RED RUFFING
RUFF AND READY
"One day years ago the Yankees were playing at Comiskey Park and suddenly saw a sizeable lead melt away under a White Sox uprising. McCarthy began casting about for a relief hurler. He didn't have much success.
One kid had just pitched batting drill. Another had a bad arm. A third insisted he had a sore back.
Finally Joe spotted Charley Ruffing, whom he never used in relief, sitting back to one side. 'How do you feel, Red?' he barked. Ruffing recovered from his surprise, picked up a glove and replied, 'What difference does it make?' ... while preparing to start for the bullpen.
That was all McCarthy needed for a lecture. He rose majestically, struck a pose with finger pointing at Ruffing and began, 'There you are. All right, you rookies, there's a lesson for you.
'There's a man willing to go in, no matter how he feels. There's a big leaguer. Sore arms, sore backs ...' and Joe broke off right there for emphasis.
Did Ruffing go in? He did not! Joe motioned for him to sit down ... and took his choice from a quartet of sudden volunteers."
-John P. Carmichael in the Chicago Daily News (Baseball Digest, July 1947)
LEFTY GOMEZ
MINOR OVERSIGHT
"Vernon (Lefty) Gomez, former pitching great for the Yankees, is managing the Yanks' Binghamton, NY club of the Eastern League.
One day last summer, Gomez' team went into the bottom of the ninth trailing by one run. When the first Binghamton batter singled, Gomez called in a pinch hitter for the pitcher and instructed him to sacrifice.
The batter tapped the first pitch directly to the pitcher who scooped up the ball, threw to second, forcing the runner. The man covering second whipped the ball to first, completing a double play. All this time, the hitter never left the batter's box. He was still standing at home plate when called out at first base.
Gomez yanked off his cap, pulled his hair and screamed, 'It's all my fault! It's all my fault!'
The base umpire, somewhat amazed, said, 'What do you mean it's your fault? It's that dumb batter's fault for not running out the bunt.'
'No, it's my fault,' moaned Gomez. 'I told the guy to bunt, but I forgot to tell him to run.'"
-George Barton in the Minneapolis Tribune (Baseball Digest, July 1947)
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