New Pittsburgh Courier from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 14

Wtit 4' 1. V. 'I if, I i I i I i. 1 and giving out greetings. But The Sports Beat By WENDELL SMITH No One Protested Robinson's Promot on, On hot day last March down In Panama, I wu vlaltlnr Branch Rickey In his hotel suite.

He was talklnc aboat the eventual promotion of Jackie Robinson from Montreal to the Brooklyn Dodgers, and wondering: how he could make such a move without disrupting: the morale of his ball dub. "You know," he said, "we have some Southern players on the team and they might object, rd like to do this thin as diplomatically as possible. I don't want to create a lot of excitement. Ti like it to Im natural as nosslble." It wai obvious that Rickey was thinking about all possibilities and eventualities. He was preparing for the worse and hoping; for the best.

Suppose the Dodgers decided to strike? Suppose they re Whf vnuM Rickev do then? UVvU bU Jiaj nibU ffssv asw ww At that conference with Rickey we learned a lot of One of the things we learned was that everything wasn't going as smoothly as Rickey wanted it to insofar as Jackie Robinson's case was concerned. Some of the players were grumbling and hinting that they'd revolt if Robinson was put on the club. And, it didn't help the situation any when the Dodgers played the strong General Electric team, an all Negro combination In Panama, and got their ears pinned back. "1 wish that General Elee trio team hadn't beaten us," Rickey said. "Now those grumbling nlavers wa have will crumble even more." When the training season ended and the Dodgers and Montreal headed North, no one was sure just what Rickey was going to do.

Finally, he took the bull by the horns and put Robinson on the Dod gers. Much to everyone's surprise there was no grumDung, no mreais of violence and no strike. The players took it in stride, even toe most Southern of them. The Cardinals Aren't That Dumb, Friends Today the Dodgers are a harmonious club, fighting tooth and nail to win the pennant, and no one on the club objects to Robinson's presence. The only gripping now is coming from a few die hards on the outside who hate to see Democracy succeed on the baseball diamond.

The recent St. Louis Carldnal Incident, wherein the Cards allegedly threatened to strike was, I believe, greatly exaggerated and it made a better newspaper story than anything else. While few ball players have been cited for their mental agility, I am sure the Cardinals are smart enough to know that they can't pick the personnel of another club. They can't tell the Dodgers or Giants, for instance, who Is going to pitch or play any other position the following day. That is for the Dodgers and Giants to decide.

The Cards know that and so does every one else. If the Dodgers didn't protest when 'Rickey put Robinson on the team, how could the Cardinals? thing the Cardinals are not in a position today to pull any kind of protests or strikes. Their present position is last place, If, you please, and instead of worrying themselves and why they haven't been winning. If they had struck against the Dodgers, the Cards would have lost each scheduled game by the forefit score of to 0. Teams In last place can't afford to go around the country loosing games that way.

In fact, they can't afford to go around the country lossing games any kind of way. That is why I doubt that St. Louis would have struck against Robinson. They didn't win the world championship last year without uslag their heads: They have the same heads this year perhaps they're a bit swollen and I'm sure guys like Musial, Marion, Slaughter, Pollett and the rest aren't foolish enough to pull any such a Doner. Senor Alex Pompez Put Up a Beef If you don't get him riled, Senor Alex Pompez Is as nice a guy as you would want to meet.

In fact, they will tell you down in Havana and points South of there that there isn't a more refined andigentle creature than the handsome man with the swarthy com nlextlon and Latin tongue. Senor Pompex owns the New York Cubans baseball club and it can be truly said that he Is one Latin who made good In Manhattan. He has owned and operated his team for something like twenty six years now, and you'll have to go 'way back in the books to find anything that says he ever stirred up any trouble, either on the field or in the front offices of Negro baseball. That is why a lot of ns were surprised last week when we learned that the good Senor is on the war path and shouting quite some at Dr. John II.

