Flint Spokesman [Volume: 2, Issue: 6]

PLAYERS IF THEY~

[EVERYTHING ~N SPORTS

By ~DOC~ FRAZIER
Sports Editor

Who will be he next opponent for Louis is the question
before the house? I hope they'll make a definite selection
secon for the sake of the public. It seems that Louis and Sal
Strauss, acting director of the Twentieth Century Club, have

a different idea on the matter and if this guessing game goes
any further ~John Q. Public~~ will be in the bug house.

Baksi Backs Out

Joe Baksi, the. people~s choice from Kulpmont, Pa. who
~toppled the British heavyweight king~Bruce Woodcock, has
refused to fight Louis.
Crechoslavakia. Why ~Eaksi took this-run out is beyond me.
Of course we all know that Mr. Baks.~s chances are slight
against the might: Bomber. The Kulpmont boy is a plodder
with a fair punch and aside from victories over Woodcock
and Oma, his record is unimpressive.

Another supposed contender, Melio Ecttina, who for
merly campaigned in the [ght heavy division is clamoring
fer a shot at the title. Many observers believe that Bottina~s
southpaw style will confuse the Eomber but I'm of the opinion that Melio wili be the confused party after feeling the
~wrath of Louis~ assaulting fists. Bettina who is endefeated as
a heavyweight (if this means anything) has been fighting
run of the mill fighters which doesn~t make his record too
impressive.

Walcott Rates Chance

Jersey Joe Walcott the Camden, N. J., clouter -has a
more impressive record than Baksi or Bettina. I say this because Baksi along with Bivins and Violent Ray have been
victims of the ancient Walcott. Walcott packs a wallop in
either hand and is a cagey boxer who takes a punch well.
In my opinion he is capable of giving Louis plenty of trouble. Jersey Joe will try to avenge his defeat at the hands of
Joey Maxim when they square off in an elimination bout in
Los Angeles soon. Maxim, if remembered, defeated Walcoit
last August in a ten round bout held in Philadelphia.

Dodgers... Grid and Diamond

I'm really proud of our Jackie Robinson. The brand of
ball he is playing compensates for the many unkind remarks
said about him in regard to his playing ability in the Major
Leagues. Those Dodgers of the All American Football Conference are not letting racial feelings stand in their way. The
Dodgers have signed two Negro~~stats.~~Elmore' ~Harris, National indoor 660. yd. champion, and Samuel Gamble, West
Virginia State College end. The All American Conference is
really taking a shot at old jim crow.

Instead he will take a vacation in|

BING CROSBY, the ~Ole
Greaner~~~ and now co-owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates,
gives Newsman Holland F.
Ke'ly of Pittsburgh a laugh.

THE FLINT SPOKESMAN

SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1947

pe

BPH

sensational interview. ~The
photographer (the same
fellow who made this picture) is staff lensman John
Thomas.

as he tells of his ~~~experi
ences~~~ while meeting the
~crooning phctograpler~~ in
varicus nite spots over the
country. A 4 ~ in the

Milk Industry

In addition to fresh milk, now |

much more widely used than in prewar days, the country~s 58-billion
quart yearly supply goes into but-!

ter, cheese, ice cream and a wide
variety of other foods. Milk and

the other dairy products create an |

output valued at approximately 7
billion dollars.

Hens Bleach

In a non-laying pullet, yellow color
or pigmentation is found in the vent,
eye-ring, ear-lobe, beak and shanks.
As the bird begins laying and manufacturing egg yolks, she absorbs the
yellow pigment and it leaves the
body first in the vent, then in. the
eye-ring, ear-lobe and shanks. From
four to six months of laying are re
quired. for the color to leave the

bird~s body entirely, with the shanks
bleaching last.

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~~

THE
NEUTRAL CORNER

By KEL KELLEY

DER BINGLE... DER PEOPLES ~(CHERCE!!!
PITTSBURGH, Pa. ~ APNS~

In the some fifteen years that this reporter has been
trying to bring you the news, Saturday was the best experience that we have had. For once we met a-man who was
easy to meet, easy to talk to, and an all around.grand guy.

