Judge — August 11, 1923 — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

by Edward Anthony BENCH WARMER might be de- scribed as a man who sits around waiting for some one to break his neck. Perhaps “hoping” is the right word, Of course, he doesn’t insist that a neck be broken. A broken collar bone or a sprained ankle usually satisfies him. He’s even grateful for a Charlie horse or a smashed finger. But’ he does want something to happen to some one. And you can’t blame him. Warm- ing a bench is a dull job. Of course, a bench warmer has some duties, but they aren’t very exciting. If he’s a pitcher he tosses “em to the regulars in batting practice. No one knows he’s there. The fans are too busy watching the batter. If he’s an out- fielder he mournfully chases an occasional fly that eludes one of the regulars. All in all it’s a pretty desultory existence. Yawning is one of the chief occupations. Mike MeNally is one of the best all around infielders in’ baseball. He is a good hitter, a fine fielder and an in- telligent base runner. But Mike happens to be with the Yank And though he can give a good account of himself at second, third or short he isn’t quite as good as the men who hold down these jobs. He is more versatile than any of them (with the possible exception of second baseman Ward) but that. isn’t enough to earn him a regular berth. Mike spends his days on the bench dreaming of the fall of 1921, when, subbing for Frank Baker, who had_ sus- tained an injury, he broke into the head- lines as a World Series “hero.” Mike made some fine plays at third and in one of the games made the Giants look The mascot is the only one who doesn’t sour on his job. One of the chief occupations. THE BENCH WARMER ridiculous by stealing home. He was all set) to become the Yankees’ regular OL third baseman. He thought his bench warming é days were over. QS And then next Ng season, Miller Huggins ac- quired a great third base man—Joe Dugan dd Mike was back at the old roosting place on the bench. It was too bad. Min- ooka, Pa., Mike's home town, was preparing to celebrate. We know. For the day Mike stole home a frenzied fan, confiding that he was from Minooka, gave us all the de- tails, “It's a great place for baseball, Minooka and the neighboring towns.” he raved. “It’s the district: that pro- duced Buck Harris, Hughey Chick Shorten and Steve ( now we've t Mike. Jennings pointed out our little town to John McGraw from a railroad train. McGraw couldn't see it as there was a box car on the crossing. That's how the story anyhow. But when Mike McNally gives McGraw afew more headaches in this series John'll be able to see the town! Mike's the regular Yankee third baseman from now dn. Mark my word. Minooka Says so!” Perhaps Min- ooka gave Mike that blowout. And perhaps, as his towns- men, with all the enthusiasm of political boomers hailing “the next president of the United States,” toasted “the next third baseman of the Yanks,” Mike had a good time. But we'll bet that even when the speeches were loudest and the near-beer flowed most. freely, a premonitory something told Mike that his over. bench warming days weren't And they weren't, as you know. A good deal has to happen before Sketches by Weed Mike can get into a game these days. A few weeks ago the Yanks and Wash- ingtons played a double header. Man- ager Huggins decided to give Shortstop Scott a rest after the first inning of the second game. Doubtless Mike smiled when this happened. “And no— one had to break a leg to give me the opportunity,” he probably mused: “I'd just The bench warmer hopes he will break his neck. as soon have it that way.” Then Mike awoke from his reverie. Rookie Ernie Johnson was walking toward — short. Huggins had decided to give his recruit some experien Mike must have sighed. And twenty minutes later when Johnson, in fielding a hot liner, hurt a finger and had to leave the gam TeNally smiled. Would it be fair to cr shim? After all, a brui finger isn’t a calamity; and it is a calamity (Continued on page 24) comicbooks.com