AUGUST 15, 1927 - BROOKLYN FIRES SLOCUM
After dropping 5 straight games and 10 of 13 in August the other shoe finally dropped in Brooklyn as the Kings fired Manager Powell Slocum today. Bench coach Ben Johnston will take over the reigns on an interim basis but unnamed sources suggest a replacement will be named later this week.
Pitching coach Eugene Williams was also dismissed and will be replaced by Davey Campbell, who had been doing similar duties for AAA Houston. The 59 year old Campbell has a wealth of FABL experience as he spent 19 years as the Foresters pitching coach before joining Houston in 1926. Campbell also played four seasons in the FABL in the 1890s.
On June 1st Kings were 31-19. Since then they have gone 31-32 including 10-18 over the past month.
"We really had no choice," said GM Tiger Fan. "I respect the job Powell has done here, and the Hall of Fame career he had as a player, but for whatever reason guys stopped responding to him and we needed a change of pace while we are still in the race. Something had to give to try and turn things around, and unfortunately we needed to relieve Powell."
Slocum took over the Kings managerial post for the 1925 season and they finished last in the Continental Association with a 70-84 record. He was a player-manager that first seasons but retired to be strictly a manager the following year, leading the Kings to a 94-60 record and a second place finish. At the time of his dismissal the Kings were 60-56 this season.
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With that press release we usher in a new era in Brooklyn. I really didn't want to let Slocum go as he has a good relationship with most of our players and did a great job a year ago but after 5 straight losses including being swept and outscored 11-2 in 3 games against last place Montreal I felt I had to make a change if we are going to try and contend for the pennant. I also canned the pitching coach because our bullpen has been terrible for most of the past two years. The pitching coach in Houston, Davey Campbell, has done a solid job and worked exceptionally well with Bill Dengler this year so I promoted him. I have made a contract offer to a new manager and hopefully he will be signed for the next sim. His personality is quite different from the laid back Slocum.
Yes, pitching injuries have hurt us again this year but the team has really gone down hill the last two months. Let's see if a new voice in the clubhouse can shake things up and get us rolling. Despite our terrible play of late we are still in the thick of the race and a good finish to August, with games against Cleveland, Philadelphia and Toronto, could get us into position to win this thing. If we do, it will be remember as a great move. If not, maybe I will need to be the next one to go.
Code:
Cleveland 63 51 .553 -
Philadelphia 62 51 .549 0.5
Toronto 61 52 .540 1.5
New York 59 55 .518 4.0
BROOKLYN 60 56 .517 4.0
Baltimore 57 55 .509 5.0
Chicago 49 64 .434 13.5
Montreal 45 72 .385 19.5