~The column approached Harry Lillis ~Bing~ - Crosby,
friend of Joe Louis, side kick of Bob Hope, co-owner of the
Pittsburgh Pirates and last but not least, the radio heartthrob of many a maiden with his ~~boo-boo-boo.~.,. Yes-.
sir,~ the~ Ole~ Groaner, himself. a

Talked About Everything Toate

' We went to talk to Bing about Negroes in major league
baseball. We started talking about golf, boxing, old time
basebail players, horses, hobbies, movies
about five minutes on the subject at hand and then back

1}to the same thing all over again.

But it was interesting.

Joe Louis Good Golfer

Bing shoots a fine game of golf... 76 Saturday morning. And claims that Joe Louis is one of the better golfers
m the country.... despite the fact that he is the heavyweight champion!

Der Bingle does not have an office in the Pirate set-up. he just uses anyon2~s desk. But he is listed in the records
as wee president. He explains all this by saying that ~I~m |
new at this game,~ you know.~

Oh, Yancey Henry?!!

We asked him about Yancey Henry, his lazy, elongated
Negro heavyweight who had the best publicity in the world
before the war.... Crosby dismissed this with a ~he was a
character...~ and said no more,

Pittsburgh fight fans who remember Yancey are still
trying to forget him... and knowing this we did not press
th2 question any further with Bing... maybe he wants to
forget, too.

He is deeply interested in his Pirates... and baseball

~in general.

Chewing gum with trip hammer rapidity, he could not
take his ey2s from the field i. talk, even though the focals
were leading 6-0 in the fifth. So the: intenview was held over
urtil after the last cut....

No Talk Until End of Game

To escape the crowd Bing was taken into the Pirate
offices at the beginning of the nirth. He still could not talk.

~turn on the radio. What~s gomg on out there? Are
those guys still at bet? They could start a rally, you know,
ard we don~t want to lose this one... this will make four
Straight. Now, Kelley, what were you saying?~

At this point someone came in and announced the game
was over, the Pirates had won 6-1. That saved the interview.

This corner was convinced that Bing: was. sincere in hi:
statement to give Negro ball. players a tryout: with ~the Pirates.
Bing Very Liberal

We recalled that he gave the King Cole Trio their fait
break... kept them on his radio program a long time.
Vaul Robeson appeared frequently, and the Charioteers are
still a main part of his show now. ~;

~The man is a liberal from the heart!

And he has a memory!

When ~Croone's~ (?) Meet

A little known crooner, turned photographer, sang for
him a couple time some years ago. They ~met.again when |
this seme fella was a road manag?r for the Pittsburgh Craw- |
fords last year. 7

And Bing remembered him!

In fact remimbered- him so well, that this reporter was
five min:izs letting him know that we were there all during
the whilc, this lens snappr and the Groaner were wringing
hands, swapping chatter and acting like two old maids at a
class reunion.

Yes, Bing Crosby and his aids will bring a new and
better -ra to basebali in Pittsburgh, not to mention baseball
in gene-al.

Has Prospects

We have in mind a coupie of deserving youngsters that
we are going fo recommend to the Pirate officals. Hf thesg
fellcw: will stand the test, Pi'tsburgh will have a Negro
major ~~ baseball player NEXT YEAR!.

5
km

~| yéars ~... finally put in|~

'of the

"7 ~cliched heals 2.

FAMED CROONER ASKS

/WRITER TO. ADVISE

SCOUTS OF ee

PITTSBURGH, Pa. ~ APNS~

The door was opened for Negro baseball players to ~pecditie?

By HOL LAND F. KELLEY

Pittsburgh Pirates last Saturday in the luxurious new offices of the
Pittsburgh Baseball Club by the world famous vice president. of. the

team, Harry Lillis (Bing) Crosby in an exclusive interview with. the |

writer of a jocal paper.

