[SelzShoes]

“Does he ever put that damn banjo down?” Arky Vaughan laughed at the impromptu sing a long lead by the Cub manager. Coming from the high rolling, hard living Bucs, the spectacle of a leader filling down time with songs struck the shortstop as quaint. Odd fellows, these Cubs. Jolly Cholly and Smilin’ Stan; the nicknames did not inspire fear or respect, just reflected the joy surrounding the team. “It’s like the part in that Gable/Lombard movie,” as the team went into the second verse of ‘The Daring Young Man (on the flying trapeze)’.

“Hey Cholly, we need to trade for that Musial kid in St. Louis,” one of the giddy shouted, “I hear he plays a mean harmonica.”

“Accompaniment throws me off,” Grimm laughed back. “Beside, we got Eddie!” On cue the veterans and rookies alike threw up a whoop for young Eddie Waitkus.

The good cheer and congeniality of the camp should have put the shortstop at ease. He had seen teams lose it down the stretch, being too tight from trying to be all business. The Dodgers tried to go the other way, yukking it up with Uncle Robbie, but not having the focus or talent to contend. Grimm had won two titles, and never was worse than third in his full seasons. Something had to be working for that to happen. But, winners, in Vaughan’s eyes, needed something other than constant joy to win. They needed an edge; a killer’s conscience. “They’d make great neighbors,” Arky thought to himself, “but a ball club?”

A hand landed firmly in Arky’s back, “So, waddya think?” Phil Cavaretta, the captain in waiting, was also in the good humor business.

“Too many left side batters, but if the pitching holds, we should be ok.”

Spit flew out of the outfield/first baseman’s mouth as he stifled a laugh. “Heck, don’t worry about that yet. I mean camp. Not as tight as some clubs, from what I hear.” Phillibuck was incredulous over such concern so early in camp, “Man, worried about the season already—just be glad we’re playing again, my friend. Time for worry is September.” Cavaretta grab the arm of the Cubs’ newest jewel in the line up. “We need to get you to spend more time with Stan; no one worries less about everything than him.”

“That’s why he’s called Smilin’ Stan,” Vaughan repeated the line he had heard already a dozen times at camp.

“Now you’re thinking right!” Phil started leading Arky back to the sing a long. “It’s all sunshine and baseball down here friend, not a care in the sky.” The plink of the banjo called from around the crackle of the bonfire. “It’s a great bunch of guys, just stop thinking so dam much and have a good time.”

“And why shouldn’t I have a good time,” Vaughan thought as they drew closer to a scene straight out of an old college football movie. “Money, baseball and beer—what else can a man want?”