Player #83G: Stanley R. "Bucky" Harris. Second baseman for the Washington Senators in 1919-1928. 1,297 hits and 167 stolen bases in 12 MLB seasons. 1924 and 1947 World Series champion. In 1975, inducted to the MLB Hall of Fame. Named player-manager of the Washington Senators in 1924 at age 27. "The Boy Wonder" led Washington to World Series victory as "rookie" manger. Managed Washington Senators in 1924-1928, 1935-1942, and 1950-1954. Managed the Detroit Tigers in 1929-1933 and 1955-1956. Managed the Boston Red Sox in 1934. Managed the Philadelphia Phillies in 1943. Managed the New York Yankees in 1947-1948, including winning the 1947 world Series. Served as the General Manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1959-1960.
Smiles describes Bucky's run up to the season and his 1926 pitching staff: (Clark) Griffith knew that Bucky Harris was good for his team's bottom line and Bucky knew it, too. He may have been born on top of a coal mine, but baseball -- to his way of thinking -- was more like a gold mine. Bucky was always one of the first to sign and had never quibbled. But in November 1925, he became a holdout. That's when he declined to sign a one-year deal Griffith proposed. He passed his time courting (future wife Betty), working on a few player deals, and watching a horse named Bucky Harris run at Pimlico. . . .
. . . Based on experience, Griffith didn't like multi-year deals. He believed players performed better under the pressure of year-to-year contracts. Bucky was a different case. Griffith couldn't deny the attendance figures and he loved Bucky like a son. He relented, and on January 27 signed a three-year deal in Tampa. Terms weren't released, but it was speculated to be worth $100,000. In 1928 when the deal expired, Post columnist Shirley Povich said it had been worth $100,000. . . .
. . . Bucky talked up the deal for Bullet Joe Bush as a winner. On February 1 the Senators sent Zachary and Win Balou to the Browns for Bush and Jack Tobin. Bucky was ecstatic about the deal, saying it "assured his team of a third American League pennant." . . . Bucky's hopes for Bush ended with one line drive. On April 18, in just his second start, Joe was working on a one-hitter against the Yankees in New York with one out in the ninth when he was hit on the knee by a sizzling line drive by Earl Combs. . . .
. . . Without Bush, Bucky relied on his same old big four from 1925: Walter Johnson, Stan Coveleski, Dutch Ruether, and Firpo Marberry. His only concessions to youth were a pair of 26-year-olds from North Carolina, General Crowder and George Murray. Each started 12 games. Crowder went 7-4 and Murray, 6-3. (Bucky Harris by Jack Smiles.)
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