Evening star., 1961-01-05
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW By FRANCIS s7AAn
Jack Sheehon Signing In

JACK SHEEHAN is a compact sturdy man with nearly
half century of professional baseball behind him and all
the qualifications to be chief scout the new Senator's
which he is. Name the job and sheehan probably has
filled II, but mostly he playing manager in the
minors and talent scout de luxe.
There are Sheehans listed in the time register
OF major league players and all except eeting
performers. The exception not Jack but Pitcher
Thomas Clancy Sheehan unrelated are the other i've
But Jack did play little with the Brooklyn Dodgers
back in 1920 and 1921 when Uncle wber Robinson was
managing and those exciting days, he recalling
at 0rinth Stadium where he reported this week Among
otner things, Sheehan not only jumped from Glass
league to the Dodgers but within very short time was
playing in World Series for which he not eligible
This was in the 1920 SERIES the in which Bill
Wambsganss Of Cleveland made unasssted triple play
before you could say "Wambsganss" and Elmer Smith of
the Indians hit the first grand slam home in World
Series history All this happened in the fifth game when
the Dodgers ouit the Indians but lost al And Jack
sheehan also remembers 1t the first series game he
played.
"T WAS PLAYER-MANAGER of the winnepeg club Of
the Northern League" Jack explained "I had been in
the Pacific Coast League and later to play in
Triple-A ball again, but in those days, when pay
pretty low, fellow could money managing and
playing in Class c.
"At Wnnepeg secuted and assembled the team in
addition to playing shortstop and managing. II sold
player collected 20 per cent of his price which never
man named Mo sold to Brooklyn. Yeah. collected
20 per cent Of myself
This was late in the 1920 season. I played in few
games for the Dodgers but ineligible for the World
Series because you had to be with team before Septe-
Der !.
THAT was the year Clevelands shortstop Ray Chap
man, was killed in August after being hit in the head by
Carl Mays at the Polo Grounds Cleveland asked permission
from the Brooklyn team to play Joe sewe at shortsop
the series Joe just out of college and wasn't eligible
either"
EVEN THEN UNCLE ROBBIE, as Wilbert Robinson
was called didn't t to ask Cleveland to recprocate
by making sheehan eligible. "we had Jimmy Johnston
at third base Jack said "and until he hurt his knee Just
worked out with the Dodgers before the series games
I'D just come in from the outheld, where I was
foong around, and ready to take bath and dress
because ineligible players weren't allowed the bench
player came up and said, Robbie wants to you.
Don't change
II sensed what Robbie had on his mind He asked
Have you ever played third base?
YEAH told him, although at Winnepeg it was
shorstop and occasionally second base But had played
third earlier.
You're playing third for u.s. Robbie said 'Ceveland's
agreed to make you eligible
"And played the last three games of the SERIES
which was hve-out-of-nine affair don't know what
batted, although remember getting hit the first time
up of Jim Bagby who 81 that year. Whatever it was
1t wasn't enough. We lost the SERIES five games to two"
ED DOHERTY, the general manager of the Senator'S
eo oneenan Irom tne Wnlte SOx organization. Their
friendship goes back to 1926 when Sheehan playing
for Providence then in the International League
Doherty was sports editor of the Providence Journal
"Shag Shaughnessy was managing the club" Jack
recalled. "It wasn't bad team. We had first baseman
named Big Bill Bagwell who wonderful hitter but
couldn't throw worth nickel He had shot at the big
leagues and Erv Brame pitcher did pretty well later
with Pittsburgh They were owned by Connie Mack's
Athletics at the time.
"And then he had a rookie, big clumsy kid who
couldn't play anywhere Mack sent him to Providence
See WIN. LOSE OR DRAW. Page d.