Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-08-22
THE BASEBALL
BEA T
BY BURTON HAWKINS
Warning to Minneapolis
BY BURTON HAWKINS

THREE LITTLE WORDS, catchy little number which
eaped to prominence when Amos and Andy were being
tuned in via crystal sets, meant Love You There
three other little words which might be muttered by Cal
Grih, but the failure say them makes farce Of his
protestaons that aneuvering has been going in
regard to shifting the Senator'S franchise
We're staying here,p is all that's needed to get gaop-
ing Grif1th of the spot But has piled on top of
rumor until the situation has become monumental mess
Three little words would apply the brakes to reports that
the Washington club is fitting but you'll find those words
only in the dictionary not in Calls mouth,
1t may be any day, it may be matter of weeks,
but unless there Unforeseen disturbing developments
from his standpoint look Griffith to appeal to other
American League for permission to If he
doesn't have it in mind he's being nonsensica for the
missing three little words would be likely to spur attend
ance In the Senator's remaining home games
Inc strategy seems to be to drain on the last dollar
from this community by delaying things until the
current home stand ended after which there viii be only
four games remaining here BY that time Congress figures
TO be adjourned and criticism from that viii be
scattered
ASSUMING. THAT GRIFFITH gets permission from
other owners to moveand that assumption could be mis-
taken-he still win be In for titanic tussle. Il don't
know where he plans to move, whether it's Minneapolis
Montreal Louisville, Houston Toronto" said Gabe
Murphy 40 cent stakeholder bu know one place he's
going ne tries to move anywhere He's going to court
It's reported that Bostons position has changed that
the Red Sox will agree to let Griffith pick up his marbles
Arnold Johnson president of the Kansas City Athletics
has stated he won't object It's likely that Baltimore will
go along with Griffith, since the Orioles figure to gain by
the Senators departure
Toss in the Affirmative vote of Grhith and that's four
votes toward transferring Two Others from New York.
Detroit Chicago Cleveland could swing the deal It's
entirely possible permission will be granted but there's
much hnagng going in the background and upset
might materialize.
For the moment though the only assured opnositson
is Murphy and his battery of lawyers They believe thew
can halt the march Minneapolis and they're not alone
in their contention On the other hand Crifth also gets
legal ADVICE and it's to the effect that Murphy will be no
barrier
THE SOBBING SHAME in the whole predicament is
the fact that CITY, enticing to others with big money to
spend and Willingness to spend baseball has been
saootaged sportswiSe by continuation of teams which
have been scavnger The Senators over the years
ally have fed the atractveness of other clubs Rarely
nave Washington fans been given something to cheer
In the Is years which have elapsed since the Senators
aSC won pennant they've finished in the second division
Il times Three Of the four they wound up in the
nst division were war years when creaky and
untried sempoS were treasured It's been the second dv
sion for IL straight years.
Griffith took cognizance of the desire of the fans last
January when he wrote under his name ITS time to
roll up the sleeves again and pitch in toward getting what
most OF the fans want and deserve That course is
advantage of the times"
Well the seam-bustng never developed The Senator's
Will consider it gigantic step forward if they're able
desert the cellar where they parked year and in
1885, Asking the public become excited over such per
siStent inefhciency is demanding the impossible
IT'S PERSONAL CONVICTION that attendance here
automatically would double merely through change of
ownership and that the Senators would pack e in if fans
could be staked to for being aroused The
Grth type Of operation has ayed baseball interest here
to the point of death Given time the same sort of OPERA
ton would murder Minneapolis attendance
Inc Griffith answer to the Swank Stadium Club in
Yankee Stadium is box lunch The Griffith answer to
smarty uniformed ushers in other parks an insult to
Crif1th wi said aVxre
plan adding rpleA affiliate as soon as the bulk of our
YOUNGSTERS channel their toward the top our pres
ent chain of teams has two players both inept in
Triple-A ranks
The Griflth answer to pleas for a general manager
who would display imagination and know-how is to
retreat from the problem The rth answer to progress
is treadmin
And the Grifnth answer to his own inability to cope
with situation is to rapidly somehow hoping that the
shadow Of unproductive management will be left behind
Or viii the man say those three little words?