Evening star., 1961-02-13
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS s1ANN
Down Memory Lane

PoMpANo BEACH Fla, Feb. 13-Some spring train
Ing Sites regardless of where they located have been
considered lucky.
The Senators of 1912 managed by Clark Griffith
trained at Charlottesville Va, and spent the first two
weeks shovelng off the field Yet the team made
run for the pennant and finished second the Red
Charlottesville, Of course, Is too far north to meet
mooern weather specifications In later years the Sena
tors won two pennants and World Series after training
IN tampa Fa and their only other flag after prepping
Biloxi, Miss.
In some Is years at Orlando Fla however the Sem
atots couldn't bring off winner This no reflection
on the Central Florida city In Of those seasons did
washington have the club to 60 all the way
Frooaoy Will be that way here in Pompano Beach for
"nue' Ine new team assembled less than two months
ago. needs time But climaticaly Pompano Beach is
warmer and milder than Tampa Biloxi or Orlando And
Is closer TO big league competition than Biloxi was and
SPRING TRAINING often is an adventuresor,s +,r,o
Imagine walter Johnson, shoveing snow in March and
ten posting 1912 recordl That was the IN hh
ne reeied Off l6 straight victories Imagine the ohar
that CLUB which had finished seventh In IL winninn ~
row " 49, "'''i''s ~ In
tampa was where Coach Al schacht pulled Of, that o1d
nAte husoand act on young second baseman named
6ucky Harris. Schacht knew an attractive or bo t,I
Harris and would introduce Bucky " ''' WAN
as ocnacnt tells the story Harris Spruced up invested
bouquet OF flowers and accompanied AL to the home
.. e young lady schacht knocked the door and was
met py an armed gentleman.
You" shouted the husband emptyinp a cv,indo- ~,
plank cartridges With moan Schacht COLLAPSED after
opening his coat so that he lay on the ground
tne catsup on his shirt front was exposed
Harris took off like scaded cat" AL chuckIes "Ee
ran al the way to the old Tampa Bay Hotel now the
Vry OF Tampa The rest Of the club was in the bushes
killed." ' '0 Oee"
TAMPA ALSO is WHERE Harris was sent ahead Of the
other senators IN January 1924 This was Owner rffth
keeping MS prize neder from playing pro basket
ball. One night Griffith elephoned from washington ana
o11ereo the 26-year old Bucky the Job as manager
Ine connection was bad and Harris felt his effusve
acceptance wasn't understood Forthwith he raced tn the
western Union office thrust $40 and messaee into the
clerks hands and said II want this telegram sent now and
repeated every hour until the money runs out" The mes
sage was I'LL take the job and win our first American
League pennant."
Two Of washngton's brightest stars were hurt at
Tampa In the spring Of Johnson starting his
win tne club suffered broken leg when he was hit by
line orlVe OF Joe Judges bat in batting practice The Big
Train won only five games that season
The next spring. 1928 Johnson was stricken with in
!uenza lost so pounds and pitched another inning
ImoSt az the same time Goose Gosn intrigued bv the
workouts Of high school track athletes on the field
pckeo up the 6-pound shot and tried to throw 1t like
oaseDa For at least one season 1t ruined the best
outfledng arms in baseball Goose couldn't throw 30 wards
tnat season. but he beat Henie Manush of st. Louis for
the batting title, 379 to 1878.
THE SENATORS DIDN'T care too much for Rioxi
There wasn't enough to do although with characteristic
ingenuity the veterans who to win the 1888 pennant
discovered waterfront btro that served home brew and
fresh shrmpS
Inc latter discovery was considered the greater feat
AiGnougn BILOXI was the shrimp capital Of the United
States the only crusaceans served in the hotel were out
OF can Returning from beer -shrilnps feast at
See WIN, LOSE OR DRAW, Page A-1s