Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-27
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV BY FRANCIS sTANN
Not As q MANAGER

WALTER JOHNSON WAS baseballs all-time greatest
pitcher in the late Billy Evans book Billy umpred when
spectacle from the press Walter pitch his
first World Series in 1924 Yet ironically Billy who
opposed the idol of millions johnson tried
managing
If Evans had had his way Johnson never would have
become of the Cleveland Indians during the 1888
and for the campaign of "a AS much Billy adj
mired Walter pitcher and man, he convinced
that managing not Johnsons of tea And might
have been better for Walter Evans then general
of the Indians, had been overrued by Ava Bradley
wealthy owner Of the Cleveland club.
johnson given his papers during the 1885 and
returned to his farm at Gemantown Md lonely and bitter
person During his fouryear term Clark Grifths man
Q929-19S2 Johnson neither bowling
failure He had second place club two that finished third
and one his first that pulled fifth It's difficult to imagine
in these Of famine but that birthplace finish the
only time the Senator's finished Of the first division
an 11-year stretch from 1s23-ls3a.
WASN'T THAT GRIFFITH let him out that embittered
Johnson After all rn had given him his chance manage
reward for long faithful deep
conviction that Walter the of which outstanding
managers made 1t his experience Cleveland that
left the scars Johnson.
Bitterness loosened Walters tongue after he returned
jobess to his farm THE morning arrived in Cleveland he
burted, Il received phone call my room was
Cleveland sports editor.
What time you to my Office? he asked.
"'Your Office? asked. What for?'
why, so we can go over your new batting ORDER
he said
That's the way it to be while was managing in
Cleveland" Johnson grated Everybody trying to help
the ball cub-the players the front Office the fans
and the newspapermen."
WHEN BILLY EVANS joined the Cleveland organization
in 1928 Incidentally he the first the official
title Of general manager) the Indians
team In the succeeding six under Evans the Tribe
never was out of the first division In fact Billy credited
by with laying firm foundation Clevelands
of % frst-division finishes in the last 81 years.
Never yes man, Evans disagreed at times with Owner
Bradley including the time the railroad tycoon tied
on Manager Roger Pecknpaugh and hired Johnson Don't
do it, Billy urged Bradley "Pecks doing all right
not sure Walter is cut out to manage"
1t at this point that historians believe Bradley
lVered the now-famous utterance 1.-THE may hire
manager, but it's the public that fires him"
&c. casting balefu eyf at his general manager Bradley
hired Johnson.
WE ARE BEHOLDEN to Gordon Cobbedick and others
OF the Cleveland corps for version Johnsons
rapid fall from favor In the "a season. Walter released
highly popular catcher, Glenn Myatt suspended Willie
kamm star third baseman for the good of the ball club
mo specific charges were made public" Cobbledck
says, referring to Kamms suspension but widely
eVed that Johnsons beef against Kamm rooted in the
TACT that young players went to Kamm
and professional problems rather than to the manager"
AS the of Bradleys choice Johnson the support
OF the owner Evans however always nisted that Walter
was at faut and in the he paid for his fortnight stand
FIRST his salary cut Then that
had resigned
just as he the first to admit that Cobb had beaten
nm IN their rough fight years earlier
nrst to come forward tell what really happened to
separate him from the Indians
l dlont resign" he said. Il fired"