Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-20
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS sTANN
Dick Groot of Duke

! WHEN DICK GROAT GRADUATED from Duke
University he given $35 900 bonus by Branch Hickey,
who at the time working his Swear plan at
Pittsburgh the pennant with this young man."
expounded Brother Hickey
Well Hickey got the Pirates of the ground but
Groat is making the old geezer, in semretirement
look very good In you haven't noticed, Groat is
pushing Stan Musal for the batting lead in the National
League and temporarily at least outranking the much
outed Hank Aaron Whereas his rookie year of
2S4 back in 1852 Greats previous HIGH he toolng
along at .331
Personally" AL Abrams. sports editor and column
st of the Pittsburgh PoSt-Gazette says via telephone
Il think he might be the Pirates manager play
ing manager Danny Muraugh is considered hll-in
The erapparen to the job is Clyde King, out the
Coast but like Bobby Bragan he Hickey protege and
there's doubt to whether the stockholders will
stand still for Hickey replacing Hickey man."
SPORTS EDITOR ABRAMS, like many other Pitts
burghers little surprised because the ousted Bragan
did not to think highly of young Mr. Groats ability
Bobby told neWspapermen there were hVe better snort
stops in the National League, Abrams reports That's
hardly the way to build up confidence in player.
Actually, Groat is of the three four best
shortstops. You can't take anything away from Roy
Mcmillan of Cincinnati He's great Ernie Banks of the
Cubs has got that big bat in his favor Johnny Logan Of
Milwaukee having nice year and of course Alvin Dark
Of the Cardinals has been real sharp.
But Dark is getting along in years and Peewee
Reese is just about finished That leaves Mcmillan Banks,
Greats chief fault sowness afoot He never had
much speed when he up in 50 and two in the
service-53 and S-dldn't improve his speed. But he
plays real good shortstop He goes into the hole nicely
and is real leader, scrapper"
IT is THE NOTION of Abrams and others that now
may be the time for the Pirates to have playing
The club hasn't been higher than sixth place the last
nine years, counting this one, and the customers
getting mite fed up. Rickeys Swear plan hzzed and
the farm system hasn't produced much, outside of few
pitchers.
There plenty of rich men back of the Pirates"
says Abrams but so far they haven't found the COM
bnation Call it hunch if you WILL but I've got the
feeling that lot Of fans ready to accept playing
manager not that Groat any other meeting his
description develop players in farm clubs"
Pittsburgh fans have long memories too. They
remember what Bucky Harris did with the Senators back
in 1924 when he the hoy wonder They
remember that Joe Cronin led Washington flag in
his debut playing manager 1888 The of 1948
easier to mind because that when Lou Boudreau
youngser of "a when he took command of the Cleveland
Indians six earlier led the Tribe to its first pennan
IN % years.
There nothing that Boudreau didn't do right in
49, The late Clark Griffith called him the greatest
defensive shorstop since Honus Wagner He batted 1885,
with LOG batted in and was voted most valuable
player in the American League Just for the record, he
handled flawessy II putous and IA assists to tie World
Series mark His team licked the Boston Braves in six
games and Lou rode much higher than today when he
freshly remembered the deposed on-payng
Of the Kansas City Athletics.
WHEN AND IF GRoAT should ever become playing
manager of the Pirates oddly would be presented
For both Harris and Boudreau basketball like
Groat
Harris played his basketball in the rough tough pro
ranks of Pennsylvania New Jersey and New York Bou-
dreau played for the University OF Illinois Neither
fast and both heard their clubowners ban basketball
because Of the wear and tear on their feet
Same with Groat He was Al-Amercan in basket
ball at Duke. He at least good perhaps better
the court than the ball field Groat was so good he
made the grade with the Fort Wayne Pstons the pro
league Then he denied permission by the Pirates to
play basketball with the pros
Groat complied. He resigned from the Pstons. Funny
thing Pittsburghs front Office last winter
why Groat and the oBren twins-Eddie and Johnny
and other Pirates with basketball backgrounds should not
play1wth team they organized.