Johnson, the new president of the Negro National League. It seems that the "Doc" has ruled Claro Duany, a hard hitting outfielder of the New York Cubans, ineligible for the 1947 season because, it is alleged, he jumped the learue and went to Mexico three years ago. The suspension caused our good friend, Senor Pompex, to come up with a loud beef and a protest of mixed Spanish ana English, tie says Duany did not leave his team and go to Mexico voluntarily. Senor Pompex says Duany was fired from the Cubans in 1943 and ln'ordy to make an honest living, had to go to juexico. If Duany were Just an average ball player, perhaps Senor Fompez wouldn't say a mumbling Spanish word.

But it so happens that the guy is a very good ball player and when Senor Pompez flew down to Havana last winter and got Claro to put his "Juan Hancock" on a New York Cuban contract, he figured that the Negro National League pennant was In the bag. But it seems that the; league president reached down In the bag and puDed out some inellgibles, one of whom was none other than Senor Pompez' pride and Insofar as outfi elding is concerned, Claro Duany. He Has a Good Team This Year 1 8nor Pompez says two owners in particular have protested. against Duany. He says they really don't care if Duany plays, but! they want to ruin the best team he has had In many a year.

And, he may have something there. His team Is powerful this year and Senor Pompez figured when the season opened that at long last he had a team good enough to make the thousands of Latins who sup port It In New York very happy hombres. These Latins, you see, have been supporting Soner Pompez' teams for a long, long time, despite the fact that they've had very little to cheer about. He fears that without Duany, the current team may revert to type and consequently there Will be little or no cheering at the Polo Grounds this season. That, if i you please, is a situation Senor Pompez is not anxious to experience again.

Usually, you will find Senor Pompez smiling all over tne place plenty of whole hearted salutations and hospitable these days he Is a glum, evil looking person, it Is best to tip your hat and keen moving should you chance to run up on him because our good friend, Senor Pompex, is "much angry and in some quarters they say he's even "salty Among the bw things Senor Pompez is saying these days that Is fit for public print is that the two owners who have put the whammy on his Claro Duany are no less than first cousins to Panchc Villa, a character who was never known to have signed a peace treaty with anyone. I sage nfflnTliT I to: 0 I right. There was a lot off talk once, for instance, about how the Phillies were riding: me. In fact. it became an issue.

But the other day a photographer came into our dugout and asked me to go over and have my picture taken with Ben Chapman, manager of the Phil lies I was glad to cooperate and when we got over to the Phillies dugout, Ctpf Etta tslects Crtery StI estTrsatea, Bwn tag Tasted NOW cwt MAI St IDEAL tor the BNTIEE X. t7 FAMILY. PATS FOR IT8XLP THJB FIRST MONTH I Six 000 fl Pcofeaaiooal Fll Sis Wlda btaito Clippar at Pra wae topoSW ntlUlila. IT DODGER PITCHER GETS SPIKED Hrrry Taylor. Brooklyn pitcher, it shown sitting on first base while the team's treiner Inspects his injured ankle.

Ha was spiked when Enos Slaughter of the Cardinals hit a bounder to Jackie 'Robinson. Taylor took the throw from Robinson and Slaughter stepped on his Hotel 'Bars1 Jackie in Philly Ehlladelphli Philadelphia Chapman came out and shook mjn have an easier time nana, we saia neuo to each other and he smiled when the picture was snapped. Chapman Impressed me as a nice fellow and I don't think he really meant the thinsrs he was shouting at me the first time we played Philadelphia. I feel much better this week be cause I've been hitting the ball mucn Detter. or a while there I was hitting in tough luck.

But the 4 past week some of my blows have fallen safely and tnats the im portant thing. It is hard enough to get a mt in tne Dig leagues wnen rou re lucky, but wnen you re not ucky then it's really tough. When I didn't hit for a few games, a lot of my friends started worrying. They kept asking me what was wrong. Well.