ANSWERED QUESTIONS ERSELY~~
The reknowned ~~Groaner,~ herald, daektishoue the - country~ bor

his liberal policies in regards to his: nationally broadcasted. radio |

programs,

accepted the representative uf a local paper ~and- answered, freely five ques;.
tions put to him as well as using ~his talented~ ad libbing to: give additional. information and made the interview one of the most enjoyable that: ~this writer
has ever had the pleasure of securing. |

To the question: Would the Pirate managetnent be, willing fo: frye any

prospect | picked~ by the paper or any ~other ~representative~.
group?... Mr. Crosby (call me Bing) answered ~without

hesitation: $

~IF GOOD, WE~LL SIGN~.
~OUR SCOUTS HAVE BEEN. INSTRUCTED TO: SIGN|

ANY BASEBALL PLAYER

LEAGUE CHANCE AND PROVE ~TO BE BIG: LEAGUE
MATERIAL.~ IF YOU KNOW OF ANY GOOD BOYS LET}
ME KNOW AND WE WILL SEND OUR SCOUTS TO: LOOK
THEM OVER. WE WILL SIGN THEM IN A. HURRY; REGARDLESS OF WHO OR WHAT RACE THEY ARE, iF
THEY ARE GOOD BALL PLAYERS.

~LEF US KNOW FIRST SO. THAT WE CAN. SIGN
THEM BEFORE SOME OTHER CLUB BEATS US TO

LHEM.~

At this point he closed the
eyes that~ have made thousands of women swoon, and
added:

Dreams of ~Satch~

~Boy, if this was only ten
~ago, we could get
Satchel Paige.~~

Then turning ~to his hid:
guards and others assembled
in' the office remarked:
~~~Now there was a pitcher.
He would tell*his outheld to
come on in and then strike out
a side. I've seen ~him_ play
Dean. Oh, what I'd give to
have him now!~

Jackie Is in

~Of course I'm new in this
game, you know~ he turned
to the reporter again when
many times against Dizzy
asked about Negro ball players in the major leagues. ~~l
am in favor of anything that
the other teamé in the leagues
do. [ -think that the signing of:
Jackie Robinson,by the Dodgers was the step. Theat broke
the barriers. Of ceurse there
was ~no written rule, but some
one always found a way to
get around the fact. Jackie: is
in, 100%..;. and ~he~ is: dd:
ing good. } think now that
the way is open for all deserving ball players. And the
Pirates will do their part.

Want Best Players

~You see, we want: to give
Pittsburgh a winning ball club
and the only way that we*can
do it is by getting the best
ball players there are regardless of who they are.

~YES, WH. WILZ, Give
NEGRO BALL PLAYERS
AN EQUAL OPPORTU|NIFY!?

This reporter. found Mr.
Crosby in the new boxes beneath the second tier. He

stated that he had been waiting on us. But the co-owner
Pirates was so much
absorbed in the ball game.. (the home boys were
liading 6-0 in the last half of
the fifth... and Big Hank
'Gresabures was at bat)
that he asked us to ~~~please
be seated and let's look at the
game. It's a good game too.
We're leading. We can talk
as long as we wani after the
game in the office..; and
it~s much quieter there also,~

Friend of Photog.

Upon entering the box Bing
spotted our _ photographer,
Johnny Thomas, a-pretty fair
crooner in his own right (but
he never had a radi~ program
or owned a bal] team named

jand answer session between

|

IF THEY - MERIT. ~A ~BIG}

Rae

lhe Pirates!) and made ~a beeline for~ the lens-man:

~~How: are you doing, fella.
Thomas what are you doing
here?~

It so developed that Dei}
Bingle and Johnny have been
friends for ~quite some time.
Bing was in a club: in the west
while Johnny was the master
of ceremonies.

There and then was a grand
reunion.

Gab Session

~Once in the office the in
terview turned into a question:

your reporter, Johnny and
Bing on everything besides the
business at hand,~
We found that the had a
~lucky day and shot a 76 for
18 holes at the Allegheny
Country Club.~ "~
_ When~ informed that we had.
been told that he would be at

the ~Oakmont~ Club, Crosby
remarked:

~Ah, Ha... so you went
there looking for me, eh?
Quite ~a ~resourceful young

man. But I fooled you.~

Suttles, Kiner, Greenberg

Among' the péopie that we
knew that he knew and asked
us about were: ~How did you
like my fighter? You know
Yancey Henry? Quite a character." or ~What ever became
of Mules Suttles> Boy how
that guy could hit. He, Kiner,
Greenberg. /. boy that would
give'us a hitting~ outfield!"

After bidding~:us~ to ~wait
while he opened -packages and
letters from well wishers from
all ~over the country, the~ interview was brought to'a ha
with: ~ as Jets

~Let Me Know F inst~:

~Come and see me Gen,
you are where am...,and;
when._.}.come.back to. Pitts-.
burgh, be sure. to see me..:Re-,
member, if you see any goodball players.... Doggone-it
let me know first.~

a4 Hybrid Popcorn

ew hybrid varieties of Popcorn
expand about 25 per cent More, in.
poppitfg than doés ordinary corn.
This results in greater tenderness
and more popped corn.

Oil Sewing Machine
When not in use, keep the sewing

machine covered to protect it from
dust. Letting the presser foot down
on a scrap of cloth helps the tension
to stay at proper adjustment and
also takes up any excess oil that
may run down the necdle bar. If
the machine is left idle for a considerable time, occasional oiling

Hai7xev i

BOMBER -
OFFERED
$200,000". FOR ~

PHILLY TITLE:

PHILADELPHIA. ~ (Spe~,
cial to the JOURNAL)~Efforts were spurred: éarly this
week to. match,,Heavyweight
Champion Joe Louis with the
surprising veteran, Jersey. J
Walcott, after the| Boxing Association announced
that, it would approve such. a
bout.

Immediately ~promoter Her
man Taylor, of this city, and

the managers of Walcott got

their heads together and. an-,

nounced that they, would

guarantee the titleholder.
Walcott.

$200,000 to meet
this summer in Philadelphia.

The NBA stated that Jer

sey Joe,~ who came back ~from

the ~scrap heap~ of rétirement~

to defeat Joe Baksi, Elmer
Ray, Joey Maxim and~ otherts,'is rated ~at the top of the list~
of ~outstanding~ boxers who
rate the approval of meeting:
Louis.

At. the same
came from California that Joe
would.meet the winner: of a:
June meeting. there between

Maxim and Walcott under the: ~
promotion of asyndicate >

headed by:, Frank Sinatra:
sometime in September.
The New York office -

| Mike Jacobs, who has handled

all of ~Joe's ~title fights, were~
silent about +a championship
bout ~for the~ king of the~ big:
boys in New York~ the latter:
part of June.

| ep Leads. Jackie Robinson, the 7 highly
publicized first Negro to ~play
modern big league ball, started

~slowly under heavy pressure. ~He

| fitially ~reSorted t6 his old Inter
national] League ~ technique to
beat out a bunt for his first ~big
time single after going | ~60 for Ly
up to that time. = |

Once. Jackie started to swing
without restraint. he began ta
connect more solidly, They say
he has no power but the 90,000
fans who watched the two-day
series, between the. Dodgers. and
New York Giants, in the Polo
~Grounds are not convinced. |,

After hitting a home run..off

~| Dave Koslo and following thru

with a single, he banged out two
doubles and a single off Monty
Kennedy and Bill Voiselle ~~
urday..

As of now, Robinson's average
is a lofty.429. So far he has been
looking at Boston and New York

(pitching but the big test is~ hot

far away as the western teams

keeps the oil in the machine from

drying and becoming gummy.

swing into Ebbets Field next

week,

Natieoal

time word