The White Falcon - 24.07.1943, Blaðsíða 7

7
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Headaches r yjHLv.
For Lippy
By Gene Graff W3m.
If Leo (The Lip) Durocher glances at the
handwriting on the wall, he’ll probably dis-
cover, that a thick line has been scratched
through his name. Lippy, Flatbush fans will
tell you, has fallen out of favor with the boss',
Branch Rickey, his assorted array of tempera-
mental big-name prirna donnas, and even the
fans have started to howl for his scalp.
The trials and tribulations of the peppery
manager came to light last week when a club-
house rebellion threatened to hand Pittsburgh
a forfeit victory because Lippy couldn’t muster
up enough players to make a starting lineup.
It all started when Bobo Newson, a pop-off
guy who clowned his way into Durocher’s
good graces after other managers had given
him the gate, spouted off because Catcher
Bobbie Bray had miscued on a third strike.
At least that’s the early explanation that
got into print. Later, however, Lippy reveal-
ed that Bobo had been suspended indefinite-
ly for insubordination. “He’ll warm the bench
until he mends his ways,” Lippy fumed after
the mutiny. “He’s out for the season — if I
can make it stick.”
However, Lippy won’t have to worry about
Bobo any more because Branch Rickey dis-
posed of the temperamental hurler this week,
Wrapping him to the St. Louis Brownies for
pitchers Archie McKain and Fritz Ostermuel-
ler. Now observers are saying that it was a
trumped-up mutiny to keep Newsom from get-
ting a bonus which would have made him one
of the highest paid pitchers in Dodger history
—just one day after he was suspended. “I got
the dirties^ deal any pitcher ever got,” was
Bobo’s charge. And his Dodger mates agree.
Another trouble-maker was given his walking
papers later in the week when Joe (Ducky)
Medwick was transferred to the Giants via
waivers. For the Dodgers to give anything to
the Giants is a stinging slap at the player
involved.
Bobo’s tantrum might have passed with only
mild notice, but Brooklyn sports writers ware
present when the revolt began melting the
clubhouse asbestos. They heard Newsom re-
turn the boss’ uncomplimentary remarks; they
heard Arky Vaughan, Billy Herman and the
rest refuse to don their uniforms, and they
didn’t waste any time joining the down-with-
Durocher party.
To restore some semblance of order, Lippy
threatened to resign. That startled the play-
ers and they promised to be good, probably
because they couldn’t determine who should
lake Durocher’s place. It’s a known fact that
Vaughan, Joe Medwick, Dolph Camilli, Herman
and a few others have been trying to under-
mine Lippy’s position since he became boss,
and Herman has been sulking since Gabby
Hartnett beat him to the Chicago Cub man-
ager post.
If Lippy survives his current upheaval, he
deserves a niche in the Hall of Fame. Even
an iron man with the fortitude of McCray?
probably would have given up long ago.
Dodgers Bounce Bobo;
Giants Grab Medwick
Branch Rickey took a firm stand behind his manager, Leo (Lippy)
chapter of the trials and tribulations of the Brooklyn Dodgers when
belling Bobo Newsom and Joe (Ducky Wucky) Medwick.
Newsom, just 24 hours
away from a bonus that
would have made him one
of baseball’s highest paid pitch-
ers, was shipped to the St. Louis
Browns in exchange for pitch-
ers Archie McKain and Fritz
Ostermueller. Medwick, unhappy
because he couldn’t grab the
club’s managership, was present-
ed to the New York Giants for
the waiver price of $7,500.
Meanwhile, the strife-ridden
Dodgers settled down to the am-
bitious task of catching the first
place St. Louis Cards in the Na-
tional League race. The Cards
Durocher, this week in the latest
he handed walking-papers to re-
Tankers Wanted
Swimmers who have com-
peted in collegiate or AAU
events are being sought for
possible action in a cham-
pionship meet at London, Aug.
13. Men in the Command—
officers are included—who
can hold their own in fast
company are urged to con-
tact the Base Special Service
Office.
boast a 4 Vi -game edge over the
Dodgers, which would have been
more imposing if the world
champs hadn’t dumped three in
a row to the Pittsburgh Pirates,
9-5, 7-3 and 3-2.
