Evening star., 1952-07-06
Hutchinson Appointed
JAS Tigers Manager;
Ro|fe, Barte|| Out
tContinued from Page BID

home runs allowed by a pitcher in
one season (32) in 1943.
Rolfe, an exacting taskmaster
whose club trailed 2O1a games out
of first place and 71a out of
seventh. ranked as one of the
leagues highest paid managers
with a one-year contract for ap-
proximately $45,000.
Only two seasons ago, the AZ
year-old Rolfe was hailed by
Sporting News as maneger of the
year. The Tigers surprised by
leading most of the 1850 season
only to lose out to the Yankees by
three games. The Tigers finished
fourth in 1949 and fifth in 1851.
The blow that finished Rolfe
was the Tigers failure to step into
high gear after the big June 3
trade with the Boston Red Sox.
The trade gave Red the power
hitting he asked for in Walt Dro-
po and Don Lenhardt.s but the
ritching slurnped and the Tigers
lost seven in a row. Earlier they
had suffered through losing
streaks of eight and seven games.
Rolfe was director of Detroit's
farm clubs in 1948, coach of the
Yankees in 1947. and baseball and
basketball coach at Yale Univer-
sity from 1943 to 1946.
He played third base on six pen
nant winners and five world cham
pions during his nine full seasons
with the Yankees, starting in 1884.
This was the fourth managerial
change in the majors this season.
The others dismissed were Tommy
Holmes of the Braves, Rogers
Hornsby of the Browns and Eddie
Sawyer OF the Phillies.
Jubilation in Clubhouse.
The appointment of Hutchinson
brought jubilation in the Tigers
clubhouse, although there was no
outward show of bitterness against
Rolfe. Briggs announced that both
Rolfe and Bartell would be paid
until the end of the season, al
though Bartell could have been
let out with 10 days notice.
Hutchinson said he had no i'm
mediate changes in mind, "ex-
cept maybe in one outfield spot"
He wouldn't go into that. But
Rolfe'S platoon system-left-
handed batters against right
handed pitchers and vice versa
caused some player. as well as fan
criticism.
With his promotion, Hutchinson
automatically lost a job he has
held since 1948-American League
player representative in negotia-
tionS with the league and base
ball commissioner. He is one of
the most popular of the Tigers.
Vic Wertz, home-run clouting
rightfielder. told reporters: THE
players are all for the guy (Hut-
chinson). They couldn't have
picked a better man. Well play
for that guy"
Catcher Joe Ginsberg, often
benched with the left-handed
swinging Wertz against right
handlers. predicted: "Ill do a lot
better now. Everybody likes
Hutch"
What about Hutchinson salary,
a reporter asked Briggs.
WELL" Briggs replied. 1--WE
haven't got around to that yet.
The guy just got hired five min
utes ago."
YES" Hutchinson put in,
well work that out OK, but
I expect I'll get little more"
Hutchinson didn't know until
this afternoon he even was being
considered. He got his first hint
when Briggs telephoned him at
home to ask If he'd take the Job.
II 1t were offered to him. He
didn't hear any more until he
was dressing for tonight's game.
The man on the clubhouse tele-
phone said Hutch was wanted in
the front office upstairs right
away. quick.
When Hutchinson got there
Briggs was finishing his an
nouncement to reporters.
IT.l L. LII