Hide Article Text (OCR)
Nothing In all Harry Grayson's experience has equalled the rapid rise of the Pittsburgh Pirates.Grayson set out In find the one man responsible for the sudden success of the Buccaneers, who in live short years vaulted from fast place in the National League to the World Championship.NEA and The Evening Standard bring you the inside story of how the son of the famous comedian accomplished what many baseball mag. nates have failed to do over years of heavy spending.This Is the first of three dispatches from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ camp in Florida on how to build a championship club.By HARRY GRAYSONNewspaper Enterprise Sports EditorFORT MYERS. Fla—(NEA) - Joe L. Brown is twice as big as his famous comedian father, Joe E., and much belter look-in*.Six feet one. 200 pounds and mighty trim at 42. Brown frequently is besieged by autograph hounds wherever Ihe Pittsburgh Pirates travel. The general manager easily could be mistaken for one of Ihe players, more often than not is for Dick Stuart, the large first baseman.As a matter of facl. Brown as a youngster more than anything else in the world wanted lo be whal the home-run hillingDICK STUARTSluarl is. Personable Joe L readily admits I hat he’s a frustrated first baseman.A broken right arm, incurred when he was 15, shortly thereafter made it clear to young Brown that his burning ambition lo be somebody in baseball could never be satisfied on the field. So Joe L. went inlo the business end and last season alter five shorl years succeeded in doing wJial numerous extremely rich men have failed lo accomplish while spending millions throughout many years. Joe L. master-minded the building of a championship major league ball-club.Brown is first to tell you that Roy llamey and Branch Rickey, the Pittsburgh general managers who preceded him, and a lot of other people were instrumental in lifting the Buccaneers from last place lo the World Championship.Renowned Men “No one man ever built a championship hall club,” he said watching the Pirates work at sunny Terry Park, here on Ihe Caloosahttchee River. “That goes for the best operators, and such renowned baseball men as Mr. Rickey and George Weiss will second the motion. Winning baseball is a team effort in the front office as well as on the field.”The fact remains, however, that after four consecutive years in the National League | basement the Pirates started to | grow bolder when Brown was : made general manager in 1956 ; at the age of 37. He turned out to be a whiz executive and a review shows him to he a shrewd hoss trader, especially when dealing with sharpies such as Frank Lane and Gabe Paul.Brown started early and came the hard way.“1 was an insatiable sports buff, particularly nuls about baseball,” recalled Joe L.. as wc walked from one field to the other. “Dad, who played minor league ball and was as crazy about sporls as I was. naturally did nothing to dis-I courage me.“Oddly enough it was at a Pirates' camp that I broke my arm. I was Jn high school jn Los Angeles' at the time and went lo Paso Robles, Calif., to see the Pirates. It was after a Buc workout that I got in a game there and broke the armthrowing. Now while I threwhard for a kid. that takes a lot of doing, but I did it.”Brown pulled up his sports shirl sleeve, showing the scar of an operation on his elbow and what was a throwing arm now slightly crooked and a wee bil shorter than the left.“I attended Merce rsburg Academy in Pennsylvania and UCLA, Joe L. went on. “1 could throw well enough to play first base as a freshman and sophomore in college. 1 played end one year in football.“My marks were all right in college, bul my heart wasn't in it, 1 guess. I couldn’t see two more years of that and my being anywhere in particular in the end. so in 1939. when I was 20. I told Dad I wanted lo make a career in the business end of bascbaJJ. Dad knew Harry Grabiner of the White Sox. and he gave me a job with the Class D Lubbnck, Tex., club as assistant business manager at $100 a month.”The man destined to revitalize the Pirates and guide them to their firs! pennant in 33 years was on his way.NEXT: Joe L. Brown's five objectives with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Newspaper Details
Uniontown Evening Standard
Uniontown, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Mar 11, 1961
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
William R.
CT, USA 11 Nov 2018
Other Publications Near Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Uniontown News Standard
Weekly News Standard
Daily News Standard
Uniontown Evening Genius
Uniontown Evening Standard
