Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-04-12
MoePhoiI Finds HeckIinq
Terry Is Good Business

On crossing the bridge, to satisfy
their curiosity, they discovered that
the island had been sold to John
McGraw for $24 and two infielders
They hurled a couple OF tentative
flatbush mating calls at McGraw,
saw his neck. turn red, and realized
that they had something there.
The rest is history.
Mr.. MacPhail finds it good busi-
ness to carry on the feud, but to
do him justice, his heart is thor
oughly in his work. He likes no
part of William Terry, business or
no business, and the feeling is
strongly mutual. The Red Evans
case is just another link in the
chain of antipathy so closely forged
by the cold man from Memphis and
the warm man from Michigan.
MacPhail is veteran talent
thief. Shortly after the armistice
he tried to steal the Kaiser from
the people of Holland, to whom the
big fellow had just been traded by
Germany. This adventure ended in
a checkmate at the very door Of the
Kaisers boudoir, and Leland STAN
ford MacPhail had to be satisfied
with stealing an ash tray from Will
helms living room, to add to his
extensive collection Of ash trays
and second hand ball players.
Having come 50 close to snatch
ing the flower of the Hohenzollerns,
It was child's play for MacPhail
10 steal Mr.. Russell Red" Evans
20 years later. The facts IN the
case are fairly familiar.
Evans belonged to Terry, who
bought him from New Orleans for
$4,000. Finding his roster over
stocked, the Giant manager as
signed Evans to his Jersey City
farm club for the winter, meaning
to redeem him in the spring and
dress him in Giant livery. Mac
Phails rowing eye detected the
move, the idea behind 1t, and the
blunder involved. Came the draft.
MacPhail claimed Evans for the
standard price of $500, and Mr..
Terry was handcuffed.
30 Yeor-OId Recruit
Confident Of Self
It would, as Mr.. MacPhail says,
be q splendid stroke of needleWork
to start Evans against the Giants
In the seasons opener. This raw
boned operative, turned 80 years
old and full Of cactus confidence,
has been going well in spring train
Ing. He has good speed, plenty OF
nerve and newly found control. He
might beat the Giants at that,
though sound strategy dictates the
use of Fred Fitzsimmons or Lucius
McCorkindale Hamlin as the Brook
Ign starter.
Evans is by no means too shy to
oil the role.
They all look alike to me-" says
Russell, lingering his pool cue and
studying the table. II would just as
soon start Of by knocking down the
Giants"
To give Evans the sort of COM
oanionship he needs Mr.. MacPhail
has Just acquired another eccentric
twirler, Cletus Elwood Pof1enber-
ger, late of Detroit. Between them.
Evans and Poffenberger figure to
lick the platter clean, since Evans
favors beer and Poffenberger will
take any kind of drink that hasn't
got . collar.
No slouch In the daytime, Poffen-
berger has always done his best work
at night. Undoubtedly MacPhail,
the patron of night ball, was think
ing Of this when he bought the
stout youth, though Poffenberger
had q different sort of work IN
mind.
IT he crosses me-" says Mac
Phail, II will fine his ears off,"
Pofenberger has reserved COM
ment.
That y the pitching situation
In Brooklyn Is Of this week. It
bodies no good for William Harold
Terry and possibly none for Brook
lvu. either.