Evening star., 1962-09-27

A-A-o SSNA @AA& - @~SA@~@ ~ N~f~1
either home or to his hotel n
Daniels losing ways, Jim Pier
or Bob Johnson's inability to l
But it turns out that he W
have been more concerned
about his own future. Daniels,
Piersall, johnson and every
body else in the Senator's or
ganization has q job today, but
Doherty, the genial, 62-year-
old Irishman is out as Of No
vember 10.
I'VE feel It appropriate to
announce that General Manager
Ed Doherty's contract will not
be renewed upon its expiration
in mid-November," was the
way President Pete Quesada
put 1t yesterday.
That was the extent Of the
explanation. Reporters per-
sisted that Quesada give q
reason. Instead, he Just gave
his big smile. Finally Doherty
became embarrassed and said.
"Just say Pete and I had an
amicable talk and agreed TO
the decision"
II Quesada wanted to pull
a shocker. he succeeded. There
were four possibilities = that
Doherty and Manager Mickey
Vernon would be retained, that
both would be fired. that
Doherty would be retained and
Vernon fired, or Vernon re-
tanned and Doherty fired.
Not one single person on.
with, or close to the ball club
who Is on this trip admitted
that he had predicted Que
sada's decision. Most Of them
thought Mickey would be the
victim Of the two last place
finishes. Some thought both
would be retained. A few
thought both would go.
While Doherty Is a worrier
by nature, the decision was an
obvious shock to him.
Ed thought he had done q
good Job. The Senators were
burned this year on the Pier
sall-for-D Dick Donovan trade,
but Doherty reasonably asked
for another year before judg-
ment was passed. He claims
he made as many deals as any
other club over the past two
years. He liked the future Of the
Senators pitching staff, and
the young infield.
But either there was some
thing that Doherty failed to
do that irked Quesada andior
the Senator'S Board Of Direc-
tors, or Ed simply was the vic
tim Of baSeballs unwritten law
that somebody has to go on q
last-place ball club.
While Ed wanted his critics
to take q longer look at the
Piersall trade, he also resented
Quesada's constant reference
to the great success Of the
Angels, who were spawned the
same day as the expansion
Senators.
Doherty believes the Angels
are q one-year wonder. He be-
lieves that the Senators win
catch them next year.
Doherty gave q touch Of class
to the Senator's. He has been
in baseball since his batboy
days. For one night he thought
he might try another field. He
took q part in q summer stock
show in New England years
ago, but some Of his buddies
were in the audience and start
ed laughing when he made his
stage entrance. He forgot his
lines and was replaced. He
loved to tell that story, with
establishment.
Ed is one Of baseball's great
story tellers, and when he talks
about the good old days, he
means the good old days. He
was good for the Senator'S
morale on the bench, the bus,
the plane, or in the hotel. The
players respected him, but still
he was one of them.
Doherty is not a good loser.
but who likes good losers2 He
would sit tense and white
Tipped as the Senators blew
game after game with inept-
ness, but he made it a point
never to visit the clubhouse
until he cooled off.
Doherty and Vernon were ex-
tremely close for two men
thrown together on short no.
tice and If they ever had any
differences, nobody knew it.
Doherty's great concern over
the past few weeks was that
Vernon might not be retained.
Doherty had every reason to
be resentful of the way Quesada
handled the situation, of the
weeks of hints and meaningless
statements, postponed meet