TWO NEW BOSS SENATORS
"Charles Walter Dressen, an effervescent, gregarious, tireless little man, begins a new era at Washington's Griffith Stadium. A year ago, 10, 20 or 40 years ago, Dressen would have been taboo on two counts: (1) He is not a Senator alumnus and (2) his background is almost entirely National League. Clark Griffith never would have stood still for any such flaws in a man's character.
It is a new era because Dressen is not Clark Griffith's man but Calvin Griffith's man. The old man remains nominal head of the Washington baseball club, but when he felt a change in managers was advisable Griff delegated the responsibility to his adopted son and vice-president. Winking at the inhibitions, Calvin promptly selected Dressen. Obviously, when you start picking managers you are all but running the ball club.
It is ironic that Bucky Harris is being succeeded by one his own aides in Dressen, for they were a manager-coach combination for the Yankees in 1947-48. A good pair, too, Dressen providing the fire and hustle while Harris operated from the bench, playing percentages as few others can do."
-Francis Stann, the Washington Star (Baseball Digest, November-December 1954)
CHARLIE DRESSEN: "What was that question again? Yes, I usually act as my own pitching coach and I usually get pretty good results. You can see what I did in Brooklyn. I've been looking at this Washington pitching staff and I've been seeing a lot of things that I can do. I like to work with the young pitchers. Give me the young ones any time."
Baseball Digest, March 1955
THE PHANTOM OUT
"Charlie Dressen received a request from a schoolgirl who explained she was writing a character sketch of Washington's new manager. 'And also include the funniest experience you ever had in your baseball career,' the note read.
'This one is a toughie,' said Dressen. 'The funniest ones never seem funny at the time they are happening. Only when you look back on 'em are they funny.
'Like the time I'm managing Oakland and we're playing San Diego, and the thing happens. We get away with retiring the side with two outs, honest.
'I'm the manager and I'm always on top of the ball game, I think, and one thing I know I can do and that is keep count of the outs. But pretty soon I'm beginning to wonder about that.
'I don't know the inning, but San Diego has a man on first with one out, and then a ball is hit to our shortstop, Archie Wilson.
'This looks like the big double play that is going to get us out of trouble, and Wilson handles it good and makes a nice flip to Billy Martin, our second baseman, who is covering the bag.
'Now I figure we got the double play made because Martin is a cinch to relay the ball to first ahead of the batter, but that doesn't happen at all.
'Billy doesn't throw to first. He throws away his glove after the force play at second, and rolls the ball into the pitcher's box and starts off the field.
'Me? I'm thunderstruck. I don't believe it. But now all my club is heading for the bench and it looks like the inning is over all right.
'That silly Martin started a chain reaction. San Diego figures there's three out, too, and doesn't send another hitter up.
'Everybody is convinced by now that are three out, including me, who should have known better. They got me thinking maybe I was wrong. The scoreboard boys are fooled, too, and they hang up a zero for San Diego when they see the players are leaving the field. Maybe that's what impressed the umpires, too, because there's no squawk from them, and they let my team go to bat.
'Honest, that's the way it happened. Two out and the side is retired.' "
-Shirley Povich, the Washington Post and Times Herald (Baseball Digest, May 1955)
WHEN THE FOUL IN THE STANDS WAS OUT
"Charlie Dressen, the Washington manager, said there was one incident he'd never forget.
'This one is in Cincinnati and I'm managing the Reds. Frankie Frisch brings the Cardinal Gas House Gang up for a series and there are arguments as usual.
'This time there's even a dispute between the umpires. Old Bill Klem is working the bases, and Ziggy Sears, behind the plate, overrules Klem on one play and tells him: 'I'm the umpire-in-chief of this ball game.'
'Pretty soon, Ducky Medwick is on first, and Pepper Martin's up and two are out. Medwick is always running on anything, you know, and pretty soon Martin fouls one off and it goes into the stands.
'Medwick is running and sprinting around second.
'In the meantime, Gilly Campbell, our catcher, sticks his bare hand behind him like catchers do when they want another ball from the umpire, and Sears hands him one.
'Then Campbell, just for the fun of it, heaves the ball down to our third baseman, I forget who he was, and he tags Medwick coming into third, just for the fun of it.
'Then of all things, Sears is rushing down to cover the play, and he calls Medwick out, forgetting that the whole thing started on a foul ball and forgetting, too, that he had handed a new ball to Campbell.
'Naturally, Frisch raises a big fuss but Sears sticks to his decision and says Medwick is out. Finally, Frisch insists Zig at least confer with Klem about the play and he finally does.
'Sears asks Klem, 'Bill, what do you think of it?' and that's when Klem gets even with him. He tells Sears: 'You said you were the umpire-in-chief around here, now start acting like one, I didn't see the play.'
'Klem saw the play all right and knew about the foul ball, but he let Sears stew. That's the way it stood, and we got Medwick out on a foul ball hit back into the stands.' "
-Shirley Povich, the Washington Post and Times Herald (Baseball Digest, May 1955)
