The Village Smithy
By Chester L. Smith, sports editor
NEW YORK – The days are past when you could call Billy Meyer the best manager who never managed a major league ball club.
For years Billy was always on the threshold of getting in, but the door didn’t open until President Frank McKinney turned the knob yesterday and told him to come in and make himself at home in the Pirate manager’s chair.
You might say Billy was always a best man but never a bridegroom.
It sounds odd but it’s probably true that if Meyer had been a little less competent he might have come up to the top sooner.
The Yankees grabbed him many years ago, recognized his genius and hung on to him. They liked the way he delivered finished players to the Stadium, which is their main plant up in the Bronx.
When Billy turned over a man with his tag of approval attached there was no need to worry. That individual was ready and able to play winning baseball.
President McKinney and General Manager Roy Hamey both had to talk fast this week to convince Leland Stanford MacPhail, the punjab of the Yanks, that it was high time he let Billy up for a breath of fresh major league air.
Pittsburgh will take to Meyer, who is a quiet, twinkly-eyed man in the middle 50s, a ready talker when he wishes to be and a fellow who has a way with players, especially the young ones. Billy is no radical gadabout, as he proves by still living in Knoxville, Tenn., where he was born. He and his wife (they have no children) moved back into town from a farm they owned a few years ago when Billy decided he no longer wanted to mix basehits and sliders with pigs and corn.
McKechnie with a different face
Pirate fans will best recognize his type by being told that when they talk to him they will think it’s Wilkinsburg Bill McKechnie with another face.
He has the same intent, methodical approach as McKechnie. He will never be a ranter or a raver, but he will know everything that happens on any team he manages. Also, like McKechnie his forte is working with pitchers.
The Pirate officials – McKinney, John Galbreath, Tom Johnson and Hamey – came to New York with their minds open and their mouths shut. They had a long list of eligibles to succeed Billy Herman – perhaps as many as 20.
Leo Durocher was never considered and Hank Greenberg, for whose cause one Buc chief beat a wild drum, was scratched early. Charley Grimm of the Cubs was mentioned, and so were Jewel Ens, Casey Stengel, Coach Chuck Dressen of the Yanks, Burleigh Grimes and others.
Red Ruffing, the former Yankee pitcher, was mentioned by a delegation that waited on McKinney.
But Meyer was on top early and stood off the field.
He captured the fancy of the owners at their first meeting when President McKinney asked him his opinion of the Pirates.
“Too old,” Billy answered bluntly. “They must be torn down and put together again or I wouldn’t consider the job. I’ve had all my success with young players.”
He and McKinney see eye to eye
Only a week ago, McKinney had expressed the same opinion in talking about the kind of pilot he wanted to sign.
“We have to find a man who can take a young squad and bring it along, for we are through with all that ‘interim’ business and intend to put together our own team instead of trying to buy one from now on,” was the way he put it.
Meyer put the prexy’s thoughts in a slightly different sentence, but virtually repeated his words.
From that moment, Billy was the man.
The signing of Meyer is a complete reversal of policy as regards the McKinney regime’s first move, the hiring of Herman.
Herman was a long-time big league star with no experience as a field leader; Meyer was not much of a catcher in the majors, but grew up to be a gem as a pilot in the minors. Billy the second is years older than Billy the first.
Where Herman was inclined to be taciturn and uncommunicative with outsiders, Meyer thrives on a gabfest, even though he may not take much part in it.
Meyer admits he doesn’t know too much about the Pirates. He has managed three of their pitchers – Ernie Bonham (for whom he has great admiration), Mel Queen and Al Lyons. He saw enough of Gene Mauch, the young second baseman who came to the Bucs from Brooklyn last May and was sent to Indianapolis, to say, “I think that boy has a good chance.” And he has fallen in love with Ralph Kiner, although they haven’t yet met.
“I saw Kiner hit a home run against us in an exhibition game in Kansas City two years ago,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. “That was enough for me. I wasn’t surprised at the 51 homers he made this year.”
Then he turned to the reporters.
“I understand Kiner is doing some experting in the press box at the World Series,” he said. “Well, don’t let him get hurt up there, whatever you do. He’s a guy we’re going to need to make old Billy look good his first season out.”
And you can’t say Kiner isn’t a good start for anyone in a new job.
