Evening star., 1938-07-20
NO SPOT FOR RUTH
SEEN N|NBROOKLYN
Stainback, Koy, Durocher in
Boosting Club End Talk
of New Field Leader.
BY GRANTLAND RICE,
Special Correspondent of The Star.


NEW YORK, July 2o.-Nobody-
especially Burleigh Grimes-can look
with indifference on the recent squirt
OF the Brooklyn Dodgers. A little
While ago they seemed so firmly an
chored in seventh place that nothing
could be done about them, and at
tendance at Ebbets Field fell away so
badly that night baseball was used
to bring it back.
The hiring Of Babe Ruth as a coach
another move designed to give the
crowd a show and also to take its
mind of the ball club for a moment
was seen also as a direct threat to
Grimes security.
Burt Shotton, Jimmy Wilson and
even Frank Frisch had been named
as the possible successors to Grimes,
and with the Babe actually in a
Brooklyn uniform it looked as though
his clamor for chance as a big
league manager was about to be an
swered.
Grimes, they said, would not be
able to survive the presence of the
Babe, although the Babe protested he
had no desire to be the next manager
of the Dodgers, and Grimes was en-
phatic in his insistence that he not
only welcomed the Babe as lieu-
tenant but had suggested the ar
rangement. Maybe that was true,
although nobody believed it at the
time. They thought Burleigh was
just trying to be nice and make the
Babe feel at home.
Chance for Babe Fades.
Whatever was behind the signing
of the Babe, there doesn't appear to
be much behind it now-or much in
front of the Babe, either, so far as
Brooklyn is concerned.
There has been no more talk about
the possibility of the Babe managing
the Dodgers in 1899, and there is
growing impression that he will go
into retirement again or at least
withdraw from Brooklyn when this
season is over. Meanwhile there has
been no further mention of Shotton,
Wilson and Frisch. Grimes seems to
have the situation well in hand.
This is natural in view of the way
the Dodgers have been moving lately.
Only the drive that took the Pirates
into first place has eclipsed the per-
formance Of the Brooklyn club, which
knocked the Giants out of first place,
hammered its way past the Cardinals
and ousted the Bees from the second
diyic Loo oil IN, Ln 80
week
Among the performances of the
Dodgers in this sudden rush was the
capture OF double header from the
Reds in Cincinnati. And, remember,
the rush was launched against the
three strongest clubs in the league
the Giants, the Pirates and the Reds.
Trio Giving Dodgers Boost.
Conspicuous in the improved play
of the Dodgers are Tuck Stainback,
Ernie Koy and Leo Durocher. Stain
back, recently acquired, already has
made himself popular with Dodger
fans by his timely hitting and spec
tacular fielding. Koy, obtained from
the Yankees at the start of the season,
has been helpful all along. He has
been used in the outf1eld and at third
base and has told Grimes he is will
ing to play anywhere-that he even
will pitch or catch If necessary.
Durocher. one of the greatest in
fielders in baseball. gives of no signs
of slowing up as the years roll along.
II anything, he is as good today as
he ever was, and there are days when
he looks even better than he ever did
1t was IL years ago when he came
up to the big leagues as . utility in
fielder with the Yankees. That first
season he had an opportunity to show
himself right from the start, because
Tony LaZzeri was put out of action
by lame back, and Miller Higgins
posted the youngster at second base.
Second base on the Yankees Of 1927
the team which many observers be-
lieve was the greatest of the modern
baseball era-was no soft spot for =
kid fresh from the minors, but Du-
rocher filled it brilliantly. falling in
with the swift pace set by Lou Gehrig,
WAL IAONAllS oAAu cOO Ou6oh.
Club Catches Up to Durocher.
Later with Cincinnati and then
with the Cardinals he embellished the
reputation he had made as kid with
the Yankees. His departure from the
Cardinals last fall, when he was traded
to the Dodgers, left yawning gap
in the inf1eld that has not yet been
filled.
He undoubtedly has meant more to
the Dodgers this year than any other
man on the team. He was playing
good ball when it looked as though
the Dodgers might seriously chal-
lenge the Phillies' claim on last place.
Now that the Dodgers are on the
rise it means that they have caught
up with their shortstop. He still is
playing great ball. Only now he isn't
alone.
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