The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-01
.EMSLEY AT 50
REACHES PEAK
BEHIND PLATE.
Jolly RolIie" Becomes
Anti=Drinking Club
Enthusiast
BY ROBERT /. FITZHENRY
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent,

(U0lCe0 freSS Stau COrfeSpOn0enC)
Cleveland, O., (UP)-It was just
a year ago that Ralsten Burdett
Hemlsey, who currently is sparkling
as one of the brightest stars in the
Cleveland Indians lineup, was
Pickering like spent candle.
What caused the sudden renais:
sance of man they all said was
washed up? No one knows. And it
doesn't make sense in the book of
rules.
Rollie was 80 years old June "a.
There are few in the American
league backstopping bushes who can
match or top him in years.
The Red Sox' Gene Desautels is
II days older. He's batting just
over the 200 mark.
Bill Dickey of the Yanks Is IS days
older and is batting bit higher.
Rick Terrell with Washington is
about nine months older than Rol-
lie and his plate figures for the year
remain between .230 and .240.
Suffered Wrist Injury
Hemlsey, on the other hand, I'M
til recently, was playing in more
games than any other American
league receiver and hitting at well
over a 800 clip. An injury to his
wrist forced his retirement for sew
eral days an daffected his batting
slightly after he returned. Now,
however, he appears back on the
roaring pace he's set for himself
since the beginning of the season a
pace which probably viii lead him
to the very peak of his career. And
this after II years Of almost con-
slant inattention to training rules.
He used to sport a batting average
of the coctail circuit that was the
despair of every manager he worked
under.
For more than decade Jolly
Rollie"-as the players dubbed him
was a diligent deserter from the
water wagon. From the Pittsburgh
Pirates to the Chicago Cubs to the
Cincinnati Reds to the Cleveland
indians he went. 1t was a legend,
however, that Hemlsey was better
with hangover than most Of his
competitors cold sober.
Sold by Browns in 1888
The Cleveland Indians gave am
pie evidence Of the respect Hemsley
commanded around the league. The
Tribe, fully informed on Rollie's
drinking habits, nevertheless spent
four fruitless years trying to buy
him before the st. Louis Browns in
1888 finally sold him.
eff the Indians obtain Rollie
Hemlsey, I'll keep him in condition
if have to go out and drink with
him myself" Manager Oscar Witt
said just before the sale went
through.
But these proved empty words.
Rollies, despite creditable exhibitions
behind the plate, CAV e no indication
of relaxing the roistering. He hadn't
been in spring training more than
10 days when he was on his way
back to his farm in Dixon, Mo-,
under temporary suspension for
three attractions of training rules.
Periodically thereafter he fell of
the water wagon.
Then strange thing happened.
He Joins Teetotalers
On April IL, 1889, enroute from
Richmond, Va, to New York city,
Hemsley fell hard. Manager Witt
promptly sent him home. At the
Cleveland station Rollie was met by
two men who said they were men,
bers of Alcoholics Anonymous, the
secret organization of reformed
tipplers. Dollie wasn't much in
terested at first. The anonymous
well wishers were persistent, how
ever, and finally prevailed upon him
to make trip to Akron for an or
ganization meeting.
And then it happened. Whatever
went on at Akron, no one will ever
know except the club members and
Rollie. But the effect of the con-
clave was sensation in the base
ball world. Rollie quit drinking,
quit cold, wouldn't touch a drop.
And that's the way it's been from
then unit lnow. Hemsley today, in
fact, is not content with his own
abstinence. He works diligently at
tempting to bring other heavy drink
ers into the fold.
The II years have dealt lightly
with Rollie. He's picking them off
first, firing them down to second
and handling his pitchers in the
brainy way they always said he did
when he was concentrating full
time on the game.
The Indians current fight for
their first pennant since 1920 is due
in no small part to Hemlsey's expert
receiving. The Tribe, suffering an
amazing palsy at the plate for a
league leading club, is relying almost
entirely on the peerless pitching of
Teller, Milnar and Smith, who in
turn have been dependent upon the
faultless handling of "the old man"
behind the plate.