Evening star., 1954-11-14

ax BURTON HAWKINS

range Of Grifith Stadium still Is
o feat restricted to owners of
Austins and motorcycles. Reach
ing the stadium via telephone is
equivalent to placing call for
an Eskimo. There also Is .
lamentable lack Of neat. ,disci-
plined ushers.
Those phases Of the Senators
operation require quick adjust
ment. There has been evidence
Of progress. snail-pace. along
some Of those lines. But for the
moment the Senator'S best had
concentrate on revamping their
player procurement ideas. The
time has come for them to 60
shopping for promising young
sters. to cease relying on deals to
patch UP a chronic second -divi-
sion team which springs two or
three leaks elsewhere after weak
ness at one position has been
plugged.
It's time for the Senators to
loosen the purse strings. to ac-
quire more-and more capable
scouts. The Senators never have
bothered to scout the Pacific
Coast. On signing Chuck Dres-
sen as manager six weeks ago.
a Pacific Coast scout was prom
ised as q step toward improve
ment. No Pacific Coast scout
has been signed.
At the time of his signing,
Dresser chatted enthusiastically
about two Oakland players under
his direction last season. They
were Pitcher Don Ferrarese and
First Baseman Jim Marshall.
Both have been acquired BY the
Chicago White Sox. Either the
Senator's aren't willing to back
up Dresser In his estimate OF
player talent or they're reluctant
to part with money. II they're
thinking Dresser can maneuver
the Senators, as currently COM
prised. into the pennant picture
they're deluding themselves.
If they start tomorrow In an
all-out effort to compete for
young talent the Senators win
have started 20 years too late.
A prompt start in that direction.
though, would enhance the clubs
prospects Of Improvement In four
or five years. when the first
trickle of talent to the parent
club might be available.
If the club continues to stag
ger along with its crazy-quilt
method Of obtaining players the
front Office will deserve the dis
aster that's certain to engulf the
team. If the shock of recent
events doesn't spur the Sena-
tors bosses to quick, positive and
occasionally daring action, no
needle is sharp enough to punc-
ture their complacency.
**** "a
The observations aren't ex-
elusive. Gayle Talbot Of the As
soclated Press recently wrote. in
regard to the new Baltimore
Washington situation, at could
prove q mortal blow to the Wash
ington franchise. Baseball men
long since have despaired of in
ducing Clark Griffith to spend
any money toward building up
his club, which has been a solid
second-division finisher since it
scrambled into fourth place back
in 1916.
"The normal result" Talbot
continued. has been for Wash
ington fans to remain away from
Grifith Stadium in increasing
numbers, and for the club to be-
come ever more dependent upon
outside revenue for survival. It
is this unnatural state of affairs
which finally threatens to track
down the Old Fox"
Commenting on the same case,
c. M. Gibbs of the Baltimore
Sun said. Money over Washing
ton way has never been consid-
cred a commodity to deal out In
chunks necessary to fashion O
winner. Rather get as much In
come for as little outlay ap-
peared to be the motto. Now It's
catching up with the Senator'S"
Storm signals have been
hoisted. The Senators must
change course.