The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-27
Lou Mandell, Eternal Rookie, Fails Once More
BY HARRY FERGUSON Limited Press Sports Editor

New York, March 27 - (UP)- They're almost ready to break camp along the Florida baseball circuit today, and the arrival of another springtime has left another scar on the heart of Lou Mandell.
 You have never read his name in a box score and you never will, for hc can't pitch, he can't hit and he can't field. But he has the faith that moves mountains and every year he throws up whatever odd job he happens to have in Chica- go, scrapes together nickels and dimes and goes south to seek a try out with the ball clubs.
 Some say Lou is 27 and some say he is 37 but it doesn't matter for he is agelesS in his love for base ball. To him every winter is a dreary interlude during which he must work desperately to earn bus fare to Florida. This has been go- ing on every spring since 1884, and today the word comes up from the south that Lou has failed to make the grade again and has sent post card to his mother, telling her he is starting north.
 Delighted
 He burst into Tampa this sea- son, brimming with confidence and full of many new plans. He came immediately to hotel room where some of us who write baseball were gabbing about the game. Lou had s2.23 in his pocket, his clothing was stained with the dust of all the states he had crossed on a bus, he was hungry-but he came bearing great tidings. He had gained 10 pounds during the winter and he figured that was just what he need cd to put zig on his fast one and make him a powerhouse at the plate. This was going to be his year.
 A patched baseball uniform was crammed into battered little bag that he carried-all the spare cloth- ing he had brought. He had oiled his glove and cleaned his spikes Tomorrow, why, tomorrow he was going out to plant field and con- vince Manager Bill McKechnie oi the Cincinnati Reds that he could pitch and hit.
 It's not as though Lou was a stranger around the grapefruit league. Every manager and every player knows him, and his many trips to Florida have made him a sort of court jester in the throne room of the kings of baseball. MoSt Of them let him work out with the team for couple of days, get al the laughs they can out of his awk. ward fielding and hitting and ther call him aside and tell him that ht isn't quite ripe for the big leagues Then Lou trudges on to another camp.
 It's a mystery where he get! money to eat, but there is a vel grounded suspicion that certain soft-hearted ball players shak, hands with him and walk ava, leaving Lou staring at a coin or ; bill in his right palm.
 So this was going to be his year he said, as he stood in the middl of the hotel room and showed u his new pitching motion. He ha, been figuring the batters all winter Low and inside was the way t, pitch to Hank Greenberg and 1 you had good control you coul' curve Joe Medwick to death. Al he wanted was a chance to shoy his stuff and tomorrow he would b out there in the sunshine. ready t go :.
 And now the news comes nortl that Lou has failed to catch ol again. Even Minor League club said they were sorry but the. couldn't sign him. So he's comini up from Florida with the Robins spinning plans in his head for tn 1940 training season and preparing