Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-09

Marshal ConIun's
Always Enforcing
By MORRIS sIEcEL

PARADISE VALLEY, ARIZ, MAR. 9-Drive down
Indian School road about miles from the Pink Pony
saloon and Just when it appears you're going to be
swallowed up by the Comeback Mountain Range you're
in Paradise Valley
It's beautiful little desert hideaway newly developed
but mushrooming like everything else out this way the
Phoenix-Scottsdale neghborhood.
The purpose of the visit to call on the part
time marshal of the settlement He's been living here
for four five years and the living must be good because
the marshal looks great.
He isn't sure how the place got to be called Paradise
Valley, but the winter time law enforcement aims
to keep 1t that way 1t might take discriminatory piece
Of housing legislation to enable him do what bankers
to do, but he's all for that, too.
mo BASEBALL PLAYERS not even retired ones live
here and maybe that's why it's called Paradise Valley"
the marshal proclaimed
The job of marshal doesn't pay Jocko Conlan much,
maybe beer money. His main Of income is from
baseball. He's umpire and now you should know
why he tries to take these preventive to keep
ballplayerS from moving in close to him.
Bob Scheffing lives out this way" he said pointing
to another mountain range But he's all right He's
in your league there in Detroit he amt bad
But National Lacquer better try and get too close.
see enough Of them in the season."
Jocko is fierce Irishman who is ferceIy proud Of
his profession He's been in the National League for %
years and has been involved in practically every shenan
gan the calculated risk Of umprng likely to produce
A couple Of years ago he got into kicking match
with Leo Durocher Jockos claim that he outkcked the
dandy Dodger COACH who usually fights with his mouth,
is ncontestabe II kicked him out Of the game after
he kicked me and kicked him few times" he says.
RECENTLY HE WAS branded cultural slob, because
he ordered them to stop the music in Houston and Gin
cnnat "The Of those organ players playing while
the opposing pitcher is getting ready to work. he said
81 told them they could play anything they wanted
between innings but 1t started they had to stop
That's an umpires Job, too, controlling the music"
In Jocko's book the umpres authority is not
sary restricted TO the time the game starts and ends
m in charge when arrive at the park he claims "and
proved 1t TO one fellow. He called yellow beed
something when I going through the tunnel on my
way to the plate to start the game That ended that
gentleman for the day He through before the
started"
JoCKo BOASTS Of being the only umpire to chase the
late Mel Off, by nature and reputation the mdest Of
Off, according TO Jocko called him liar $50 in
front OF those $1,000 in the Polo Grounds told Mr. OFT
he through not for Just the first game Of that double
header, but for the day.
The next day Ford Frick then league president called
Conan TO his office TO learn why he had elected Off,
There we're 5000 fans out there Jocko. This is New
York" Prick said.
"Mr Frck" Jocko answered, II don't care II there
was nobody out there and were playing In Water
Closet Nebr nobody Is going TO call me a liar"
The OFT incident resulted in change In baseballs
department rules Since then players banished in
eligible Just the particular game not for the day. and
can play in the second game Of double-headers.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO when Conan mixed up in
an inevitable dispute the sports editor Of his home town
newspaper wrote nasty article" defending the ball
player and knocking Conlan.
In II he said Jocko carried his Irish too far that he
tended 10 maintain his reputation for toughness 10 an
extent that he was being unfair "And he called me a
lot OF other uncomplmenary things too Conlan added
At the end after splattering Jockos reputation
throughout his column the sports editor wrote that moth
ing would change Jocko ever His final sentence read
"Sic semper Jocko."
Conan called him. Listen" he beloved II don't
know what the sic semper means but II you we're ball
player and called me sic semper you wouldn't do
il twice I'd run you quick II would make both Of
your heads spin"