Evening star., 1959-12-16
WIN, LOSE OR
UKAW By FRANCIS s1Ann
Old Grff's Finest Hour

THIS Is A LATE date to be talking about Moon
Harris" Calvin orifth mused in the Washington ball
clubs front office, "but do you know that Unk always
rated those three deals in l9225 the greatest he ever
made?"
"Unk" the late Clark Griffith foster-father of
Cal and his brothers and sisters oon) Harris died
few days The deals to which Cal referred brought
Moon, Dutch Ruether and Stanley Coveleskie to the
Senators after the championship season of a.
II was the team mascot and can remember those
days better than things that happened a month
ago. Cal said "How could suspect that Cove
leske and Ruether Would SO so games and that
Harris would hit he did and be World Series heroP
"In the case of Neon it was especially remarkable
because, as remember, he pretty sick He'd been
both wounded and gassed in World War and on top
OF it all, Joe suffered from sinus"
PROBABLY MORE FANS remember the deals made
by Clark Grth in the winter of 1882 better than his
24-25 transactions.
Maybe it because they were little more recent"
Cal reasoned Sure, Unk did terrific job that winter
Tor Joe Cronn but he had to give up some pretty good
players to build his 'S3 winner 24-25 he got Cove
eske and Ruether on waivers and picked up Harris for
couple Of nothing players"
When old Grif surprisingly named the 2s-year- old
Cronn as MS manager, succeeding Walter Johnson he
was surprised when Joe handed him slip of paper with
three names on it. This was on December l. 1882.
I'D like to have these three pitchers" Joe sad al
d
Grifs eyebrows shot up in surprise when he read
the names: Earl whitehin Walter Stewart and Jack
Russell.
These solid pitchers" Grif protested. "These
fellows aren't bushwhackers."
CRONIN FLASHED dsarming smile "They ALWAYS
told you pretty good trader" Joe attered his
boss I thought you could swing EN- our way anybody
could"
The Old Fox grabbed the bait At the winter meeting
in New York he not only acquired but also Catcher
Luke Sewe from Ceveand-in exchange for Harley Boss
hrst baseman, and Roy Spencer, catcher.
Detroit wanted Fred Marberry as part payment for
souhpaw Whitehi Much he wanted to keep Marberry
one Of his favortes G gave up big Texan plus the
efthanded Carl Fischer
The old boy was rolling now. In shooting for Stewart
OF the Browns he wound swapping Outfeders Sammy
West and Carl Reynolds and Pitcher Lloyd Brown for
Goose Gosn and Fred Schultz in addition to Stewart
Cronin not only got his three pitchers-WhitehiI,
Stewart and Russel-but Gosln Sewe and Schultz too
But like said," Cal repeated, "Unk was proudest of
those deals for Harris, Coveeske and Ruether They
must have won between so and so that by
themselves"
fan named Eugene Stevens of Washington who writes:
Joe Harris was sergeant in my uncles Che was Capt
W. G. MacNulty) company in World War l. AS hitter
Joe always was looking for the His motto at the
plate was Every batter dangerous when he's swinging
"Joe was great guy but really well after the
war Bad, bad sinus trouble, for thing. Uncle Bill
Mac and saw lot Of Harris in 25. and Joe fixed
1t up for me to make the final
trip in the teams during the SERIES
1t was great fun going out. Everybody was confident
But the Pirates won the final game 97, and the SERIES
arrs was the top hitter with 44O. Coming back it was
goomy. There was Joe Judge, for example. At about
HarperS Ferry recall Judge standing on the car
pat1orm and saying and over I'd like to have
good cry, like 1 amt going to-
But Joe was among those who had partaken the
grape, which satisfied the frustrated Ruether had
brought aboard"
II Dutcn hadn't, somebody else would have provided
Not many ball clubs had better excuse