Evening star., 1943-07-28
Clubhouse |nvasions
BY Owner Seen as
Root Of Trouble
BY TED MEIER.

ASSOCIATED Press sports Writer.
Clubhouse friction was reliably
reported today to be the main
reason why Bucky Harris was dis
missed last night as manager OF the
National League Phillies in a move
that astonished the baseball world.
Coming on the heels of the Phils'
double defeat at the hands of the
flrst-place St. Louis Cardinals, who
stretched their winning streak to II
in row, the news of Harris ousting
and the announcement Of Freddy
F1tlsimmons, Brooklyn pitcher
coach, as his successor surprised
most diamond followers.
1t was a 'shock" to Harris. who
said at st. Louis: Apparently Mr..
Cox William D. Cox, new owner of
the Phlls) means to call me some
time and tell me of the change. At
that time 1 expect to get the ex-
planation I feel is in order"
Puts Finger in Pie.
Everything was lovely last Feb
ruary when Cox signed the former
boy wonder as manager. Since
the start of the season, however, the
33-year-old Cox. who pitched and
caught in his undergraduate days at
Yale and New York University, has
frequently visited the players in the
clubhouse after the game.
This was perfectly all right until
the grapevine reports, the youthful
magnate declared, among other
things, that he couldn't understand
why the club wasn't fighting for the
lead. Harris is reported to have sug-
gested automatically that it would
be better if Cox, as president of the
club, sent for the players he wished
to talk to instead of seeing them in
the clubhouse This apparently
didn't set well with Cox, who there
upon obtained permission from
Branch Hickey, Brooklyn president
to open negotiation with FitzSim-
mons. "Fitz' is to make his man
agerial debut tonight when the fhils
again play the Cards.
This latest twist to a what's gon-
ma happen next season overshad-
owed the Cards winning streak
longest of the season, and virtually
showed out of sight the fact that
today is the second war relief day
OF the season for the ma jor leagues
Big War Relief Day.
Back on June 30, total of 1874 5 7e
fans paid Sl47,391 into the treasury
Of National War Relief, Inc. The
clubs hope todav's program, high
lighted by Babe Ruth's return to the
Yankee Stadium as a one-day man
ager, will exceed that mark both il
attendance and dollars.
The pitching of Murry Dickson
! and HOWE Krist brought the Card
| lnals victories by to 2 and 5 to :
/ TO boost their lead over the idle
/ Dodgers to g. games.
The most exciting game was il
| New York. where the Yankees anc
| Cleveland Indians battled l3 innings
! before a single by Pinch Hitter Bill
Dlckey scored Bill johnson from
/ second base for 4-to-3 Yankee
triumph. Hank Borowy pitched al
( the way for the Yanks. The only
! previous scoring came When Charle1
Keller blasted his 18th homer Will
two on in the sixth and Mickey Rue
co duplicated the feat for CLEVELAND
In the seventh to tie the score.
Pittsburgh. kept out of secont
/ place on Monday, when Brooklvn'
Arky Vaughan socked a grand-slan
/ homer, started a new drive for the
/ runnerup spot by beating the New
! York Giants. to 5. Three home
/ runs by Maurice Van Robavs. Ton
OBrien and Bob Elliott accounted
Tor SIX of the Pirate runs.
Braves Gain Sixth Place.
The Boston Braves moved over the
Phlllles into sixth place by defeating
| Cincinnati. to 2. as Jim Tobir
scattered seven hits in gaining his
ninth win of the season. Catcher
Phil Mast had a perfect day at bat
with three hits and a base on balls
! Trailing by three runs going into
/ the eighth. the ST Louis Brown.
| tied the score. then punched foul
hits for four runs in the ninth tt
beat the Philadelphia Athletics. {
to 4. The Chicago White Sox
helped by Gordon Maltzberger's re.
lief pitching. defeated WASHINGTON
b to 5, in night game.
The Dodgers. Cubs, Red Sox anc
/ Tloorc u-oro il1o