meeting, carting a 30pound transmitter. In 1938, The Sporting News touted "his uncanny ability to
shoot from the hip at a microphone."Yet the hypothetical intrudes.
In 1939, Gillette, dumping NBC for Mutual, traded one redhead, Manning, for another, Barber. Tom drifted to Cleveland TV: sports, live, at 6 and
1 1. Today we rarely liken him to longer-running Voices-France Laux or Ty
Tyson. Would we, had he aired the post-'31 Indians?
TOM MANNING
In 1956, Cleveland held his day. "I've wondered for 30 years how Tom
Manning kept so active," said Bob Hope, a native. "His winter invasions of the
West Coast consistently led to the big question, `Who does his hair?' "That
year he reclaimed Tribe radio. "I needed a partner," said Dudley, "but Tom was
losing his hearing, and the jet travel, night games, were too much."
Manning died, at 69, September 3, 1969, the ex-newsboy who preached
the fast-lane life. He no longer needed that extra gland.
JACK GRANBY
Recall Dizzy Dean's "sludding into third." Joe Garagiola, doing play-byplay in the bullpen. Bob Uecker, signing with the Braves for $3,000. "That
bothered my dad because he didn't have that kind of dough. But he eventually scraped it up." Jack Graney commenced the athlete-becomeannouncer.
"I'd hear McNamee and Manning on day network stuff," Jack Buck said
of the 1930s, "but what I loved was lying in bed at night." Graney described
Hal Trosky and Earl Averill and Bob Feller. To a young Clevelander, it fused
Bali Hai, Timbuktu, and the Czar's Winter Palace.
"I didn't want to be a policeman or fireman," Buck mused. "Jack made me
want a living calling ball." He enjoyed being odd man out: a Canadian in
America's game; player-turned-mikeman; rough voice in a velvet craft. "I didn't
dislike being in the minority," said Graney. Fact is, he liked breaking the mold.
Jack played in 1908 and 1910-22, averaged .250 in 1,402 games, and
was first to bat vs. Babe Ruth (1914) and wear a uniform number (1916).
Later the outfielder became "the best play-by-play man the Indians ever had
. . . short on ego and long on talent," wrote Plain Dealer columnist Bob
Dolgan. Today radio no longer deems jocks unfit.
Born June 10, 1886, in St. Thomas, Ontario, John Gladstone Graney tried
hockey, preferred baseball, and turned to pitching. One nickname was "Glad."
The other augured wildness: "Three and Two Jack."
One day N.L. umpire Bob Emslie saw Graney K several batters. Jack was
drafted, gladhanded Cubs farm spots at Rochester, Erie, and Wilkes-Barre,
and joined Cleveland at 1908 spring training. Quickly he yearned for a night
train out of Georgia.
Nap Lajoie entered the cage as Graney began to throw: "so wild," said the Tribe player/manager, "each batter stood over the plate for five minutes
before he got in the vicinity." Pining to impress, Jack threw "the fastest ball I
had ever pitched. I thought it would strike him out." Instead, it knocked him
out. That evening the lefty found Nap with an ice bag on his head.
"Anyone as wild as you belongs in the Wild West," he said. "You're going
to [Pacific Coast League] Portland." In 1910, Graney returned to Cleveland.
New League Park tied the A.L.'s smallest size (21,000), nearest fence (290
feet), and farthest turf (505). Gentling, Lajoie gave Jack a bull terrier he
named Larry. "Not everyone liked me," Glad said, "but they all liked him."
At night, Larry relieved himself, "found his way to the stairs or elevator,
and came to the right room." Often he crossed Lake Erie to Ontario. Put on
shore, the Tribe mascot got on a trolley, rode to St. Thomas, and raced to the
Graney home. In 1913, visiting the White House, Jack left him with a
doorman. "Where's Larry?" said Woodrow Wilson. "I've got to meet that
remarkable dog"
Six times Wilson's first pitch opened the season. "Three and Two Jack"
now meant a discerning eye: "I was told to take two strikes for the team and
one for me," averaging more than 100 walks a year. In