Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-04
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS sTANN
The Yonk Who Came Back
By FRANCIS STANN

THOMAS JOSEPH BYRNE came up to the Yankees from
Newark in the of 1913 with reputation for being
able to throw baseball through brick wall Also reputa
ton for wildness. He lived up to BOTH
In the years that followed the most games Byrne
for the Yankees 15 most of them draining the
nerves from his managers. who had such as Reynolds,
Rasch Lopat and Page and didn't have put up with
such shenangans. So he became of those gypses,
fitting back and forth from Kansas City, New York. st.
Louis Chicago Washington Charleston Seattle and finally
New York again
It is said that Byrne the only player the Yankees
got rid of and brought back statement which invites
disbelief but which memory finds incapable of repudiatng
at the moment He returned last spring 35-year-od,
battling rockies for job but today he 1872 acknowledged
Of the staff winner of the key games and the only
two regulars
If cared to speculate bit give thought to where
the Yankees might be they hadn't bought old
piece of property from Seattle last September Could be-
second division.
BYRNE is CAPABLE of fantastic efforts, such as
his final season with Newark in 1912 when he IT. lost
only and led the International League on balls
Twice row-l949 and 1950-he won Is games for the
Yankees and led the American League bases balls This
was too much for the system of Mr. Casey Stenge
who looked the other way when Tommys 80 wins were
waved under his and traded him $4,000
St Louis Browns for unframed pitcher named Stubby
overmire now departed from the big league scene.
The ioWly Browns, besides needing the $4,000,
hopeful that Byrne with less pressure might acquire
some control But he led in balls for third straight
year while winning only half dozen games.
came 1908 ana Byrne was with the White Sox Senators
and Charleston of the American He won total
OF three games for the three clubs and looked the
wasned-up pitcher with good arm since Rex Barney.
$3.50
BUcKY HARRIS, WHO is in with his Detroit Tigers
was asked about Byrne Harris managed the
once as Yankee and once Senator
Hes quite the boy" Bucky was saying Hes not only
Winning-hes winning the big ones"
He's faced your Tigers, hasn't hep"
Yes and looked very good. wouldn't mind having one
or two like him now"
Those two times you had Byrne" asked an interviewer
"he couldn't help you?"
NO In AZ and 48 in New York couldn't use him much
because we had other pitchers was too wild In 53
here In Washington he didn't seem to have much at ALL.
Bucky paused rehectvely.
He could paste that ball, though"
****
BECAUSE HE NO LONGER is Byrne's manager Harris Is
UNDERSTANDABLE reserved in Analysing the rangy
VINO Bamore Bred but he could and did say this much
6yrne, as Tar know, had sore arm in his Is
years. or however long he's been pro ball. Tommys trouble
Always was control His fast ball awfuy swift and he
mlgnt nave been trying too hard to make it faster"
Last year Byrne was 2010 pitcher for Seattle of the
racine Coast League For about the time in his
ne struck out baters he walked In fact his 100
skeouts against 1s walks topped the Coast League II
was on the strength of this record plus the impending re-
eent OF Allie Reynolds loss Johnny San and Vic
ana the advancing of Lopat that the
bought him. ~ ~ "
hes different now" Harris was saying Tommy doesn't
seem 10 De trying to throw hard He NAV have adde
improved on slider and his change-up pitch is better
That's 1t, boiled DOWN."
wen, Bucky said. IF you really want it boiled down
nes finally learned to pitch" -'