Evening star., 1953-04-22

came DacK WIN oang 1856 batting average
Of the why the Mats their last in 1888
IN THE LONG CAREER of the ss-year-old Griffith, no
episode him bigger belt than pecing together that 33
team The fact that in the World that october
Mats soundly the -cmactic
Griffith insists.
eve couldn't beat the Yankees" Gr recalled. I'VE had
good clubs in the late 192Os and early 193O but they
couldn't beat those fellows The thing do find the
players who could stand up to the Yankees It like
working jig-Saw puzzle"
Manush fitted perfectly into the pattern Hene and young
Joe Cronn in whom Griffith privately managerial poten
taty When the 1882 ended Griffith felt the time
ripe to make his bid. Cronn, g.
ager While the world still buzzed, Griffith called
Cronin into his Office.
II REMEMBER SAYING THIS to Joe" Griffith related
II said Joe when you want you write down
the of the players in the league who help I'll
do the thing then We'll compare before the
winter meeting and try get those fellows But remember
want players who poison to the Yankees. Beat them
and you've got pennant.'"
Cronin went home to California and Griffith worked
his list in Washington Two days before the winter meeting
they met Il never such similarity there in those
lists" Griffith said 1--WE had practically the Names.
They took off for the winter meeting with six players
the must" list. There three pchers-Jack RUSSELL
Walter Stewart and Earl Whteh There catcher Luke
Sewe And there two oueders. One Fred Schultz
a center fielder of no particular fame.
other? GoSn, less. never felt same after
traded Manush" Grif admitted
of the best hitters But had my
lucky star the 1924 and 1925 winners and when
got him backManuSh the club tool thought we'd win"
REMARKABLY, GRIFFITH AND CRON1N pulled off their
They acquired each of the six players Doubt that's
been done in baseball history Grif said. 1--WE kinda
lowered the the Stewart and Russell could
beat them. Whitehi was competitor. Gosln
hungry again. after playing for ST. Louis and Sewe
steady sort the Schultz could ground
he gave rghhanded batting outelder to be sand
wiched between Manush and Goslin."
the stretch the Mats staggered like 2year-od hlly
at the eighth pole but they finally cnched the pennant late
in September ManuSh making fair sort of catch in left field
to lock it up
1--WE got licked by the Giants" admitted Griffith "but
beat those Yankees That the big thing. lot of
people claim that Cronin and assembled old ball club
that mght-and did-have good year. know every
body hitting peak and then falling apart. The team fell
apart, all right, but it wasn't from old age"
THE MATS OF 1894 skidded place to SEVENTH
lending credence the popular belief that Gr had gathered
unto himself team. Tant so, Griffith protested
had "a and something like 40 As
injuries altogether Schultz for instance sraned his leg
bad that the doctor said he'd have been better off with bone
break. We had sewe playing shortsop for while and
rookie pitcher Sid Cohen, playing left field.
taken the Yankees again if everything didn't
happen to That wasn't one-year team But when
and Joe Kuhel and other key got bones
broken we were dead
Even if the Mats of "a had remained healthy enough
the Yankees wouldn't necessarily have guaranteed
repeat pennant The Detroit Tigers But in the Mats
hour Manush still plugging With his 349 batting
average it's to wonder how Washington fell completely
apart, matter how many broken bones.
good tough competitor Heine On his toward the
SO00ht milestone when he racked It's than barely
possible that he'll be able to advise of the Mats left
handed hitterS at the very least.