Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-10-14
THE BASEB
BEAT
Open Letter to Cal Griffith
BY BURTON HAWKINS
DEAR COCO:

In matter Of hours now you'll be sitting down with
the family and If what read in the papers is true you'll
be deciding to take your attered franchise to the land OF
the sky blue water This is to wish luck After cover
ing the Senator'S for years. there the firm conviction
you'll need It,
apos They'll literally climb out Of the lakes to welcome
your club for major league baseball there will be novelty
You'll draw million FANS maybe for two or three
years. They'll be cheering every pop fly and you'll be
thinking, How long has this been going onP"
They did that, too, at Kansas City, CAL Remember
Every witch of muscle brought wave of applause in
early days The Athletics drew 9S054 that first year.
1885, This year, CAL they attracted 96368S Somewhere
along the way they lost 429ST customers who became
more discerning.
That's a whoppng decline at the gate and it hap
pened despite 11game winning streak this season about
the time your team losing Is in row Now Kansas
City must produce to avert deterioration You'll reach the
same point in few years. without Arnold Johnson's
wealth to help.
YOUR PROSPECTS WON'T improve with a move to
Minneapolis because your operation is geared to failure
You may learn that merely by gancng at the standings
of 1859 If you to skim through the record book,
you also discover you haven't been able to compete for
years and years and years.
This attempt to dssuade you, for there wear
ness with your vacillang You and succeed tenn
porariy but you retreatng from reality. You can't
hide neptness in the woods of Minnesota Your business
methods go with you and they went out with the Sutz
Bearcat
You've been cuffed around occasionally by Washing
ton writer's including this But lest you suppose we're
uniquely harsh read out-of towner When you were
considering moving last year. Gordon Cobbedick of the
Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote IF the Senators were obliged
to into stadium seating only 81 000 they would be
unable to cash in the initial enthusiasm for being in
the big league And in the Of the Senators, initial
enthusiasm is the only enthusiasm possible" hope they
pour concrete in Minneapolis winter Cal, and en-
large that stadium
Arthur Daley of the New York Times wrote Monday,
"In the excitement of getting big league ball. Minneapolis
would work fine for season or two But the Senators
ever get wel?"
Just couple of isolated instances Cal, to illustrate
that we're not the only ones who fail to admire your
Minneapolis writer's will be appraising you as
honestly when the pop flies cease to thrill
IF YOU'LL ACCEPT a word of advice. don't appear on
televson don't go radio and don't write Above ALL
don't write have clipping Of January 49, 1858, before
written under your byline. You wrote "As long
have any say in the matter and expect that shall for
long, long time the Washington Senator's will stay here
Next year. the year after. Forever" Forever is such
short time, isn't it, Cal?
Don't talk, CAL because 16 days later you
asked by an attorney at stockholders meeting to which
the press admitted: you the stockholders
the club will remain here?" Your answer. CAL Eyes
Less than six months later youth recall you went to Bal
timore with the unanimous authorization OF the board
of drectors-that includes you Ca-to request approval
of the American League to transfer the franchise.
And remember the resolution that read, Resolved
that officer director Of the club shall hereafter
oral written regarding transfer of the franchise OF
the club from the District of Columbia Proud of that
maneuver Cal?
THAT RESOLUTION WAS handed to the press July 8.
It was still in effect calculated camouage August Is,
when you testified before Senate Antitrust and Monop-
oily Subcommittee. Senator OMahoney asked you, will
the Washington club entertain any future oders?"
"WeM" you replied, IF offer was presented to all
seven members of the board, we'd listen"
"Are you through exploring?" Senator OManoney
persisted.
eyes sir, am" you replied
Those are your words, Cal Live with them IN the
land of the sky blue water.
And when the announcement is made, demonstrate
red corpusces Say that you personally are moving the
club to Minneapolis Don't hide behind the protective
cover of 1.-THE washington baseball clubs board OF drec
tors today And don't say, please that you're taxing
the advice of your attorneys and thus try to burrow behind
their briefcases.
When the Senators move, you'll be the reason Tor you
once wrote "As long have any say in the matter
Somehow CAL baseball fans in this vicinity Will sur
vve. Out of the wreckage will emerge sometnng more
solid.
Pleasant journey.