The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-15
(Reg. U. s. Pat. Off0 nv TANK NTInnV

United Press Stan Correspondent
 New York, Jan. 15.-(UP)-Why Is sweet Wilyum Terry in town? Not since Thurston made an els- phant disappear have the natives of Brooklyn been SO puzzled as by the unexpected presence of Memphis Bill of the GowatluS.
 Born with an unsuitable curiosity, w's braved the perils of @ mammoth banquet in Brooklyn's Hotel St. George last night to keep contact with Terry, former general manager of the New York Giants, who still is ct liberty; Branch Rickey, Presi- dent of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Mel Ott, manager of the Giants. All three were in soup and fish.
 Tn this mammoth banquet room, where 1900 persons were doing their best with war-time turkey, we lo- cated the immaculate Terry at table No. 79.
 We said to Terry, "Bill-what gives?"
 "Nuthin', he said. q just came up from Memphis for this dinner giv- en by the Cathedral club in honor of George V. Mclaughlin. He's one of my best friends, you know"
 We said we didn't know that Ter ry and Mclaughlin were warm friends, because Mclaughlin was the Brooklyn banker who financed the Dodgers until Larry MacPhail came in and put them back on their finanial feet. And wasn't Terry, erstwhile arch-enemy of the Dodg- CTS, the guy who once unfortunate ly inquired: "Is Brooklyn still in the league?"
 Think nothing of that" Terry said. I've always admired Mo- Laughlin."
 We, who always have marvelled at Terry's respect for dollar, and who can apprecite many dollars would be spent on round-trip from Memphis to Brooklyn, said suc- cinctly, "Oh, yeah?"
 Because Leo Durocher, Il; nager of the Dodgers. has been ordered to take physical examination, which probably will slope him right into the army, we asked Terry if he had talked to Hickey, the Dodgers proxy.
 "Yes, saw Branch earlier in the evening"" Terry replied. T told him was always open to sugges- tions-just kidding, you know. And he said we'd have a little chat to- morrow. Just visit. you know"
 We took another tack and asked Terry about the reports that he was considering becoming an official of the red-inked Philadelphia Phils. And if 1t were true that he came | to banker McLaughlin's banquet, seeking financial aid For the Phils.
 Terry grinned synpathetically. T haven't even been in contact with the Phils," he said. T don't know where the boys got those stories about me moving in there"
 Making virtually no progress with tligedoed Terry. we shifted to table No. 6, and married Hickey. Branch. ever benign, rose from his turkey and greet us like long-lost brOth- CT. He admitted that he and Terry would have a chat today-"just Q visit" But he emphasized that he | Wuh ttVb GtEH CotanAuGtbtiB euSISe~ sOr to Durocher, because there Is no certainty that Durocher will be taken into the army"
 Branch assured us with starry. eyed honesty: "As far as I'm cons eeFied, Duroeher still is manager of the Dodgers. My visit with Terry has nothing to do with any p0sslbils tiles of his joining the Dodgers because no such possibilities exist. Just . meeting of old friends, you know"
 We shifted to table No. 2t. and whispered into the ear of Mel ott. the diants' swell little pilot.
 T0osh I don't know why Tergy'a in tcwn--and don't care" otl said. "But I'll tell you this. we're mighty sore about the way the Dodgers and Yankees have e. scheduled their spring exhibition games. You see, they've =. ."
 We Left the banquet positive on one point: Terry is in town.
 were defeated, Ia to il. which val