The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-29

members in the NaJ1Onal league, DIS e - HioHJ A0 "
the outside looking in, the men who are behlna 1ne laIes1
hid far 2 flag in the Hub, are surprising a few folks in the
manner they are giving Braves field a face-lifting.
IT'S said that box seat holders in the National
league park in Boston have been sitting ao"n' ana
looking up to the games played tnere'
The field was too high, box seat holders complained
we goota strain our necks to see the action.
Instead of raising the box seats, the three con
tractors who now own the Braves decided TO lower me
diamond some IS inches. And they are successful
contractors too.
It's like the steamship captain VINO hollered at the
drav-bridge attendant when his vessel neared the bride,
"Don't raise the bridge, lower the water"
The three little steam shoyels, as the braves own,
ers are now called, are type of men who build a nome
around a doorknob evidently, but no one can questloh
their willingness to give Hub fans a winner.
While they dig for a pennant, they dig in their wallets
and come up with a handful of cash, which they spread
around to happy bosses of other teams.
GETTING Billy Southworth to sign on the dotted
line after the ex- Cardinal manager had won a flag for
St. Louis took a healthy sum of cash, and it is now re-
vealed that after getting Southworth the sho!vels con-
tinued to hand out some tempting offers to the Cubs
for Bill Nicholson.
Thew spent several hundreds of thousands of good old
American bucks buying up such stars as other National
league clubs would sell 'em, and gave little thought to the
fact that across the avenue Tom Yawkey spent fourteen
years spending money before he won a pennant, with the
Red sox.
Yawkey failed because he tried to buy a flag. Can't
do it. felIas, because the rest of the league Is only
gong to let so many play ~ vi otdIuom qudH'1eo NC
sent to any one team. The clinchers won't follow.
Yawkey learned it, and began shortly before the war
to spend bis money in the minors developlng future
greats. and buying minor league talent. The pennant
followed.
Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, Tex Hughson, Dave Fer
riss, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, and Mickey Harris did
not come from other major league teams, and if there is
any other reason the Sox won last years pennant, we'd
like to know it. The men named were responsible
not Rudy York, Joe Dobson. or Wally Moses who were pur-
chased from opposing clubs in the same league.
The Braves management bought Mort Cooper for
about $50, 900, o%utbidding several other National league
teams for Cooper's right arm. For all the good the
big Highlander did the Braves last year when he won
seven and lost four, they might just as well have farm
ed him out.
Now, the Braves have a chance to give Boston it's first
National league flag since the miracle team of 1914, and
It is possible due to Johnny Sain, Bob Elliott, Earl Tor
geson and Warren SPAIN, all men obtained by the Braves
management from sources other than major league trades.
In other words, Boston is proving once again, in a
different league, that you don't buy pennants, you
develop them. 1t would almost be true that in modern
baseball there never has been a case of a major lague
trade handing a winner to any single club.
When Dizzy Dean went to the Cubs from the Card
1nals, he was a flop. When Hank Borowy went to the Cubs
from the Yankees, the Cubs won the pennant, but not sole
ly on the strength of Borowy.
So it's good to see the Braves giving up the idea
at least, of trying to purchase stars of other major
league members. Such a practice will never bring a
pennant to the Hub, which is the National league city
most deserving of one right now.
It's been a long time since Braves fans were treated to
a winner, and most Of the fans in the United States, who
are not directly connected with the other seven clubs, are
roofing for the lnjuns this season.
If the management will lower the entire diamond
to give the fans a break in viewing the games at Braves
field, then it is safe to say they Will not rest until the
same fans get a break in cheering for their team in a
world series.
This year? Maybe, but the Cardinals are still the team
to beat, even though they are still far from the pinnacle.
we predict the Giants and Dodgers will fold soon, and the
Braves and Red Birds battle it out down to the wire. with
the Tribe probably just missing the money in September,
But, 1913 is another year.
@;e%7 P CO