Evening star., 1938-03-28
CHIEF T0LERATES
R0[[|E HEMSLEY
Can Hit Hootch Once in II
Days, Wits Concession
to Tribe Catcher.
BY PAUL NICHOLSON,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW ORLEANS. La, March 28-
so far. has fallen upon Rollicking
Rollie Hemsley Chef Fire Water of
the Cleveland Indian tepee After 10
years OF bitter experience. Rol!ie has
concluded he's the worlds worst fight
er while under the influence.
Never is it safe to predict q COM
plete reformation for ball PLAYER
with past like Rollicking Rolle.
Before this piece gets into print he
may be off the water wagon and
ereasing the aXles. Yet it is true he
has reformed for a stretch of 10 days
now and that's about all Manager
Oscar Witt asks OF him. Chief Oscar
feels If his star catcher can stay on
the wagon 10 out of ii days his In
dian papooses may grow up to be
Yankee head hunters this summer.
Rollies trouble isn't whisky alone.
It's his bum fighting form when he's
had too much whisky. When Rollie
guzzles more than two drinks he gets
convinced he's the new John l.. Sui
llvan. And the inevitable happens.
He gets into fist fight with some
bar fly who thinks mes Jack Dempsey.
When the furry of fists is over Rnllie
is sure he's Phil Scott because he's
on the floor, with at least one and
usually two black eyes The sinners
are what get our hero into trouble.
because even he can't catch baSeballs
when his eyes are closed tighter than
Connie Mack's checkbook
Hornsby Merciless.
But Rogers Hornsby made me do
1t one day" he moaned as he re-
called his tempestuous days with the
St. Looey Browns. One eye Wa
shut. and the other was going fast,
but he made me catch the whole game.
1t was murder l was disguised with
things. anyway. when l was with
the Browns and was so tickled when
they traded me to. the Indians I
thought I even could drink moderately.
But I can't drink. no how I always
get A sinner when I drink"
Chief Witt. the kind OF fellow whom
all his players and touring newsps per
men swear by instead Of at. is very
hopeful for Rollie.
Though I'm a stick]er for training
rules and won't tolerate infractions."
says the Indian chief, I'm willing to
go halfway with Hemsley II he,
breaks training teeney bit once every
IN dave fIink r y iS,o
only he'd better not come up with
black eyes! I will not stand for
sinners on my bali club"
Rollie got into his big Jam with
Chief Witt from the very start. He
broke training three times in 10 days,
came up with the inevitable black eye
and socked photogra pher who loved
the Indians so much he didn't even
move to shine up Rollie's other optic.
AS result, Rollie was sent home to
Dixon. Mo-. whence he returned st.
Patrick's day to lead a reformed life.
When he came back. some one sug-
gested his fight might be easier If
Mrs. Hemsley came to camp.
Wife Might Help.
My wife would help all right"
said Rollie Then he swelled his chest
proudly and exclaimed def1antly: But
I want to tight this battle alone!"
hope he fights a good fight-slone
But his average over 10 years has
been just $3.50. And it's up to Rol-
licking Rollie to provide the spark for
the ball club. As he goes. sinners
and all. so will the Injuns. With
Hemsley teaching Bob Feller how to
pitch and with several promising
rockies, foremost Of all Ken Keltner,
a heavy-hitting third baseman up
from Milwaukee, the Tribe from the
banks Of Lake Erie look 20 per cent
stronger than in 1887 They don't
rate to catch the Yankees, but should
wage % close battle for second place
against Detroit and Chicago and
maybe the Boston Red Sox.
Keltner, product of softball, is the
hit of the Indian tepee this spring
and looks to be a cinch for third base.
He's been batting down the fences
even against Carl Hubbell and Hal
Schumacher of the Giants. He dou-
bled and homered of Hubbell and
smashed long homer with two on
against Schumacher when the Giants
came to town. In fact. the German
huskie looks so good he's got every
body in camp worried.
They're afraid Judge Lands may
investigate and discover Cleveland
failed to register his contract.