Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-03
Fiery Manager
Is Dismissed for
Clubs Welfare

WHcn yOU &c lOS1IlSs blllllBo
like that don't come as a shock
or surprise. That's the way the
ball bounces."
The fiery manager blamed
the loss of his job on several
things. but primarily on the
poor showing of the seventh
place Pirates.
Its been a series of things,
primarily losing, and Brown felt
it was time to make a change,
he told a newsman over the
telephone.
He said he didn't want to go
into the other things"
Praises Murtaugh
Bragan said the Pirates will
"be all right with several
changes Of players" and added
that Brown couldn't have
made a finer choice" in the
selection Of Murtaugh as his
replacement.
Only 10 days ago it was an
nounced Bragan had accepted
a job to manage the Almenda-
res Blues in the Cuban Winter
League beginning October /.
He managed that team from
1852 through 1854.
Murtaugh. 80. became a Pr
rate coach in 1856 after four
years of managing in the minor
leagues. He broke into the
major leagues as an infelder
with the Phillies in 1941. spent
part of the 1947 season with
the Boston Braves and then
was traded to the Pirates.
He began his managerial
tour in 1852, plotting and play
ing for the Pirates New Or
leans team in the Southern
Association. After three sea-
sons there, he became manager
of the Charleston wv. Va club
in the American Association in
1856 and then went with the
Pirates.
Started at Cambridge
Murtaugh lives at Chester.
Pa. during the of season. He
started his baseball career in
1897 with Cambridge, Md, in
the Eastern Shore League and
made stops at Rochester. CO.
lumbus and Houston before
breaking into the big leagues.
A spokesman for the Pirates
said Clyde Sukeforth. q veteran
Pittsburgh coach. was offered
the managers job but refused
it.
Brown said Bragan's dis
missal was by far the most
difficult decision" he ever had
to make. And he said Bragan
accepted it gracefully. in a
manner that showed he was
big man."
The announcement confirmed
earlier reports of the inn
pending firing in the Pitts
burgh Post-G Gazette.
The Post-Gazette said Brown
repeatedly had Bragan's FIR
ing in mind for more than a
week" The newspaper said it
was believed the Dismissal
came about for two reasons:
al. The Pirates failure to
improve over their 1856 show
ing. (They finished seventh in
1856 and currently are in the
same spot with a six-game los
ing streak0
80. Bragan's frequent OUT
spoken criticism Of the 'front.'
office policies.
ClaShed With Umplres
Bragan's clashes with UNI
pires this season ARE not be-
lieved to have anything to do
with the clubs decision to let
him CO." the newspaper said.
National League President
Warren c. Giles fined Bragan
500 Thursday and told him
he faced indefinite suspension
if he repeated his Glowing of
Wednesday night in Milwaukee.
In that incident Bragan. who
had been banished from the
game, walked onto the field
slipping an orange drink and
offered some to the umpires.
The antic climaxed Bragan's
feud with the umpire team Of
Frank Dascoli, Bill Baker,
Frank Secory and Stan Landes.
In a letter to Giles. Bragan had
asked that the four be sepa-
rated.
Brown named Bragan man
ager in November. 1855. just
after he himself became
general manager. succeeding
Branch Hickey. sr. Last No
vember Bragan was hired for
another season.
Bragan came to Pittsburgh
from Hollywood of the Pacific
Coast League to take over
from Fred Haney. now mana
ger Of Milwaukee.
on Fast. Slumped
In his first year the Pirates
got of to a sensational start,
leading the league as late as
June II. Then they slumped
badly. However. the grand
breakaway resulted in the best
attendance mark since 1919
and the Pirates we're confident
Of better things this year.
At Bragan's signing for 1857
Brown said:
II am confident Bobby will
manage the Pittsburgh club
for many seasons in which he
will bring Pittsburgh fans a
championship"
Bragan said he learned he
was fired from a telephone call
from his wife in Pittsburgh.
1 a