I couldn tell them because I didn't know. I was hitting the ball good most of the time, but right into someone's hands. You must remember, too, that big league fielders know how to play hitters. That's why the managers try" to teach their hitters to hit the ball to all fields. If you can only hit to, left field, for instance, you're sroine to have a hard time getting safe hits through the infield or outfield.

But if you can punch hits to all fields, you're going to 6 POI some threatening letters I have received. I admit that I've received some, hut by the way they were written I would say they're from scatter brained people who just want something to yelp about. I am glad to say that for the few nasty letters I've received, I've got ten from ten to twenty more con gratulating me and offering me en Umpire Sends Chapman to Shdwers! PHILADELPHIA Ban Chapman, manager of the Phillies, who was ordered to calm down while "Jockeying Jackie Robinson from the bench, was ordered to do the same thing here Sunday when he protested too vigorously after the same Jackie Robinson was hit by a pitched ball thrown by "Schoolboy Rowe. Chapman came roaring out of the dugout charging that Instead of trying to duck the pitch, Robinson was actually trying to bunt. Rowe, naturally.

Joined hls boss In the bitter protest. Umpire Barr didn't see It that wtr and sent Robinson on down to first. When Chapman persisted In protesting, the arbiter sent mm to tne showers. Robinson got a hit In each game but the pesky Phillies won the twin bllL Gut Mail at Savo with Improved AD A1Q CLIPPED rweastea)el FULL BasytetUt 3m til it till POSTPAID WaatMMSatUa. Ma Ontr SI tTTlMlratta Bntfrlit Tulmi I fin iigw wmii, CO aoaYaaarna VfHaas FARMST0N.

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(mihluklldib 1 vt yi frA v' AV ankle during the race for the bag. Robmson shown here looking on, with Bruce Edwards, No, 10, Brook lyn catcher, and Eddie Stanky, examining ball. The other two players are Cardinals. The game was played last week in Brooklyn, and the Cards triumphed, 5 1. International News Photo.

When the Brooklyn Dodgers went to last week to play the Phillies, the team was quartered at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel. Jackie Robinson, however, stayed at the Attucks Hotel, Negro hostelry. The Pitteburch Courier learned Sunday from an unimpeachable source that the owner of the Benjamin Franklin discouraged the Brooklyn 7 management from quartering; Robinson with the rest of the team. The management put the decision up to Robinson who said rather than "cause any trouble Pll stay some place else." Jackie Robinson Says: Tve been a pretty busy fellow the past week. Between trying; to play big; league baseball and answering all kinds of questions about alleged strikes and threatening letters, I haven't had much time to do anything else.

However, as things are going now, I guess I haven't anything to worry about. By that I mean, that everyone have come in contact with since I oined the Dodgers has been all Race Net Aces At L. A. Tennis Club First Time LOS ANGELES For the first time officially, Negro tennis players competed last week at the Los Angeles Tennis Club. Occasion was the Southern California Tennis Championships.

Liast year the doubles team of Bill Kay and Robert Ryland par ticipated in the Pacinc Southwest Tennis Tournament at the L. A. Tennis Club, but it was due to the "Inadvertence" of the Southern California Tennis Association, a spokesman told the Coast Bureau. The racial identity of Kay and rtyianu was not Known. That of net star Jimmy McDanlels was known, however, and his entry blank was returned.

A reversal of policy was appar ent last weeK as all three prin cipals of last year's faux pas piayea in tne soutnern California tourney. Kay and Rvland were eliminated in the first round of the doubles, and McDanlels was de feated by 1945 and 1946 national junior champion Herbie Flam In the second round of the singles. couragement. Those letters have helped a lot and I'm not worrying about a few 'small' people who can't make up their minds whether or not they like living in a Democ racy. JIM CROW IN WASHIN6T0N Indefinite Postponement or whose Smith Bout HONOIJIIJI Tnahilltv nf Chase, veteran Los Angeles llght neavy, 10 arrive at satisfactory terms with promoter Leo Levitt has caused indefinite postponement of a scheduled main event bout with Oakland Billv Smith.

