Evening star., 1961-03-03
WIN, LOSE OR
UKAW By FRANCIS s1Ann
One for the Book?

S-4Ouu
time before you find player the Senators with
q record as strange Harry Bright's.
In the first place he 81 years old and yet could be
considered rookie He has been the property Of the
Yankees Cubs wice White Sox Tigers Pirates (twice)
and now Of the Senators Yet he's played in only IS big
; league games
II started back in 1885," Harry was saying unfolding
his implausibe tale Il 1s years old At 10 decided
there was more future working in the furniture business
50 retired Now, Is years later I'm trying to win Job
Bright who originally came out OF Kansas City, is
man who stands six feet weighs 100 pounds
and might be Washington's next third baseman He is
conceded chance by Manager Mickey Vernon, whom
Harry feels is solely responsible for his being with the
Senators.
I'VE aren't close" Harry says. I'VE played round Of
golf together But guess that at another
In the Pirate organization Mickey play 1t makes
me feel good to be included in the Bobby shanz trade
Oh YES BRIGHT was a boy manager This was back
IN 1852. The Cubs owned this the first time
but they told that Glass ball was about as high
as could So they offered the playing manager
Job at JaneSvlle. E"
Harrys record is spiced with names that might give
pause to the average person Such deep minor league
stops as Fond du Lac Houma, Clovis.
GAINESVILLE was in the Wisconsin State League, a
Glass circuit" Bright says You know the kind . q. d.
Is players and riding the bus. But guess If had to
make the decision again I'd accept the Cubs offer After
ALL some pretty good brains said wouldn't go very high"
Yet he did go higher. He hit 1872 for Little Rock and
2S1 for Buffalo in 1854 He had some fair to good years
at Sacramento and he kept getting picked up by major
league teams
This is not bitter guy who thinks he's been put upon
Bright has illusions of greatness when broke into
pro ball in 46 catcher and owned by the Yam
KEGS. Was Dckey still catching? No, guess not But
they had Bera and Houk and Aaron Robinson and Sera
and Courtney and Berberet either in hand on way
II simply expendabe. At age 1S"
HE BECAME AN infielder when he was managing
a rin of TpIou oil
infied and outfeld You have is players you've got
shift around I'd put my in the lineup, wherever
needed somebody" He hit 1925 for Janesvie and drove
in 101 runs.
burgh. II thought had it made with the Tigers in the
spring Of 81" Harry says. I've always been slow
starter. This time got off good But did another in
fielder, Frank Boiling. lost out"
When he tried by the Pirates-now 1t was es-
tabshed that third base probably his best position
he first ran into Frank Thomas, the ball hitter
and later Don Hoax heroic figure in the last World Series
How the Cubs drafted you in the winter of SOP"
Bright was asked almost 10 years earlier didn't they tell
you that Class was as high you'd go?"
Harry shrugged. who knows? Maybe was improv-
ing and the Cubs weren't
LEST ANYONE GET the idea this personable young
man is from hunger it be pointed out that he had
tidy with Salt Lake City in the Pacific Coast League
In 1860. He hit 313 drove in 19 runs and slammed 27
home He hit anywhere close to 27 homers in
the eaky roof circuits of his well-remebered past
II guess Rogers Hornsby had great deal to do with
1t" Harry says about two weeks before released
by the Cubs went to Mr. Hornsby in hotel lobby and
asked him If he thought could improve my hitting He
advised few things, like not gripping the bat hard
and avoiding open stance
Sure enough, the Cubs let me CO. but remembered
what Mr. Hornsby had told and guess last year in
the Coast League my best Then the Pirates
qured me and when they had chance to pick up Shant
for R. C. Stevens and Bennie Daniels and this winter
they did it."