The Chicago Cubs, taking two
This was one
of the blows
that softened up
" A1 Reasoner for
the kill when
he fought Bob
Montgomery, re-
cognized light-
weight cham-
pion in New
York and Penn-
sylvania. Mont-
gomery floored
Reasoner here
in the sixth
round at New
Orleans, pound-
ed him to the
canvas three
times later, then
knocked him out
for keeps in the
seventh round of
their scheduled
ten-rounder.
Major League
Standings
out of three from fourth place NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati, bounded into fifth W. L. Pet. G.B.
place. One of the victories was St. Louis . .. 50 28 .642
an impressive 8-0 shutout by Pu- Brooklyn . . 49 36 .576 4*4
erto Rican Hi Bithorn, his tenth Pittsburgh . 43 36 .544 7*4
triumph of the season. Cincinnati . 40 40. .500 11
In the American League, the Chicago . .. 36 44 .450 15
New York Yanks maintained Philadelphia 36 45 .443 15 *4
their sizzling pace to open a 5'/2- Boston 33 43 .434 16
game margin over the Washing- New York . 33 47 .412 18
ton Senators. The Yanks swept AMERICAN LEAGUE
a four-game series from Connie W. L. Pet. G.B.
Mack’s lowly Philadelphia A’s, New York . 47 30 .610
6-5, 5-4, 7-2 and 4-3, while the Washington 44 38 .537 5*4
Nats snatched three from the Detroit .... 40 37 .519 7
Boston Red Sox, 3-0, 9-2 and 5-4, Chicago . .. 38 38 .500 8*4
but bowed in the series opener, St. Louis . .. 38 39 .493 9
4-1. Cleveland . . 37 41 .474 10*4
Detroit and Chicago battled to Boston .... 36 43 .456 12
(Continued on Page 8) Philadelphia 34 48 .415 15 *4
SHORT SHOTS
Harris Flashes Same Form
That Won Title Last Year
They haven’t been tooting their own horns much so
far this season, but the Shawanos, current leaders of
League 9 in the Command softball circuit, figure they
will have plenty to say before any championship laurels
are handed out.
The Shawnees, who won the
Command championship last
year—when, they were the Cob-
ras, are undefeated to date in
league competition and have lost
but one exhibition gome this
The team’s shining star, as
last yeas, is pitcher Don Harris,
husky speed-ball artist from De-
troit, Don is the boy who hurl-
ed the club to the (itlp last yegr,
Fordham U., always a national gridiron fac-
tor, will discard football for the duration un-
less the Army lifts its ban on soldiers partici-
pating at Fordham, Jack Coffey, Ram athletic
director stated this week .... The Rams al-
ready have erased from their ’43 schedule gam-
es with St. Mary’s, Tennessee and Missouri ....
The first two have dropped sports for the dur-
ation .... Missouri cancelled because of trans-
portation difficulties.
Count Fleet is now training for the Travers
Stakes at Belmont, Aug. 14, after being idle
since suffering an ankle injury in the Bel-
mont Stakes early last month .... Later, the
Count is slated to shoot for the $50,000 Amer-
ican Derby in Chicago .... The Pittsburgh
Morgan Strassers won the national amateur
soccer championship at Baltimore, Md., by
stopping the Santa Maria host team, 4-1, in
the finals.
Wiry Bobie Calm, diminutive grid official
who was conspicuous by his energetic rush
up and down the field during 23 years of toot-
ing the whistle, has announced his retirement
from the National Pro League staff .... Bobie
coupled his retirement with a list of some
farewell firsts: BEST GAME WORKED —
Famous championship playoff battle between
the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears
in 1934, the Giants winning, 30-13, after don-
ning tennis shoes in the second half .... 60-
MINUTE MAN — Bill Hewitt of the Chicago
Bears .... GREATEST ALL-ROUND PLAYER
season,
(Continued qji Page fi)
!-=■ George Trafton, one-time Bear linem»nr