Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-19
WIN, LOSE OR
UkAW By FRANCIS s1AAn
.McGrow Was Not One to Cross

TAMPA, Fla, Mar 19-The ranks of those who re-
member Paul Florence Georgetown Universitys
alltme athletic stars grow thinner but Paul himself still
going strong These he assistant general manager
Of the Cincinnati Reds big handsome haired guy
who remains happy reminder of the Hoyas days of glory
In Paul Forence's college days. in the early 192Os,
Georgetown power in football baseball and Paul
played both well that he elected to the Hall of
Fame at the Hilltop. That he didn't quite become major
league star was using his words, my own fault"
BY coincidence Florence and Clayton Sheedy, who
scouts for the White Sox sitting nearby exhibit
ton game the other day They teammates at George
town the baseball team that went indicated by a
college club winning 81 I'VE lost two games
both to the Washington Senators Florence recalled We
were licked by 4-3 and 5-4, I think"
Something like that" sheedy agreed. "A lot of the
fellows went right into pro ball."
FLORENCE, RUGGED, HARD HITTING catcher and
sheedy were two who turned pro- del Bissonette was
another. Paul remembered. art Reynolds Jack Favin
-"
Bill Kenyon and Sam Hyman" reminded sheedy
Florence sort of wishes he could start his as
player all again. Remember Dick Kinsela?" he
asked "He was the Giants scout in those days He
watched me at Georgetown and to John
McGraw. 1t must have been darned good recommended
ton because McGraw when he signed me, gave
$1,000 bonus.
THAT a big bonus in those days The only one
Digger, guess, the IlgerS gave OWne
Carroll of Holy Cross Not only my contract read
that to stay with the Giants and get full share of
the World Series money If any.
Il had year of football left at Georgetown. That
in 1928 to report to the Giants training camp
in Sarasota in the spring of 1924 If I'd just skipped
football :"
FLORENCE WAS STAR END and captain of the 1928
Georgetown squad Jack Hagerty now athletic director
then was sophomore halfback Jim Mcnamara Pug Du-
oh oaAH
team
Il wasn't supposed to play any more football after
signed with the Giants" Paul recalled But WELL you
know how it is when you're young was the captain and
the guy who the field with the ball under his
"In first scrimmage of the fall down the field
to punt One of the scrubs hit from the side.
The cartilage in my knee popped like 22-caliber shot
When got to Sarasota the next spring couldn't
much and it was hard to squat behind the plate.
"McGraw thought was fat was so slow When we
moved north he suggested that go minor league club
After all the Giants had Pancho Snyder Hank Gowdy and
Eddie Ainsmith to catch. And wanted to CO. was
afraid Mcraw would find that I'd played football and
got hurt"
PAUL SMILED RUEFULLY "He found out anyway,
and blew his stack. McGraw a nice man but also one
OF wild RACES. had to sit out the "a and the
Giants the pennant In rs hit 314 at Indianapolis
and was ready. But McGraw wasn't ready for But
when hitting 1858 for indianapolis in 1925 called
me back.
Nov had my big chance. Snyder was getting old
and Gowdy was about through Then on swing around
the West with the Giants the homefoks in Chicago de-
cded to give me day, which all right except I'M
known to McGraw, I'd slipped off in the middle of the
season and been married That hard rule
by McGraw-no marriages during the season.
Weu was called to home plate in Chicago and given
some presents. One set of silver While I was
Duckllng on my catching staff McGraw said:
What's with the slverP You aren't married. Then
80 discovered that broke the rule.
The second time came to bat he yanked me for
plncn hltter On the bench he screamed You college
so-and-so you played football you hid injury and you
got married You're going to the bushes and I'll
you never come back
And went. And he did had some good years in
the american Association but all finished far
McGraw concerned"