Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-28
Old Fox Put Up Memorial
To Fovorite Boil Player


lionaires we're pouring hundreds
of thousands Of dollars into
their clubs. buying and selling
And Grifith. as he had since
he first began to guide the des-
TIMES Of major league clubs. had
to make out without such assets
insufficient scouting and .
comparatively weak farm sys-
tenn caught up with the Senators
in the years that followed. After
six straight years in the second
division. the club finished second
In Ossie Bluege's first years as
manager in 1913.
In 1914 the Senators dipped TO
eighth-their first cellar finish
since 19O9-but the following
year they narrowly missed win
ming another pennant with o
club made up Of creaky veter-
ans. Cuhans and glorifed minor
leaguers who prospered due TO
the war that had riddled the
leagues manpower.
Slip Back TO Fourth.
With the return Of the games
stars. the Senator'S star ceased
to twinkle. The club slipped to
fourth in 1916 and dropped to
seventh In l947. Bluege was re-
placed as manager, becoming
the Senators first farm director.
and Joe Kuhel--a former WASH
ington and White Sox first base
man-Was signed to pilot the
club In 1948.
Kuhel couldn't get anywhere
with the talent at his disposal.
In 1913 the Senators lost 10
straight games for an all-time
Washington record and again
finished seventh.
In 1949 the Senators lost seven
straight games after winning
the opener. They lost II Of
their FIRST IL games. but then
won nine In Q row before losing
to Detroit, 2-1. In the final
game Of q Western trip. The city
was excited and the Senators
were welcomed home royalty.
with gold-painted Hmousinesl
meeting their train and parad-
ing them to the District Build
ing.
On the steps Of the District
Building there was loose talk OIL
o pennant. but 1t developed theI
celebration was premature. The
Senator'S finished last, winning
only 16 games and losing 81 In
the last half Of the season. The
futility Of that year seemingly |,
was summed up In a game with
the Yankees at New York. In that
Mats were slaughtered. 20-5.
Harris Returns Again.
Once again Harris was sum-
moned to serve as the Senator'S
manager and, with Washington
fans clamoring for Improvement.
got the team up to fifth place In
1850. That modest success was
short-lived, for in 1851 the Sena-
tors plunged to seventh place.
The Senators finished fifth /
under Harris In 1852 and 1853,
then dipped to sixth In 1854. |
Desperate after the teams eighth |
straight second division finish.
Griffith fred Harris and inn
ported the controversial Chuck |
Dresser from Oakland Of the |.
Pacific Coast League.
Dresser had steered the 1852 |
and 1853 Brooklyn Dodgers to
National League pennants but
departed when he was refused q
two-year contract. Brought back /
to the majors by Grifith. the
colorful Dresser was no irnmedi-
ate sensation. The Senator's
finished last,
Griffith was q man who was
loved by his friends and re-
spected by his enemies. II any. /
Kindly. thoughtful and generous
to an extreme. he stood out
among Washington sportsmen.
He was hard driver Of bargains,
but beneath his shell he was
what the trade called a soft
touch"
ShreWdly, he never liked to
pick all-star teams and name his
favorite players. He leaned
backward to avoid hurting feel
ings. But his favorite ball player
was johnson. TO whom Grinith
erected q memorial at Griffith
Stadium after flnA craaf raifsiarsaI