Show giving Snapped His Fingers I i by FRANK K BAKER BAKER- Uncle Wilbert Robinson the former skipper of ot the Brooklyn Dodgers who died in Atlanta Wednesday night is perhaps the only baseball player who could strike batters out merely by snapping hi his Many anecdotes of R Robbie's career will wm be reviewed now that the colorful figure h has passed from the stage but none Is more Interesting than the one about his finger snapping In those days the batter was out ouI on any strike if he tipped Upped the ball There Wn was a long stretch In which an exceptional number of batters I t were retired on a foul tip Up until Charley Comiskey discovered that Rabble Robbie the catcher could Imitate a foul tip perfectly by cracking the fingers lingers of his hb hand Robbie was one of ot the best catchers of ot his day dar He lie broke into the game by catching for both teams doing double backstop duty when the tile opposing catcher suffered suf suf- a split spilt finger As manager he was famous for lor his willingness to discuss his managerial managerial duties duties with the fan in inthe the bleachers bleach bleach- ers and he received great delegations of them in the clubhouse after the games First Catcher to Stay Close Behind Batter As a a. player Robbie will always be remembered as the first catcher vho ho crouched close behind the batter all the time instead o of moving up first for the third strike His record of seven hits in a game still stands and his of the Brooklyn Brooklyn Brook Brook- He didn't go strong for discipline handling I lyn players was as unorthodox as his willingness to become embroiled In FF n a. public argument with a a. fanTis fan Ian said he lie had difficulty in his last few years ears with the thc Dodgers to remember the names of his players and such odd substitutes as Lum Lumbago Lumbago bago lago for Ernie Lombardi cropped up frequently He once sent Al AI Cohen to bat twice In la the same inning as a. a pinch hitter waving him out the second time after he had hit and circled the bases The Dodgers absorbed part of his hi color and their eccentric base running became a Do Brooklyn tradition Brooklyn's weird play became so pronounced that sports writers Titers tried to substitute Daffiness Boys for Robins as the aging character stepped out of the picture picture pic plc- ture in 1931 but the name that l Had d designated them for 17 years was hard to shake even with him gone Robbie's girth also provided a good many openings for witticisms especially when contrasted with his speed during his bis playing days One of the favorite tales was how players were assigned t to do road work by running twice around Uncle Robbie Odds and Ends Ernis of Interest Front From Sporting World The Immortal II I rated as one of the finest 3 year olds olds ear before the Kentucky derby is one of ot the biggest flops The Irish colt has been relegated to the third division o of Mrs Helen Hay Whitneys Whitney's stable Bill iii Jurges regular Cub shortstop is is' out o of the hospital after an appendicitis appendicitis appen appen- operation BIll figured to be Just the punch the Cubs need to beat those Giants out of first place Uncle Mack Garner Gamer the Jock who boots Cavalcade In under the wire Isn't as old as some people think having basked under 34 summer luns The White Sox Sax are reported to be angling for the pitching services services ser sere vices o of Leroy Herrmann sent ent bock beck to the San Francisco Seals by the Cubs after two tryouts But the price tag on little Leroy is said to be and that probably will wUl discourage the Sox purchasing depart depart- ment |