Evening star., 1943-07-28
Not Even Told byC Cox
Of Being Displaced,
Bucky Declares
BY the Associated Press. .

+ By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, July 28.-Easy-
going Freddy Fitzsimmons took over
direction of the slumping Phila-
delphia Phillies today in place of
Stanley R. (Bucky) Harris, who de-
scribed himself as shocked" by the
first managerial change of the
major league season.
To Fat Freddie" who broke into
organized baseball with the same
team as Harris-Muskegon, Mich,
of the old Central League-his first
major league menagership came as
42d birthday gift.
Il consider it great honor,
naturally, to become a major league
manager and 1 believe the Phila-
delphia club has great possibilities,
the veteran Brooklyn pitcher-co
said after the Phillies' board of di-
rectors announced he would take
over 'in the best interests of the
successful operation of the club"
Harris Kept in Dark.
Harris, who was named manager
of the Phillies after William D. Cox
acquired the club in deal with the
National League last spring, said at
St. Louis that he had not been in
formed he was being replaced.
This is the most shocking thing
that has happened to me in my en-
tire life" said the soft-spoken for
mer boy manager" of the Washing
ton Senators. Il have not talked
with Bill Cox and this is all sur
prise to me. 1 have nothing to
say"
Fitzsimmons, meanwhile. who said
he remained in his Chicago hotel
room all day yesterday so, / would
not have to answer a lot of ques-
tions," planned to take over man.
agership of the Phillies before their
game with the St. Louis Cardinals
tonight
A veteran OF more than l8 years
pitching with the Dodgers and New
York Giants, Fitzsimmons came to
the seventh-place Phillies. who
earlier this season had scared into
the first division. as twin loss to
St. Louis gave them score of 3 wins
in II games on their current road
trip.
Fitz May Try to Pitch.
Twice the National Leagues lead
ing pitcher and veteran of three
World Series. though he never won
series game, Fitzsimmons said he
might try to do little bit more
pitching this year if I am able"
He also was reported to have said
that he would retain Chuck Klein as
coach of the Phillies. but not Bucky
Harris longtime associate, Earl
Whitehill
Fitzsimmons said the Philadelphia
offer came as big surprise" al
though he had seen Branch Hickey.
president Of the Dodgers. last Sat-
urday and his conversation ap-
parently was to find out if I would
, be available for the job" Then on
Monday, he said. Il was approached
in New York by Cox
Bucky's Status Not Clear.
The statement of the Phlllies di-
rectorS did not mention the status
Of the 46-vear- Harris. himself a
member of the board. who came
up from Toronto of the Interna-.
tional League in 1919 and in his
first season as manager piloted the
Washington club to its first Ameri-
cah League championship and a 4-3
victory over the Giants in the 1924
World Series.
The Senators repeated their league
victory under Harris in 1928 but
lost the series to the Pittsburgh Pi-
rates. Harris returned to the Ma
Ilonal Capital in 1896 after manag-
ing the Detroit Tigers and Boston
Red SoX, and was released at the
end of the 1912 season
FitzSimmons. who came up from
indianapolis of the American Asso-
citation. mas won 2l7 games and lost
l46 in 10 years as major league
pitcher. Traded to Brooklyn in
1887, he won 10 and lost seven in
l940 He pitched seven scoreless in
nlngs against the Yankees in the
1941 World Series but was forced
out of the game by an injury.