis
carded by Cleveland as dead-arm
pitcher, also experienced a spectac-
Elar comeback
Mr.. Yawkey paid $25 900 for Fer
rell after being warned he was buy
ing washed-up pitcher, Alva
Bradley president of the Clevelands,
held nothing back; he told Mr..
Yawkey the complete gloomy story
about Terrell, how his arm had
suddenly left HIM, how he had failed
as an outf1elder, how he had gone
back to his native Carolina hills,
and, pitching against semi pros, had
failed even there.
Tom Laughs Last
81 want him anyway" persisted
Mr.. Yawkey. But I DO want to
make one condition. Don't laugh
at me If this transaction turns out
badly. I'm new at this game and
know there are a certain number of
chances I've got to take. This is
one of them"
1t will be long time before any,
body laughs at Mr. Yawkey about
that one. Terrell proved to be one
of the best investments he has made
up to now, if not the best.
Speaking of the Clevelands re-
minds me that Mr.. Bradley and his
new manager, Steve O'Neill, were
here for the baseball writer's in
door picnic. O'Neill, one of the
great catchers of his day. and the
best man I ever saw at blocking
runners at the plate, replaced
Walter johnson late last season. A
combination of unpleasant circum-
stances, impossible to conquer, led
to the old pitchers withdrawal.
Gives Successor Break
There was an incident tied up with
his leaving that was typical of the
man, illustrative of his fine charac-
ter. 1t was decided he was through
and he was to leave the team on
a certain date. 1t so happened that
on this date the Clevelands were
due to open a series in Detroit
against the league leaders. Johnson
pointed that out.
Mr.. Bradley" he said, you'd
better let me take the team to De-
troit for that series. Detroit's
stronger team and besides our
pitc hing has begged down. think
O'Neill may get better start if
he takes the club over after we
play Detroit"
Although ousted with only two
months of the season left johnson.
in leaving, made a personal sacri-
flee to see that his successor got a
fair break at the post. 1t was all
in O'Neill's favor, too, because the
next eight games the Clevelands
played were with second division
teams. where the percentage nor
mally rested with the new manager.