Evening star., 1963-04-30

Is Vernon
On Way Out?
Dy MORRIS sIEeEE

COMPARING THE FIRST II games this season with
the number Of exposures the previous campaign one
comes to the inescapabe conclusion that civilian leader
ship not the total answer to the oinous plight Of the
Senator'S
The new administration has kept its pledge to i'm
prove press relations and to maintain an opendoor eleva-
tor policy However the painful fact remains that the
Senators still in 10th place. not quite as firmly en-
trenched they under the one.an military rule
at this time last year. but still there Just the same
The situation is likely to become wcrse-which will
take some imaginative doings-before gets better This
of course personal guess Another guess, based on
hearsay from on high is that new field commander is
much more realistic prospect than sudden resrgence
by the Senators.
JAMES. BARTON VERNON Is the only member Of the
original high command to survive the general house.
cleaning This may be one Of the last opportunities to refer
to Vernon as the hodover manager.
His chief executive officer George Alexander Sekirk
yesterday forewarned that he might dtcx question
termed ugly" by his interrosaor but In his negative
sponse sekrk could not have been positive as to his
thinking
Or must bring up an ugly situation, George"
Al don't have to answer 1t, do n"
Q-"What Is Mickey Vernons status?"
Al don't want to answer that"
1t doubtful the president Of optniist nternation-
al would be naive enough to regard the implication Of Sell
kinks muffed reply vote Of confidence for Vernon
&&&A
SELKIRK DID NOT accompany his emissaries to Los
Angeles for their one-night fling against the Angels last
night He prudently decided that this trip was not
necessary
George saw enough in the four-sams match with Kan
City However he will resume onsite inspections to-
morrow In Detroit and it Is not too speculative to sug
ges that something of serious nature could take place
there.
Detroit has a modest history as a city from which
washington manager not automatically assured Of safe
passage. Charlie Dresser relieved Of his responsible
ties in the Motor CITY, cheerfully yielding the burden to
Cookie bavageto who reluctantly became the new skip
per-
This is not the first time decision on Vernon has
been imminent I'd Doherty, who preceded Selkrk to
basebals real trouble spot the verge Of slipping
nice-guy Vernon Mickey last year
MICKEY VERNON HAS NO known enemies How could
he? Even he had 1t would be impossible to place the
blame for the Senator's Vernon But Vernon knows
when manager hired he also inherits the calculated
risk Of being fired.
sekirk is understandaby concerned with the alarm
ing dropou In attendance and victories He can not help
but think the Senator's better team than they have
shown Personal pride dictates the thought because was
Selkirk himself who refashioned the team.
The old Yankee pride In Sekirk curded at events last
week end when the Senators staged another In their
patented giveaway series. Stupid blundering plays
sekirk said II know the Yankee players are not that
much better than players other teams but at least
they try to recover from mistakes We don't.
watch when Yankee makes error Immediately
he starts looking for another play to make to recoup We
don't. Our guys stand around cursing their luck"
A&aa
oELhlnh 10 HEALAo1lC enough O Aho" . haii-
ageria change will not convert the Senators into PEN
nant contender The procuring Of better bapayes many
more is the only means by which this can be accom-
plished
But Sekirk also is an old-fashioned baseball man.
When club can't get untracked the simple out is
to switch managers change which involves only one
man. Selkrk is patient He hasn't reached for the panic
button-not yet
Something must be done to restore interest In the
team delay might be fatal After the Yankee SERIES fans
we're speaking Of the Senators chiefly in terms Of rdue
After the pratfa against the AS that lowerade inter-
est deteriofated into indifference.
Vernon recently was introduced at dinner as the
manager of the year. The speaker to clear up any mis-
UNDERSTANDING quickly explained That's not an honor
Mickey won, only the length Of his contract"