The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-20

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The pendulum of ~noise-making in the baseball world
completed it's swing from Brooklyn yesterday with the
announcement of Burt Shotton as the new skipper OF the
Dodgers. -:
wide and handsome believing this season has not yet
been determined, but for 1947 at least the damper has
been put on the Brooklyn BOSSES.
At first glance, it would seem that Branch hickey mao
chosen a quiet, colorless diamond sage to fill the vacant
shoes of Leo Durocher, because he fully expects to have
the Lip back at the helm when the Chandler purge runs
out it's time.
coached in the big show since 1913, and II anyone IS
less apt to shoulder ar ump halfway across the dla-
mond in an outspoken protest, we cant tnlhk VINO IL
might be.
The Cougar old Dodger pilot is a direct opposite of
Durocher, and no longer will umpires grimace and tremble
when the schedule calls for them to take the field in Eb-
bets park.
hind Rickey's choice of a skipper. He may want to
test the Brooklyn fans reaction to Shotton, and men
of Shottons type. Rickeys no fool, and although ne
has openly declared himself a bed-fellow of the Lips,
it's entirely possible that Durocher may have been get
ting a bit too big for his shoes.
Brooklyn is a hero-worshipping town. (All right, it's
a city, Brooklyn fans either love or hate a player or
manager. There's no in between at Brooklyn.
Let's suppose that Shotton should bring a pennant
to the Buns this season. He' in contrast TO Dufocnel,
would not be a fan favorite. He would be in the
shadows, quietly standing back of the frontmen, while
the Brooklyn fans shouted their approval. And with
Out the LID nearby, hickey WOulQ u Z te lOSlCdl
for the garlands of roses and hand-claps.
If the Branch is sure that Leo will be back in l948,
then why did he tempt an aging man from retirement
rather than use one of the Dodger coaches for the season ?
Either Jake Pitler, or clyde Sukeforth are capable men,
and either could have handled the Buns this year.
dict that unless Shotton flops completely this season.
But, Hickey has chosen the other path. We pre-
dict that unless Sh0tt0n flOps completely this season,
that he'll still be leading Brookyn's warriors when they
trot out for spring practice in 1948.
Durocher was too colorful -. and who can prove thai
Hickey wants to share the applause with anyone else?
Meanwhile, watch for the next blowoff in, the
baseball world from Washington's Senators. Big Bobo
Newsom has started choking again, and once again its
with his mouth rather than his hurting arm.
Newsom, who will be one of the players to bask in the
sunshine of the pension plan and higher salaries (Which
will make for higher pensions, no doubt) has openly term
ed some of his American League brethren as highly over
paid.
Newsom is letting the fans in on the secrets be-
hind the secrets. He says he knows Hank Greenberg
will draw $4,000 this season because a Washington
Post sports writer told him SO. Bobo knows Hank
turned down S85, 900, so he says, and all tie other poor
ignorant fools in the nation are under the impression
Hank signed for a different figure.
Newsom took his aim off Greenberg for a minute and
fired a broadside at Bob Fener, in his confab with Stan
Baumgartner, one of the top scribes of the country.
You can't tell me he's a great pitcher" says the
Senator chatterbox, as he termed Felers feat of
smashing Rube WaddelIs strikeout record "a cheap
and tawdry disgrace"
And Newsom rambled on swinging his fire toward Ted
Williams, who hit $50 last year in American League an
nuals.
$3.50? He actually hit about $40" blowing Bobo
declared to the public. Every time his bat clicked ne
was credited with a hit" Newsom assailed the scorers
in the American League, all of whom, if we are to be-
leve Bobo, are first cousins of the betting Boston beam
pole.
The essence of all Of this blasting by Newsom was the
high salaries baseball owners are 'being forced to pay play
ers this year" Bobo is right behind the owners. He thinks
salaries are too high. Yet, the higher the pay in the major
leagues, the more Newson himself can hope for, since he
has reached the stage where his greatest value to the
Senators will be as a bench jockey.
But, Bobo's shouting now. So while Durocher
suns himself on the beaches and keeps his trap shut,
Newsom has caught the torch and seems inclined to
fill in for the Lip this year.
And all this despite Happy Chambers order of silence,
about which more will be written shortly.