Show Retirement of Babe Phelps Baffles JACK MAHON his NEw YORK July 18 INS INS INS- story wry honestly doesn't behe beg be- be g o on the he sports pages and 1 w Ort Oft be written by any writing genius genius it it should Mc composed mP by a trio of say er er ax f and azid Erle Erie Stanley GardYn Gard- Gard Yn Mary Roberts Rinehart is e ou see ie it its it's s a mystery story storye story story- l mystery of how a star basel base- base ilL layer yer suddenly lost his amow am- am lt ow on u t to play quit uit his team and andie sits site silently a at home while 1 ie t team rui runs ramPant through e w nt i It national league toward its lIts lIt's Pennant mt in 20 years the tale of Babe Blimp mystery man of the rooklyn L Phelps PK yn D Dodgers rt t l in in Is story is one of queer- queer it baseball history He quit i team team on Jun June 12 12 refused to toa ept a Suspension suspension and went me t to Odenton Md He hasn't since despite been heard from i two letters from President Larry MacPhail lifting the suspension suspension and offering to take him bun back whenever he feels ready to resume resume re- re sume play sick Phelps Phelps' claim that he was was discounted by Physicians before examined him jus just who the night the latest tantrum his an all ail leaving on Dodgers were on important western swing angle most mysterious But the sit can Blimp is how of the case drawing home and Idle without Ball players may of a cent pay than more right arms love their wouldn't dollar but we they do a hasn't that Babe and bet on it and it-and June cent of salary since drawn draw drawn a its it's 12 is not only mysterious downright miraculous phelps began began be- be affaire strange The summer when we last gan with ers en decided d to experiment airline transportation Babe said he wouldn't fly and Then of time he asked for or an extension off before reporting for spring training this year and It was granted The rest of the squad reported to Havana February 15 Phelps was given till the Phelps drove all the way from Maryland to Miami then refused to take the boat to Havana He sent word that he had the flu and was going back home Why he had to return to the frozen n north rth as MacPhail MacPhall called Maryland Maryland Maryland Mary Mary- land at that time of the year in instead instead instead in- in stead of remaining In the sunny south Is something else else that never was explained Babe was told to to the Montreal club at Macon Ga when he be was okeh again and did He joined the Dodgers at t Atlanta when they were on their way home to Ebbets field to open the season Because of Phelps' Phelps absence absence ab ab- absence sence from camp Herman Franks and Mickey Owen took over the catching duties and it was up to Blimp to win his regular berth back Babe was in and out of the lineup but always seemed to have one thing or another wrong with him The opinion was made that he was jealous of his successors successors successors sors but Manager Leo Durocher discounted this and said Phelps could have his job back if he earned it Then came the blow The Dodgers were scheduled to leave for St. St Louis to open a game four series Lew Riggs Rigg leaving the Dodgers' Dodgers Brooklyn hotel reported report report- ed to Secretary John MacDonald that Phelps who had been with him stopped just before they got gotto gotto gotto to a a acab cab and said Im not go go- go ing ini I feel sick MacDonald called Dr Charles of Brooklyn and asked him to examine Phelps The next day with Brooklyn on the road with only one one catcher catcher MacPhail suspended Phelps Blimp left for his Maryland home and MacPhail MacPhail MacPhail Mac Mac- Phail said that inasmuch as he Iwas was not with the club Phelps' Phelps salary would be discontinued Until until until un un- til he was able to play again Both MacPhail and Durocher and the rest of the players are fed up with Phelps who left them in the thick of f the pennant race and has apparently abandoned a salary and possible share of a worlds world's series cut which the Dodgers seem headed for with the throttle to the floor As We said at the beginning a mystery writer should have done this piece He might have come up with a solution I i I I |