Schultz BROOKLYN The Brooklyn Dodgen announced last week sale of Howie Schulta, blr first baseman, to the Philadelphia Phillies for a reported purchase price of $5M)0a Schultz was one of the four first sackers on the Dodgers' roster. The other three are Jackie Robinson. Eddie Stevens and Tom Brown. FOR REAL PINI VrVfe TAILORED PANTS 1 li i Prick's Avert no longer insult him bench or during a game Actions Big Strike By WENDELXi SMITH, Sports Editor With President Ford Flick of the National Lea cue doing the swinging, big league baseball rose up and officially struck back at a group of St. Louis Cardinal players last week who 'allegedly planned to stage a strike rather play against Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn's Negro first baseman.

Actinsr auicklv and firmly. Fnck denounced the "revolt" and at the same time released a bristling statement in which he said: The National League will go down the line with Robinson whatever the consequences. It marked the second time within ten days that an official of official status in the big leagues came forth in Robinson's defense and "cracked down" on those who have been trying to run him out of the majors. The first was (commissioners hlms'elf Chandler who took it upon 1 to warn the Philadelphia against "riding" Robinson on the basis of his race. Aitnougn unina lers action was done behind closed doors.

The Pittsburgh Courier learned about it from his secretary, Walter Mulbry, and published the story last week. CARPENTER TALKS At the same time The Pittsburgh Courier called upon Robert Car penter, owner of the Phillies, to state his position on the issue. Car penter, in a written statement to The Courier, assured the public that his manager and players were In no way opposed to Robinson oblnson's presence in the majors and would from the The action of Frick, however. In the alleged Cardinal threat was perhaps even more significant than the Chandler Carpenter in When the president of the National League spoke out against the strike plan, he pulled no punches and made it definitely understood that any such plan would not only be fought by the league but the players involved would automatically be suspended from organized baseball. HE HAS FRIENDS Jackie Robinson and the sports world in general learned 'one high ly Important thing last week when Frick came forth with both official guns blazing, add that was that he does have some real friends in tbe baseball world.

Among those friends are Chandler, Frick, Branch Rickey and a host of In fact, it was a newspaperman who nipped the "plot" In the head try publishing what he knew about the strike plan In the New York Herald Tribune. Stanley Wood ward, brilliant and liberal writer of the Herald Tribune, exposed the plan in the Issue of Friday. May w. In his story. Woodward said that the strike plan had been for mulated by certain St.

Louis play ers and instigated by a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. He did not name the players, but revealed that Sam Breadon, president of the Cardinals flew to New York when he heard of the projected strike. and along with Frick, has quashed the plan. PLAN ORGANIZED The tenor of Woodward's story indicates that the plan had gone past the preliminary stages and was about to have been staged at Ebbets Field. The' expose by the Herald Tribune, however, smoth ered the fire before it could spread and heap upon baseball Its great est disgrace since the infamous White Sox scandal In exposing the plot, the Herald Tribune said: "The New York Her ald Tribune prints this story in part as a public service.

It is factual and thoroughly substantiated." Frlck's quick action in this lat est controversy over Robinson made it unnecessary for Commis sioner Chandler to come to the fore. It is believed, however, that he would have acted lust as firm ly as Frick. had the matter been brought to his attention Robinson "Issues" indicates that the big wigs of major league base ball have adopted a definite policy; relative to the racial question in i the majors. That policy, obvious ly, is entirely In favor of the Ne gro player and vigorously opposed to those who are trying to halt the advancement of the Negro to. the majors.

