Evening star., 1961-01-25
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW 3, FRANCE, ,1Auu
Van BrockIin Fored Better

OF THOSE TWO GREAT athletes who wanted to boss
the firms for which they starred Norm Van Brocklin
apparently came off much better than Babe Ruth Neither
achieved his goaVan Brockns to coach the Philadelphia
Eagles Ghd Ruths to manage the New Yankees But
at least Van Brocklin is coaching big league team
Even as he accepted the job with the Minnesota
Vikings Of the National Football League, Van Brockln
denounced the Eagles for their failure to keep their
promise No they didn't intimate I'd be the next coach"
the Dutchan They said It, That's the reason why
came to Philadelphia after I'd had it at Los Angeles
In choosing Nick Skorch to succeed the retired Buck
Shaw, the Eagles obviously naming the man they
had In mind for many weeks If they had intended to
appoint Van Brockln they changed their minds.
Why they did it is not ours to reason. The fact is
that Norm realized the hopelessness Of his ambition and
settled for another job Ruth did the same but is to be
hoped Van Rrocklins story will have happier ending
Il AA
HISTORY HAS PROVED that the Yankees simply felt
that Ruth too irresponsible to be their manager The
Babe couldn't wouldn't grow up.
There was no fault to be found with Ruth on the
playing field Ed Barrow, who was general manager Of
the Yankees, put 1t this way "There has been
anybody like Ruth and there never will beand not only
for his home runs either He had what is called baseball
brains He never made mistake on the ball field He
knew instnstively just what to do"
But Barrow didn't his influence to make Babe
manager job Ruth suddenly began to cherish when his
special sls waning After Miller Higgins and Bob
Shawkeys oneyear tenure in 1880 the Yankees signed
Joe Mccarthy.
BY the time Mccarthy got the job Babe was obsessed
1882, but his home output falling and so was
his salary 1t had been $4,000 but in McCarys second
year It was cut to $4,000 and to $4,000 the next.
Finally when he down to $35 600 salary in 1884
he carried his fight to Owner Jake Rupert.
~
RUTH HAD NO GREAT love for Mccarthy He felt
that Joe mposter in that Mccarthy had
anything better than minor league player The Babe
resented his authority
Rupert stood up for Mccarthy Root" he said "you
want to be manager take Newark" The brewer always
called him Root"
Newark the main Yankee farm and a logical
stepping stone to the big job although things turned
out Babe anybody else would have to wait long time
before taking the STEP Mccarthy lasted than years
with the Yankees.
But Newark spelled the minors to Ruth and he would
have none of it.
THUS 1T WAS that when the Boston Braves offered
Ruth post playervce president in 1885 he accepted
The Yankees who carried a 100000 insurance
policy the big man, yielded up their rights and bade
him farewell He Just about finished they reasoned
and he wasn't doing the Yankees morale any good.
The marriage of Ruth and Braves never had chance
70 times at bat and June g. 1885 he quit the club and
bitterly.
That Just about eliminated Ruth prospective
manager Of big league team not that Fuchs held
blameless Ty Cobb Rogers Hornsby Chrsty Mathewson
Walter Johnson iris Speaker and most Of the other
stars got crack at managing but Ruth Which is
where Van Brocklin Jared SO much better.