Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-25
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ,, FRANCE, ,7A1u
Veeck: Five Years of Patience
By FRANCIS sTANN


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, Mar 25-It is too bad for the
Chicago White sox that Hank Greenberg isn't Is years
younger Right now what the sox apparently need more
than Greenberg the executive is Greenberg the first
baseman and long-bal hitter.
"Thete's not thing the can be done about making
me any younger, Hank grinned when the thought was
expressed. Then he added seriously: But ball club
today must have several heads We haven't got too
Hank did not say whether Chuck Comskey included
among the active heads of the White Sox II so there
are Bill Week. Greenberg, Vice President John Rgney and
Comskey, presumably In that order of Importance But
in otherwise simplifying his statement Hank went on
Baseball isn't like it used to be in Clark Grith,s day.
Old GRIN could do It all pretty much by himself He was
both president Of the Washington club and general
ager and guess he helped his field managers little too
To-day it's all changed. Running modern ball club
is complex Authority has to be delegated It's my I'M
preston that Cal Grth trying to run the Senators
as the Old Man did. Well it's Gals business It all depends
on whether you want to compete with the Yankees or
whether you're just satisfied TO stay In the American
League" 'ss''t z.
BEFORE VEECK AND GREENBERG latched onto 81
per cent Of the White Sox they failed to purchase the
STOCK needed to control the Senator'S Veeek says that as
lar as ne knows Cal never placed price on the WASH
lngton club. Hank limited broadly that price of SIS
mlihon was mentioned ~ If the Grfth- Robertson clan
ever decided to SELL
They'll have to sell sometime" Greenberg guessed.
and maybe It'll be this year. From what hear they
S0oav gave away ne TV-raolo rights. II the Senators
nave PAD year at the gate 1t may be possible to buy
personally if in Calvin's shoes I'd get DUAL.
ned baseball man to the club for me- Cal could nd
something to do help out in some way but in
baseball today you've got to delegate authority
Don't the Yankees do it? Don't they have tho general
managers George Weiss and Roy Hamey? Don't they
have the best baseball brains money can hire to run all
OF their Departmental"
vEEcK, WHO INTENDS to commute between Chicago
and Florida on week ends and leave Greenbeg here to
perform mysterious functions asked pot-bank about
young Comiskey's future with the White Sox. 81
When are you going to get fed up with this pickering
with Chuck?" newsman asked Veeck
I'm not forgetting that Comskey IS per cent owner
OF the bali club" Veeck replied tt43sae
But knowing you," the other persisted "you won't
stand for it for long, You fastmovng man who likes
to run affairs his way" (. <Eff
veeck smiled I've been out Of baseball and trying
to get back into it for five years. he replied i've learned
In those hve years to be patient" 3.
WHATEVER ELSE CoNusKEY and other American
League magnates may think of Veeck they can scarcely
fault the Burr Head his craftsmanship and energy In
the immediate wake Of the court decision favoring his
syndcates purchase Of the majority Stock Bill went out
on half dozen personal appearances each speaking
engagement. '5' ,,... ...s.. ,'.
One day he bet friend dinner that he could sell
so season tickets by himself He sold 49, But didn't
start until afternoon veeck alibed although he paid
the wager.
He showed an engagement book that listed 90 speaking
engagements in the next few weeks some away as
the outskirts Of Cleveland This his practice when
he was bossing the Indians and the Browns
1t involves almost constant travel and virtually ex-
cudes any hope OF full nights sleep Veeck doesn't
sleep anyway He probably spot Jim Tatum 24-hour
snooze and wear out Massa Jim inside Of couple weeks
1888
WHEN WAS AT St. Louis" veeck said explaining
the Importance he attaches to personal appearances by
himself and managers, coaches and players his hire
I'VE conducted an experiment.
over one stretch we purposely skipped personal ap-
pearances in alternate counties records showed that
we sold six times tickets in places we appeared
as we did In spots we didn't make
THE way look at it, the distance from Peoria to my
pa PARK y Just as long as from my Office to Peoria
In other words II Peoa not too far for us to 20 to the
customers Chicago isn't too far for Peoria fans to 90 and
see a bali game" +.i+@f So