I The excellent deportment of: Jackie Robinson has done much! towards the formulation of this; democratic policy. As Stanley Woodward wrote: "It is not generally known that other less seri ous difficulties have attended tbe elevation of to the mar Joe leagues. Through it all. the Brooklyn first baseman, whose ln teuigence degree or education are far beyond that of the average ball player, has behaved himself in an exemplary manner." In other words, by maintaining his composure at all times and acting the port of a gentleman, Robinson has given the officials of baseball plenty of ammunition to use against his would be oppressors. And.

with the Dress and public giving them unlimited sup port, tjnanaier ana tick have developed Into "tough guys' Insofar as moves against Robinson are! concerned. WINCH ELL HELPS Another public figure who has rallied to Jackie's aid is Walter! WlncnelL Internationally famous columnist. In his last two Sundav broadcasts, Winchell has denounc ed those who are ODDOsed to Jar' te Robinson's presence in the msinri. Last Sunday nlbt he surmised that maybe the Cardinals who, planned the strike against Robin son are the ones who are "keeping the team in last place." xom Meanv. baseball writer for the newspaper PM, also came to Robinson's defense In the Sunday imub mi paper.

It mieht be well." Meanv wrnt "to remind those Dlavera (Paniu naisi tnat they received trophies! ur ucsuor me iito sax mr mil On those tronhies Is inscribed 'World Champion The world thev should learn is made of many different races and religions, of Protestants, of Jews, of Catholics, of whites, of yellows, and of bhicks. And according to Web ster means ra combatant; a fighter; esp. one who acta or speaks in behalf of a person or a cause: a defender'." As If the strike threat were not enough to keep Robinson's mind In a constant state of confusion. Police Commissioner Arthur W. Wallander announced Saturday that the Brooklyn management had turned over a threatening letter Robinson received and the city's detective squad had launched an investigation.

The letter was one of a numocr Robinson received warning him to "get out of baseball or else." Meantime, while Frick was still frothing about the strike plan. Owner Sam Breadon and the Cards' manager, Eddie Dyer, both dented there was a threatened strike. Breadon said he came to New York to see what could be done abont helping the faltering club. The uncompromising position of While In New York, he said, he Chandler and Frick In the recent was told by a St. Louis reporter FLORSHEIM nunn Busu STETS0I1 AND OTHER FAMOUS MAKERS First erase, pint sanity Csjf Etecser Strtif tfyisr vtlt sstrsstlas finest Isp erase Blast caffslua trs larr.

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Urn ifrnH II rr rww. i awaa ss.va mm ly aai aa iere v. about majors. 40 14 PITTS 0 URGH COURIER SATURDAY 4 lizteAMko Fkruncd to SMe: Against Robing Presidenfaidi's imarte, support you; that you will be ouf casts. Those who do if will encounfer quick retribution 'Alt will be suspended and I don't care if it wrecks the National League for five years.

This is the United States of America and one citizen has as much rifftto play as anofier. Wi a A The following li the historic and bristling statement Ford Fridc, president of the National Robinson, the statement was delivered to tho players by Sam Breadon, owner of tho, Cardinals. "If you do this (strike) you will be suspended from the1 league, You. will find that the friends you think you have fn the press box will not Si VA ggapue, sent to the St. Louis Cardinals when it learned that the players hafl planned to that you have been guilty of compefe stage a rather than play against Jackie Hi p.

SDBTISef "TvH National League will go do with Robinson whatever the consequen will find if you go through with 7 rnTN "I JlVuU.H I with some Jt' thJJ would su0a: ortaaim said matt ng here the it "two lea'iin Moore re team am no plan er up Plavt rs i to wis r.i ri! hi SVr nnd MartlP jV "n.nnt,. parently ni. ans tlonist.V brhe KiN National business. K.rp. F3 the Phiihea chanced his miIU i the hnk" wsiih After he nd een I carpet bv Ch.m4:.r rZr boss.

Carpenter, th, jvnl said: E.is.mia;; Earac. And r. ties, creeds or rCf Jackie Rohir.jon is tn Sales ReprescRttffc Tha Durham Surreal Sqa offari a rra epporu: oral m. of aqa. to to' diu.i tonat dxn pitalt.

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