view raw text
► 2 Frisch Thinks Players These Days Are Pampered Too Much Arent Enough Mean Ones * Around, Mean on the Field, That Is, Cubs Prexy Claims By MILTON ItlCHMAN United Press Sports Writer Modern day ball players "arent mean enough," insists Frankie Frisch, fiery manager of the Cubs. Frisch, who was more or less the ring leader of the St. Louis Cardinals famed "Gas House Gang," thinks, todays placers are pampered and babied too much. That kind of coddling, he claims, ruins players. "There arent enough mean ball players around today," Frisch fumed as he disgustedly paced the dugout. "They dont have to be mean off the field, just so long as theyre mean when theyre working." One of todays crop of players, however, did stand out in Frischs mind as exemplifying the type he preferred to have oh his own ball club. "We came jnto Phoenix to play an exhibition game against the New York Yankees this spring," the bow-legged pilot of the North Siders recalled, and I walked over to Vic Raschi. "Didya ever see that guy? Theres a guy who wants to beat ya every time out. Ever get a look at him when hes pitching? He looks mean enough to tear you in two. Thats the kind of guy I like. Reminds Him of Burleigh Grimes "Anyway," Frisch continued, "I walked over to Raschi and said to him, I hope you wont be offended if I tell you that you remind me of a guy who used to pitch against us. " I wont be offended, Raschi told me. Who do I remind you of? "You remind me of Burleigh Grimes, I told him. He was real mean on the mound, just like you are. I dont know how you you are off the field and I dont care. All I know is that its a pleasure to watch you pitch. You look like you got a job to do and you go ahead and do it, too." Frisch continued to walk up and down the dugout. He " clenched his fists and curled his lip into a sneer. "Mean, real mean . . . thats the way I like em," snorted the "Fordham Flash." Frisch shook his head several times as if he couldnt understand why any player would not be mean on the ball field. "Its their bread and butter," he exclaimed. "Why shouldnt they go out there and try to mow down the other guy?" Frisch, by the way, isnt the only big league manager who thinks his players should leave all friendships behind once they slip into uniform. In Brooklyn recently, Cincinnati manager Luke Sewell noticed one of his players passing the time of day withFreacher Roe of the Dodgers before the game. "Look at that!" grunted Sewell. "Theyre buddies, but they shouldnt fraternize on the field. Once you get out on the field, you should forget to like the other fellow." Leo Durocher of the New York Giants, it might be added, agrees.
