Gas House Gangster

There are many similarities between Leo Durocher and John McGraw, but there are important differences too. In a thick book called Who's Who in Professional Baseball, published in 1973 by Gene Karst and Martin J. Jones, Jr., the Durocher entry starts this way:

"Synonymous with controversy, noise, argument, shouting, rhubarbs, litigation, Durocher has been supreme egotist, brash loudmouth, natural ham, narcissistic monologist, hunch player, strategist. Has been strutting clothes horse, manicured, pedicured, perfumed; ruthless, sarcastic, bitter, amiable, flirtatious, charming, dapper."

That's pretty good for starters, and it is an accurate reflection of how Leo was perceived throughout his turbulent career.

Strictly as a manager, however, in a narrower framework than his total publicity-attracting persona, Leo can be described more simply. In everything he did, he looked for an edge.

His sharp, quick mind grasped instantly where his edge lay. He didn't always grasp it correctly, but he never doubted at that moment that he was right. The phrase "He's got the guts of a burglar" was applied to him again and again, because he had unfailing nerve to act upon his hunches and little regard for the consequences to anyone else. And in all his personal as well as professional relationships, he subscribed to the precept that the best defense was an aggressive offense. Act first. Beat the other guy to the punch. Get them before they get you. "Nice guys finish last."

All these traits are reminiscent of McGraw but, of course, not peculiar to the two men. Many of the most successful competitors have them. They believe intimidation of others helps them win. They harass umpires to tilt future calls in their favor, as a matter of policy. They resort to fists without hesitation, as long as they're young, and more subtle forms of attack later. They have unshakeable conviction that they can outsmart, as well as intimidate, any opponent. And they see other people-players, business associates, superior officers, and anyone who happens to be around -- as tools to be used in pursuit of their own goals.

They wouldn't get away with it, and wouldn't be the leaders that they were, if they didn't combine that drive with considerable charm, accurate reading of the psychology of others, and a sense of when to pull back (and most of all, with whom to pull back). Durocher, like McGraw, had the knack of being attractive to other celebrities and the world's movers and shakers, precisely because his reputation for rowdiness, which aroused their curiosity in the first place, was not directed at them when they found him so warm and interesting a companion in social situations.

Just as McGraw became a darling of the Broadway crowd once he got to New York, Durocher, almost half a century later, was lionized in the later equivalent milieu, Hollywood. Both loved to gamble and enjoyed hobnobbing with gamblers. Both loved the limelight for its own sake.

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