The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1946-04-25
'DODCER MANAGER
ADMITS PAYMENT
Tells Story Of Alleged
Beating OF Ex-Veteran;
Denies Blows
BY LEO II. PETERSEN
linked Press Sports Editor

| NEW YORK, ApTu Z4-Vo'h'-sSe
Durocher, TIE flashy, fiery and
lloquaciou manager Of the Brook
| Ign Dodgers, denied Wednesday
at his triai on an assault charge
that he eve- struck John Christian,
| war veteran and baseball far
who used to go out to Ebbets
Field three OF four times week
to heckle them buns"
Instead, The Lip" as he is
known in the baseball world, pic.
tured himself as a manager who
defended his players and would moi
stand for insulting remarks from
fans in the stands.
Christian charged that Durocher
and Joseph Moore. a special patrol
man at Ebbets Field, beat him
up on the night of June 9 during a
Observation-Disclosures Phillies game.
He filed both q civil and criminal
suit against the Dodger pilot and
Durocher admitted Wednesday that
he had sett,ee the former out OF
court for $3.50.
The courtroom was damned to
capacity and about 100 persons
filled the corridor outside when Du-
rocher, nattily dressed in a dark
blue suit with a blue and white
tie, testified in his own defense.
Under questioning by his attorney,
Lyman Barshay, Durocher in an
easy and clear tone told this story:
MY attention was first attract
ed to this Mr.. Christian by his
loud voice 1t was a voice that could
be heard above all others. He came
to the game about three or four
times a week. He used to shout
down, Bumsr That was all right,
but then he called my players
thieves and crooks, as well as ray
self.
He directed his remarks par
ticularly at Bill Hart, our third
baseman from New Orleans.
"One day, Hart came back to
the bench. He was jittery and pale.
l had to remove him from the
game. He was white with rage.
That day I went over to the third
base coaching line. l heard this
fellow shout at Hart you ought to
60 back to New Orleans. Send his
wife with him. She is running
around with other men, Hart
couldn't stand that.
On this evening of June 8, we
were playing a night game with
the Phillies.
About the fifth inning we heard
him shout, Davis, you're crook,
you're throwing the game Curt
Davis was pitching for Brooklyn I.
About that time, had ordered the
hit and run play. The batter miss
ed the ball. but the player got to
second. 1t was close decision
"ery close, but it was a matter Of
the Umpire's judgment. Durocher
smiled at this point for he is not
one to agree all the time with an
Umpire's decision.}
Then l heard this man Chris
tan holler down, you're a crook
with Durochel. You're a crook and
a thief, and you're in cahoots VITA
DurocheI. christian had testified
that he hat S. bet on the game-on
the Phillies.)
II made up my mind to talk
to this fellow, and I called Joe
Moore and asked him to bring him
down. Moore brought him to a
little room behind the dugout.
stood very close to Christian and
pointed my finger at him, and
said to him, have you mother
He made no answer, just looked
down on the floor.
Then I repeated, have you a
MOTHER and then he said, yes.
WELL said, How would you like
it if after this game is over / went
to your house, rang the bell, asked
for your mother, and called her
the names you have been shouting
out here tonight
He did not answer and I said,
we like your kind of fans. You
come out and you shout and that's
all right. You're entitled to 1t and