Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-14
SPOTLIGHT
SpO9FR1s
By JIMMY CANNON

NEW YORK, Feb 14.-Long ago, as time is measured
in baseball where the of becomes the end Of
century in the year 1886 there baseball player who
appeared Ebbets Field with crubby beard He proud
of this foliage unkempt the lawn of haunted house
despite the he took with it, smear than crop
of whSkers
other achievements He resembled a count in
Shuber operea who stingy with makeup this being
respondent growth the chin grass busted gentleman
counterfetng air of lost elegance.
The manager of the Dodgers then Casey Stengel.
He was delighted by FrenchyS skinny whiskers which
black and the impression he in training to
do the Abe Lincoln representations which then popular
in the vaudeville houses The face made Sengel skep
tca because of its mourning hue and he decided Frenchy
was employing artificial cultivate the chin broccoli
1t ball club of little Skill being composed guys
who exposed their years they painted down to first base
after getting walk The kids the club including Fenchy
glad to be in the majors Their salaries
but sufficient reward for their talents
DROPPED BY the bench as Frencdy was mugged by
the photographers, this desolate nobeman in baseball
suit demanding attention his gifts could not attract
Always discreet in such matters Stenge tor
mened by curiosity although he didn't object to the weedy
garden Frenchys chin. He beckoned into
of the dugout and requested do him personal favor
That beard which is phony," Sengel said. Il don't
know how he done but it's his business don't
the hair is phony which I'm but there's angle
to it, like some blond bleaches her hair
paused TO chat with Frenchy and reached up sud-
denly and rubbed my hand across his face 1t came away
black
He amt got enough whskers" stengel explained 80
he's using shoe polish"
I WAS REMINDED of Frenchys deception when I read
dispatch out of Philadelphia concerning the peculiar dig
nifty of Bruce Dern who the twomie relay
It the notion of Ken Dohery the track coach that
Dern had dgraced his sport by allowing his sdebuns
down until they reached his lean jows 1t beyond
comprehension how track coach and field man. works
in his underwear deean the SPORT Dohery
Dern to shave of the long columns of hair So ncensed
that he declined tn a harh IN rim
clippers over the burns and resigned from the track
1t is Dern's complaint that he is actor, having
appeared in EAST of Eden in off Broadway charade
and his art was assisted by these perpendicular ungles
face alfalfa I'm positive this will Yul Brynner who
works naked from the eyebrows up and has convinced many
dame that the sight of the bones of the skull appeal
ing view Naturally the of Elvis Presley prom
inent in the wire service story but Bing Crosby made
big with toupee, Pm confused by the theory.
would rather listen to a radiator canking than be
prosecuted by concert by Mr. Presley must chuck
In with Dern 1t is his belief that man is entitled to
get his burns saturated with butter when eating corn on
the cob and shouldn't be compelled to lathe up and NOW
MS Jaw feathers because even track preserve
MS Individuality I'm weary of the crewcus although
personally instruct the barber to clip mine short It's
sneaky trick because toll under the illusion that If YOU
get close one gives the impression you to waste
OFTEN YEARN for the hicks and eccentrics who
populated sports when l kid reporter Their odd
customs could be turned into copy and each
preserved mis- personality Now except for few rebels they
are dgned and neat and all of them be brothers
In large boring family So Dern has right to his side
burns although possible that the resistance may
impede him a runner
I'm confident he would get watermelon, as we used
10 call short haircuts in my childhood he were assigned
70 pav convict drama Actors, especially those in the
o-Broadway bungalows of the heater are reaists But
am touched by his obstnacy and think he should be
granted the privilege of choosing his own couture
The shoe polish beard never made Frenchy good ball
player but ne stayed in the big leagues long while only
because ne could run indorse Derns independence Too
many athletes are being regulated The only way ne can
lose me is by singing Hound Doe