Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-09

found the type of manager they seek
ing in Rogers Hornsby fellow with firm hand ability to
guy with infinite patience. Hornsby didn't hit it
of with of the players with the front office and
sugger Reds reached
ashamedy tapped Tebbetts who had been American
Lacquer all his life and who just completing his first
season as minor league manager at Indianapolis.
PLAYERS WHO HAVE served under Hornsby complain
that he hard taskmaster Tebbet has that reputation
too certain pitchers have thought But there diff
ference TbbettS has of humor Irish wit about
him. Studiousy refraning from mentioning Hornsby, Cen
eral Manager Gabe Paul OF the Reds says:
Its nice to have manager who is flexible in his think
ing and who takes the front office into his confidence
while. don't that Birdie ring in his
He is the boss But when he make decision, and
when and it looks Tebbetts is the first to
himself That's characteristic of all the good I've
known"
AS BALL PLAYER Birdie couldn't do much we'll except
catch. He baed 800 and he couldn't He came
Of Providence College where he maored in philosophy
and they hung the tag Of Birdie him almost from the out
set because OF his constant chatter In nigh tenor voice. On
couple of occasions rival players undertook to whether
the brdlke his voice Nobody ever made the
mistake second time The Irishman from Nashua, N H. is
not only handy with his fists, but he loves it,
AS player he born bench jockey During the
when the Tigers and fighting the Yankees for
supremacy Tebbe delighted in needing the late Art Fletcher
who coached third base for the Bombers One day
home in Illinois, burned to the ground Fortunately nobody
home and fully insured Tebbetts made good deal
occurrence especially times when Fletcher should
have been concentrating the business at hand.
Hey Art he would yell in his piercing voice ats nice
dry afternoon. She should burn pretty good today"
The insnuation failed to get rise from Fletcher
the eaSygong Yankee coach had been younger and he
had license to do he would gladly have stranged his
mufdn-faced needler
BIRDIE SPENT LARGE PART Of his reading that
he the Sowest baseball which probably he But
day in important against Cleveland he stole
Jim Hegan considered the best American League
backstop didn't throw because Of the surprise aspect
few moments later somebody hit double it had to be
long fetch Birdie from second base and Tebbetts
scored.
AS he numbered the plate Hogan pushed his mask
above his head and said:
you know, Birdie when you stole made up my mind
that should quit baseball do it, yet When steal
me- it's time took stock"
"Jirn" Birdie said don't want to
get first base everybody ignores You figure
WELL only Tebbes the bag. We don't have to worry
him Shucks get to feeling that I'm not part
of the game"
He left Hogan with his mouth open and walked
dugout.
DURING THE "CRY-BAB era at Cleveland when Oscar
Witt managing while his players held rebeous anVtt
meetings Tebbetts had computations about stirring
the FIRE Not long 1t helped his teams He
Witt by saying Helo Oscar who's pitching for
you today? Or hasn't Hemsley told yet? Roie Hemsey
of the leaders of the uprising.
perhaps significant that the Red Sox pitching i'm
proved Birdie traded to Boston All the pitchers
Tebbetts criticism which included
speech after standardization of mounds but is matter of
record that some most did better.
One day, shortly after it ruled that all pitching
meet specifications Tebbetts asked what
thought it pitchers Typcaly, Birdie spoke up
within hearing distance of the Sox pitchers
good pitchers will continue good pitchers" he
mediocre pitchers will continue to be mediocre and
the bad pitchers will have something else to complain about