Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-13

Sometimes 1t
Pays to Lose
By MORRIS sIEGEL

THE BENEvoLENCE OF THE Senators, never seriously
challenged until the Nets came along to set new standards
for nsied labor is being threatened from within
Their owners, the brokerage-firm doube-play COM
bnaton Of James M Johnston and James H. Lemon
eventually will outdstance their field hands in the knack
Of inherent charity If Sundays display Of tolerance s an
example.
They celebrated the 18th losing venture of their invest
ment in which made the players strangely proud
to be losers, They tossed party for the boys. ta
1t like congratulating Floyd Patterson for his
showing against Sonny Lston Just watching the games
and making regular and substantial contributions to the
dwndng kitty would to be more than sufficient
evidence Of the owners indulgence.
But when they reward the players with testimonial
for their ineptness 1t makes them Of different and
special breed They are and they deserve better shake
ssas
HoNoRINd LOSING TEAMS has come to be tradi-
tiona in washington where victory parties haven't been
held in SO long they probably have become Illegal.
The Redskins used to do 1t until last year. when one
Of their reethinkers got the novel Idea that the name Of
the game Is to win He suspended the annual Bacchanla
for the city's other most notable non-wnner
It wasn't the first time tandem ownership had saked
its troopers to free load Dan Topping and Del Webb Of
the Yankees do it annually, but for slightly different
reason They do 1t to mark another World Series success
Toastlng champs much easier than toasting losers
who usually are more tainted than toasted.
THE ANNOUNCED PURPOSE Of the unusual house,
warming was to salute Orestes saturnino Mnoso who
recently Quacu acClVe membership the lUUU
Batted-In Club in the classic manner-wth grand-sam
home run.
Is For Minnies teammates 1t was a singular moment.
They can always say they at least had the carous pleas
ue Of being with player who batted in 200 runs because
none Of the present Senators ever is likely to close
to Minosos record
4 Few win stil be playing at Mnnoso's age. However
the chances Of all are kissed off for more relevant
reason None has the skilIs Of Mincsc.
The real excuse for the gathering, it developed
for coowners to offer vote Of confidence Any group
which already the favote to lose at least 100 games
for the third straight year hardly needed additional urging
. . ~
I'VE ARE HAPPY to be associated with you and we
are proud Of what you are doing said the sincere Mr.
Johnston who probably would have had kind word to
say for Adai Stevenson and Tommy Manvlle two more
prominent losers
For Johnston and Lemon the assembly afforded an
opportunity to meet their hired hands. These included
Cal Neeman the catcher who arrived only that
ing from jacksonville Fla. So
Until the reason was explained several thought the
blast arranged to welcome Neeman to town. However,
the boundess enthusiasm Of Johnston and Lemon prob
ably doesn't 60 that far-not yet. anyway IS
"They are the two incest men ever have worked
for and two Of the most agreeable Joe Burke the Sem
ators business manager, maryeled. ga
They must be Anybody who can laud team that
already has lost "a games and faces bigger deficit
at the gate gets my vote.
can hardly wait until the Tooth defeat. What q
blowout that party should be.