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Show gccseat , Qriving t By FRANK KL 8AKEK Telegram Sport Editor At t,ric Pioneer league's most significant development ince the Salt Lake Bees acquired Tom Robcllo as manager, man-ager, the cash deal sending Andy Harrington from Boise to Twin Falls will likely transform the Cowboys into a formidable pennant contender. Harrington hai been one of the most popular player-managers in the circuit from the atari, and the Boise record speaki well for hit efficiency a a team leader. Despite an odd assortment of players and a wobbly start at the beginning of the inaugural campaign in 1939, Harrington' team finished itrong third and was generally believed to be the league't most formidable outfit at the end of the campaign. The Pilots, finished second to the Bees last summer with what wu only a modest crop of outstanding material, and most observers agree that Harrington, and Harrington alone, was the reason the Boise outfit stayed up there near .. the top. Hi impetuous energy cast an aggressive influ-ence influ-ence over the other player and he was a steadying influence on the field during critical moments. He' is no slugger like Robcllo, but he can still play a consistent game around the keystone sack and his presence pres-ence out there should do much to keep the Cowboy infield in-field alert. This veteran, who once went through an entire en-tire Pacific Coast league campaign with only four errors, has been charged with only 21 in two Pioneer league seasons. sea-sons. He made but ten last summer while leading the loop's second basemen with a .983 fielding average. In that brilliant performance he handled 2 J 9 putouts, turned in 208 assists and participated in 87 double plays. During 1939, Andy fielded .984 and batted .336. His batting average slumped to .278 last season, but he was still tough in the clutches and drove in 62 runs. This kind of p4ay from the gent who carries the burden of teaching the young players, directing the club's strategy and looking after the general welfare of his charges almost without as-- as-- aistance is highly creditable, indeed. Major league skippers have a whole raft of assistants to take care of details. They can rely upon full-time coaches to help ferret out enemy strategy and upon veteran bull pen catchers catch-ers to make sure pitchers are properly warmed up. Pioneer league skippers enjoy no such luxuries, however. It's largely one-man show so far as running the team is concerned. con-cerned. Harrington got some able assistance for a time last summer when Catcher Eddie Adams was with the team. Robello didn't have to worry much about his outfield defense de-fense last summer, either, so long as Whitey Burleson was out there to patrol renter field and sort of. captain the garden trio. Flanked by Earl Owen and either the fleet Ben Guintini or Jack Hatchett, Burleson was a defensive star in almost every game and repeatedly rut off potential hits on drives which would have fallrr. for hits in several outfields in the circuit. When General Manager F.ddio Mulligan went after , Robello a year ago, he wa looking for an exlra-baie threat. He got that in generous portions with a smart team handler : in addition. Robello batted .343, with 166 hits good for " 276 bases, to driv in 107 runs. His barrage included 32 doubles, six triple and 22 home runs. Needless to say, Robcllo represented a vital blood transfusion trans-fusion for the Bees, who had finished fourth in the inaugural campaign. Acquisition of Titcher Larry Jansen, Ray Perry at third and Fred Moresco at shortstop were other vital steps in the Bee improvement, but all of them without 4 Robcllo would probably have left the club substantially short of the pennant. Now Harrington has an opportunity to carry much of the 1 . same kind of new hope and encouragement to the Twin Falls club. Certainly, he should do much to revive the community enthusiasm for baseball and good will which was dissipated by the previous owners last summer. After winning the pennant in 1939, these other owners gave the city a poor team last season. Faced with dwindling crowds, repeated losses and a flock of important injuries, the club threatened to fold altogether, -ii . The treasury already low because of the lean crowds was taxed further by heavy transportation costs shipping players in and out at a rapid rate in a desperate attempt lo bolster the team. Finally, a change of managers brought Ray Jacob out of retirement and, with the Salt Laker at the helm, the Cowboys put up a much improved front toward the end of the campaign. Ray's success in reviving the gasping Cowboys earned him a managerial post at Spokane this year. A jiroup of business men at Twin Falls have since acquired the franchise and the home owners immediately turned to Harrington as the baseball Moses to lead them out of the wilderness. They are said to have given Andy full power to sign and release players, and if they will support this confidence with ufficicnt patience, I believe they will be well rewarded. Good ball players don't grow on trees. It takes time and patience 'jo get the right men for good team play. An injury here and a disappointment there in a player can wreck a whole tombination. but it's a safe bet that Harrington will develop a ' iuch stronger and more colorful team at Twin Falls in time. |
