Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-24
THE STENCIL STORY
Clown and Genius

Continued From Page C-l
ington Park. where the Dodg-
ers then played their games,
Casey was beginning to suspect
that, whether or not he was a
ballplayer, he surely wasn't a
dentist.
And so, TO the relief Of Kan
sas City's cavity ridden, spring
came at last and Casey packed
his glove and spikes and set
out for Pensacola.
BY September the braSh
young man was in Brooklyn.
The Dodgers, struggling
through a bleak season in which
they were destined to finish
seventh, cast about for some
outfeld help and finally set
tied on Stengel. He was bat
ting .290 at Montgomery and
was the best rookie then avail
able.
Casey arrived in New York
with sos in his pocket, as be-
wildered as any young man who
has ever come to the big city.
He spent his first night in the
Longacre Hotel on West 47th
street, and. though tempted by
the nearby lights Of Broadway,
| was reluctant to venture out
| of his room into the swirling
mass Of people on the sidewalks.
He finally did gather the cour-
Age to leave the hotel, but his
bray was brief and he was
ouickly back in the safety OF
Us tiny room.
Y An even greater adventure
lay before him. The next morn
ing, September IL, 1912. he was
up early and on his way across
the East River to Brooklyn and
4 Washington Park. The gate
keeper, seeing a strange face,
was suspicious at first, but
Casey soon convinced him he
was the Dodgers new outf1elder
and was let in.
When he walked into the
clubhouse the Brooklyn play
ers were shooting craps. No one
glanced up except lack Wheat.
one of the greatest Dodgers
ever. He introduced Casey
around and the others. sensing
they had in hand bird ready
for plucking, welcomed him
with a cordially seldom ex-
I tended to rockies. Twenty Of
1 his precious dollars had passed
into other hands when he heard
a sharp voice behind him. Are
you a ball player or a crap
shooter, KIDD"
Casey looked up into the
face of the Dodgers manager.
Bill Dahlen. He affirmed that
he was a ballplayer.
\ Then suit up and get out on
the field while you've still got
carfare left"
1t was an unsettling begin
ming for a day which was to
turn out so happily for the
Dodgers newest player. Dahlen
told Stengel he was to start
in centerfield.
There wasn't much of a
crowd in the stands. but across
the street. beyond the outfield
wall, rose the Chimney Flats. on
whose network of fire escapes
| the residents gathered to watch
their heroes. Those who had
2 extra space there rented it to
neighborS at 10 cents a head,
BY game time the citizens of
South Brooklyn were assembling
/ at their vantage points and
enterprising saloon keepers were
selling gl'owlers of beer to the
fans perehed above them, the
fans hosting the GROWERS from
the street on ropes.
They were enthusiastic, If
rowdy spectators. They alter
nately hurled cheers and male
dictions, at their favorites, and
they bombarded enemy out
fielders with spears fashioned
from umbrella ribs. In Stengel
they found a player who could
trade greetings and insults with
them on even terms, and on
occasions shout them down.
X Il ~
The harsh cries of the mob
looking down from the sub
Olympian heights Of the Gin
ney Flats alerted Casey, and he
rose to the occasion with q
performance unusual even in
that borough where the spec
tacular is commonplace.
Facing Pittsburgh's Claude
Hendrix. one Of the leagues
better pitchers, he hammered
out four straight hits and twice