Evening star., 1953-11-25

0N-N>NON'
by the widely known Lefty ODou Bill FRANCIS s'Ann'
Terry Marty Marion Rogers Hornsby Cookie Lavagetto and
Others It's doubtful they really believed that Aton
even famed as minor league manager actually would land
the job.
But Smokeys got it, at least for 1854 ques-
What this fellow doing as manager of the Brooks
certainly the talented the temperamenta ball
club in the National League?
FIRST OF ALL, Let's shed no tears for OMaley. He
knows his way around in baseball 1t follows that Aston
cannot be donkey. ball player he was granted.
But manager WELL could be.
The Dodgers Mr.. OMalley could have whised
ion and probably HonSby and others would
ming to sign the oneyear contract which Mr. and Mrs.
Dresser snubbed That he selected Smokey Aston be
significant
Aston is formidable figure age AZ and baldng on the
top He played in big league game 1886 the
Cardinals let him have at first base Smokey
batted Warneke struck him out. End of big
league player.
Most baseball failures wind pumping selling
insurance automobiles. Aston
land of the bushes and finally became manager
Dodgers No. farm team, Montreal Now the clear
blue, he's manager of the Dodgers.
OMALLEY MAY BE SEEING in Aston what other
finders saw in other seemingly pedestrian baseball figures
the past. Joe Mccarthy for instance He busher
who'd never appeared in big league lineup he won
pennant for the Cubs and eight for the Yankees.
Aston, with his batting appearance, edge
over another who knew how pennant
SAWYER OF the PheS An erudte man who taught biology
at Ithaca College Sawyer hit the jackpot in 1885, Pretty
good manager too, although he didn't last very long.
brilliant playing record doesn't necessarily qualify
man winning manager. Connie Mack, who won nine
pennants very mediocre catcher Huggns who
guided the Yankees to six flags was an ordinary neder
as were Bill McKechnie and Leo Durocher They
On the other hand of the games biggest stars
either were fops or were better than fair managers
THE BELOVED WALTER JOHNSON, for instance was no
bargain his National League counter
part ChIisty Mathewson. Honsby sue
cess didn't come close to matching his batting feats Frsch
Hartnett Cobb Terry ..Dickey well, if
among them winning managers they don't walk with
Mack, John McGraw, Higgins and Mccarthy.
lot of other ball players got chances to
did Hornsby and Mathewson and john
son. One Babe Ruth Too unreliable the verdict
although this was supposed to be hush Al Simmons
was another Too hot-headed; he qualify as coach
period
All of which is intended to mean that an outstand-
Ing ball player at disadvantage when to man.
aging Bucky Harris Lou Boudreau and others
balance the scales to Noneheess there are
instances when club thought little of the capab-
ties OF their leaders, believed their Importance was over
estimated that they essayed to manage themselves.
There is record to show that success They
were playing at game as men play at being soldier editor
hnancier what have you.
*+**
A GERMAN-BORN BREWER named Chris Won de Abe
who owned the St Browns to manage in the 188os
There proof that he'd played ball. nor any proof
he was successful manager Charlie Ebbets ooca
thought he could finish as manager of the
Dodgers. He was right; he finished out the season.
Then Andrew Friedman, who owned the Giants Before
the hrlng OF John McGraw he attempted to manage Not
only dd the Giants finish in the cellar Friedman went
down IN history who tried Mathewson from
pitcher to first baSeman
Most interesting of all non-athetc club owners who
trled managing was perhaps Judge Fuchs When he
oought controlling interest in the Braves Fuchs ad
ntted that he was nearmillonaire. he'd finished
VIII" the venture the squat deliberately courteous at
torney confessed to bankruptcy.
In 1929 he attempted to manage It didn't take The
Braves finished in the cellar laughs echoed Doubt
SS noSC OF the stories were exaggerated but they
he time Tho
nooooy out IN close game Judge Fuchs to have
turned to his bench asked:
What shall try boys?"
What about squeeze play?" some one repled
squeeze? No. the Judge protested Let us score our
runs in an honorable way"