Yet, for all of his distinctions, Moe Berg doesnot hold one for being the Washington ball club's firstlawyer.

That honor goes to 'Herold 'Muddy' Ruel who became theSenators starting catcher the year Moe Berg was being graduated from Princeton, class of 1923. Muddy Ruel would continue in that position for another seven years.

Herold Ruel had a successful legal practice and was, in fact, one of small percentage of lawyers certified to argue a case before the U. S. Supreme Court. His Washington teammates often teased him about his nickname, 'Muddy'. Did he get it from the dirty job of catching or from his law practice? (It was actually because he grew up on the muddy banks of the Mississippi River.)

Muddy Ruledubbed the equipment of a catcher's face mask, shin guards, chest protector'the tools of ignorance.'

Like Moe Berg, Muddy's contributions tothe hometown team were mostly of a defensive nature. He was a weak hitter andone of the slower base-runners on the team.

Yet the record books will forever show thatit was none other than Muddy Ruel who, with two outs and bases empty in thebottom of the 12th inning of the 7th game of the outstanding 1924 World Series between the Washington Senatorsand the New York Giants, smacked a double to right centerfield.

And minutes later, when a pebble sentan easy ground ball over a rookie third-baseman's head into shallow leftfield, it was Muddy Ruel who raced for all he was worth toward home and crossed the plate as the winning run in Washington's only World Series championship.

So during any arguments, negotiations, or court battlesnecessary to bring professional baseball back to Washington, a lawyer or twomay be necessary.

But it might be wise to steal a page from Washington's baseball history and consider dispatching a couple of lawyers to the playing field.

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Associated Press Photo from Washington Bureau Please Credit (AP) Washington--(A)__ CHARLES ELMORE CROPLEY, CLERK OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, PRESENTS HAROLD "MUDDY" RULE, CATCHER FOR THE WASHINGTON SENATORS, WITH SCROLL SIGNIFYING HIS ADMITTANCE TO PRACTICE BEFORE THE HIGHEST COURT OF THE COUNTRY AS A LAWYER.EOH 5-27-29 SERVICED.

copyright 2000,2001 Vance and Geri Garnett

E-Mail: vancegarnett@yahoo.com