Evening star., 1963-02-07
SKGH AT LARGE
Wrong Johnson
But Right Town
By MORRIS SIEcEL

BEIATEDLY RECALLING President Kennedy's in
augural pitch beseeching all of to do something for
country have been reading the Detroit newspapers
lately.
The purpose is to determine which barrooms In the
Motor City meet NFL specifications the Alex Karras
episode The President may have had high-minde
contributions In mind for but he no quarrel
with the sincerity have been devotng to my research
solely for the betterment of fellow man, of course
In pursuit Of this information the other day. 1 ran
across an interesting item in Detroit sports column The
writer well known at most the citys watering roughs
and also skilled hand at scuba diving weather permit
ting was having mild say so about the recent change
in high command Of the Senators.
THE MERE FACT that the writer even bothexed TO
Xray an ntramural affair of primary concern to WASH
ingtonans Is ncontestabe evidence that Detroit must be
as dull In February as Washington, maybe duller
The columnst noted that the James Johnston the
new civilian head Of the Senator's the Johnston
he knew In Detroit Thus he deducted the item worth
more than the normal miniature treatment His deduc-
ton was fauess except for thing he had the wrong
man.
The Johnston who heads the ball club, the coumnist
apparently didn't know is blue chips investment man
taking his first stab in the highly speculative market Of
baseball He Is not the James Johnson the writer knows
for several reasons being the Johnson his acquant
ance had the "t shorn from his name, was
there in the first place.
THE COLUMNIST, compliment -bestower Of consider
able background arbitrarily hked the wrong Johnsons
financial capabilities when he unwttngy assumed he had
reached in his petty cash box to fork the 50 million
needed to swing the baseball deal
The wrong Johnson is a man of considerable means
but 1t Is extremely unlikely that his Job as assistant TO
the president Of Rosecroft Raceway is sufficient to af
FORD him the luxury of owning majority interest in
ball club even one like the Senator'S Besides the Rose
croft Job occupies him only "a days year.
tha artir rod An.t.
several calls from old friends in Detroit congratulatng
him :nd wishing him well on his venture.
Il don't know how TO break the to my kids that
I'm not the owner Of the ball club" the tess Senator's
less Johnson said They're fans would like the idea
OF their father owning the team So would l."
THIS JOHNSON not THE Johnston, has been travel
ing companion Of Washington teams for years He usually
winters In Florida at the teams training base and is
regular at games in Washington Any number OF the play
ers probably regard him OF the bosses Gene Wood
ling actually did several years ago when he accosted Jim
my In the dressing room after the game
"You owners" beloved woodling who made menac-
ing gesture toward Johnson why don't you do something
about that outfield grass"
Gene" Johnson trembed I'm not an owner I'm
Just ;" He never got 10 finish the sentence.
well you look like one" woodling interrupted
Il didn't know how TO take that" johnson said recall
ing the incident
THE DETROIT CASE Of the wrong man is nothing
compared 10 what happened to a Los Angeles coumnis
several years He read Of the death OF an old friend
Of his in Washington He confused II with the deceaseds
brother, sports figure who is still very much with us
The LA. coumniSt wrote glowing obituary on the
wrong brother.
Upon learning Of his monumental goof the Angeles
writer phoned another friend in Washington and asked
for help.
III you're suggesting 90 out and shoot his brother
to justify your column the last pal protested I'm not
No mixup like this could happen 10 a fellow with
name like Pone Kngpetch