Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-08

Griff Was Right
Nobody Like Bobo
By MORRIS SlEGEL

1T DIDN'T TAKE THE late Clark Griffith long to tick
off the of Washington balplayers he regarded
box office attractions There Walter Johnson, of
course Heine Manush then skip all the way to the
Mickey Vernon, Gil Coan and Connie Marrero era.
That's how Griff listed EN- and he knew But Griff"
the interviewer protested you skipped Bobo Newson Ger
tainy he belongs" q
ooh Bobo" the Old Man mused "hes different There
amt nobody like Bobo"
That covered it pretty much. Bobo in class by
himself He pitcher showboat clubhouse lawyer pop
off and strappng country cod who refused to grow up
Most managers preferred not having Bobo their teams
Bucky Harris, who managed Newson most of the five
terms Bobo put in at Griffith Stadium, didn't find him
the least Objectionable ANY time needed him to pitch
he ready Harris said last night II paid much
attention to Bobo otherwise He had the damndest arm
I ever saw" So
IF THE REST OF Bobos body was as strong as the
big galoots ARM Bobo still would be alive today. Trainers
served only purpose for him: AS couriers to place
horse bet He didn't need their lnaments messages
Bobo never had in his life
It's impossible to get maudln about Bobo, much as
his death yesterday is mourned It's impossible because
Bobo himself wasn't maudln guy He frivolous
tankeroS often careless with the truth competitive and
garrulous, but fun most of the time.
He lied about his age until the balpayers pension
plan, with its nice monthly payments began reckoning
him. Then he suddenly added five years to his age to
qualify for the life payments after vigorously maintaining
he was only A for several years
How do you know you're SOP" Joe Haynes, his old
antagonist, asked him winter in Orlando Fla, Bobo
home Last year this time you were only As"
81 just found out last week the family Bible had
was wrong about my age" BobS said.
IN THE TWILIGHT of his 24-year major league career
Bobo demanded his outright release the end of each
before signing contract In this way he could sell
himself to the highest bidder each His preference
usually was with the Senator'S then, always short
handed.
Bobo would indulge training rules only to the extent
of getting himself in partial shape enough to pitch batting
practice to the Washington hopefus in spring training
He would strut out like bear and oerpower the hitte
rusty from winter with his fast ball which still had zng
to it.
One spring Bobo racked numerically in his annual
pitch for job He sadly left the mound and numbered
to the clubhouse Whats the matter BOP" he asked
by witness to the Commandment
Beats hell out of me- Bobo," he answered. I'm
THROWN hard did but the bs Just taking longer
to get up to the plate"
ABOUT DOZEN YEARS ago Harris was strapped for
starting pitchers His Senators faced two straight double
headers against the Athletics in Philadelphia late in the
and Bucky in his dilemma nominated Newson for
of the starts to be his first start of the long
year.
A nervy reporter asked Bobo when he last started
major league game THAT was for the Giants when Mel
OFT managed he answered quickly Never forget it, 1t
opening day in the Polo Grounds San pitching
for Boston Musta $4,000 watching the game We
leading, 81, and doubled in Off, who wasn't
good manager, took out"
check of the recordS-no to be distrustful but only
to substanate NewSon of coursereveaed such thing
showed Bobo never started for the Giants pitched only
few innings relief and cobbered Newson quickly
was confronted with the facts
who you gonna believe, Bobo?" Newson beloved me
that record book there the man who wrote that
book wasn't" 49,
ONE DAY IN BOSTON Newsom and Haynes, who had
just rejoned his fathern-lawS ball club after long
stint with the White sox discussing sachel Paige
Haynes declared Sach Of the best and he boosted
he speaking from first hand experience because Satch
had whipped Haynes in Comiskey Park only short
ago.
Newsom dissented violently Haynes wasn't even there
Bobo charged backing up his protest with offer to bet
$3.50 and also uncharacteristc offer to post the bet
Haynes searched his wallet found he had only 500 and
asked Sherry Robertson for loan of $50 to bet Newsom
oh no." Newsom screamed mo bet not If you got to
borrow the money to do It,"
Now Bobo is gone For his sake hope he'll soon en-
counter his old pal and employer, Clark Griffith Griff
probably has been looking for easy pnoche opponent
like Bobo for years.