Читать книгу Bad Boys, Bad Times. The Cleveland Indians and Baseball in the Prewar Years, 1937–1941 онлайн

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McAuley heaped more criticism on the manager, dredging up the 12–5 loss to Washington and all the gaffes perpetrated by the bungling infielders and pitcher Wyatt. Though in some ways the sports editor was trying to be a cheerleader, the open letter, taken as a whole, was a hatchet job of epic proportions.

Fans were quick to respond. Letters poured into the Cleveland News offices defending O’Neill. One fan wrote, “I was astounded and shocked to read in the big type in the News last night Mr. McAuley’s gratuitous and hypocritical advice to manager Steve O’Neill. If the Indians could have a one month moratorium on Mr. McAuley and the other press box experts, then the ball team might have a reasonable chance to show what it has.”

Another fan explained the season had barely started. It was not the time to be calling for the manager’s head. The letter asked how O’Neill could be responsible for the Yankees having much better players. Or how he could stop his pitchers from falling asleep on the mound? The fan ended by adapting Alva Bradley’s now-famous line, “The owner hires the manager, but the fans fire him.” The letter concluded, “The fans fire the manager, maybe the fans can fire you too.”