Evening star., 1941-09-29
Harris Reported Line Succeed Sapna Tribes General Manage
Front-0ffice Job Sans
Field Duty Has It's
Lure, Says Bucky
Attitude Against Active
Monoeership Of Club
Hasn't Changed

By Staff Correspondent Of The Star.
NEW YORK, Sept. 29.-For the
second straight year the close Of the
American League season brings
forth rumors that Stanley Raymond
Harris may transfer from Washing
ton to Cleveland in a move designed
to revamp the Indians and rebuild
their morale.
Whereas year ago the job as
manager of the Indians was open
because of the abrupt, but not un-
expected. resignation of Oscar Witt.
today it is the general managers
post that is vacant in Cleveland.
BY a resignation that was equally
as abrupt and equally as expected,
Cyril Slapnicka has dropped out OF
baseball. at least for the present.
Few names of logical successors"
readily come to mind for those who
are Speculating. One of the first is
that of Bucky Harris. When he
was scouting for new manager
last year. President Alva Bradley
of the Indians called Harris to
sound him out Bucky asked for
two-year contract.
He Didn't Call Back.
I'll contact you again Bradley
Is supposed to have said. He never
did. Roger Peckinpaugh was named
manager.
Harris was not anxious to be the
Cleveland manager last year, nor
has he changed his attitude now.
But being the general manager is
something else Even though un-
approached, Harris admitted today
that he was very much interested.
1T would mean moving up the
ladder" he said. and why stand
still if you can move up?"
Next to Connie Mack Bucky is
the oldest manager in the major
leagues in point of continuous
service. He has been plotting WASH
ington, Detroit. Boston and WASH
ington again since 1924 but for some
years he has been anxious TO strip
off his uniform and try his hand
as a general manager.
Slapnicka Cut Expenses.
Why Bradley did not contact Har-
ris again last year never was eX-
planned. There is just a possibility
that Slapnicka turned thumbs down
on him, although it was reported
that at least two members of the
Cleveland board of directors were
in favor of getting Bucky.
1t is not generally known, but
Bradley, for all of his fabulous for
tune. is not big owner of the
Indians He owns only $4,000 worth
of stock, or approximately one
twentieth. But relatives and friends
invested heavily and turned their
votes over to Bradley, whose first
general manager. Billy Evans was
released supposedly because he spent
too much money.
Slapnicka. only minor league
pitcher during his playing days but
a standout talent scout, was moved
into the front Office and placed III
command. He cut expenses 25 per
cent but the Indians deteriorated
until last year and during 1941 they
were quarrelSome, loafing, diSor-
ganized squad.
Not Popular With Press.
Never popular in Cleveland with
managers, fans or the press, Slap
nicka was blamed for most of the
Indians trouble Recently one
sports columnist openly wrote that
Slapnicka was responsible for last
years mutiny against Witt and that
the first step toward rebuilding the
Indians logically was to fire Slap
nicka
Although in veiled terms and in
verbal advices to Bradley this had
been suggested for couple of years
II was the first time Slapnicka
specifically was singled out and
blamed for the mutiny of 1910
Slapnicka responded by threatening
to sue.
Bradley is a very proud man, u
source close to the Cleveland
ownership told the writer. He comes
from one of Cleveland's oldest and
richest families In his railroad busi-
ness. shipping and mining nobody
tells him what to do nor who to hire
and fire. Therefore he objected to
being told how to run his baseball
club. Instead Of Slapnicka's hold
weakening. it was made stronger by
criticism
Worried, however. because of per-
sistent panning by the Cleveland
press. Bradley held luncheon last
winter and invited suggestions.
Bradley Builds Social Room.
my suggestions said one base
ball writer, "is TO teach Mr.. Slap
nicka. here. how 10 meet and talk
with people Nobody knows him
around the league" Slapnicka was
present.
Bradley built sWanky new press
room. patterned after those in
Brooklyn, New York and Chicago
but Cleveland writer's insist the plan
to make Slapnicka a social lion
failed "Slapnicka hired lot of
relatives around the ball park" one
of them said, bitterly, "and they
cluttered up the place
Aside from his long record as an
able baseball tactician, Harris has
other important qualifications. No
body has to build cocktail lounge
to popularize him. More important
he is we'll liked by Cleveland writer's
who never have agreed on the merits
or drawbacks of Peckinpaugh. Wal
ter Johnson, Steve ONeill and
Witt. F. E. S.