The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-25
IDEAS Of the
ARB1TRA'TOR
BY TIM MURNANE

Is the bunting style Of batting grow
ing unpopular with the players7 Long
! ago the baseball public discounted this
6 style of work as below the dignity of
| major league players, as less than one
man in four could carry out the play
with anything like professional GER
tainty. And there is nothing more dis
{ tressing than to see hard-hitting bats
man curtailed in his work at the plate,
1 doing something he had neither taste
nor ability to perform well.
Captain Collins of the Boston Amer
leans was never strong on the bunting
game, depending on hitting the ball for
Tong drives or working the hit and
run game. At this style of ball play
ing he landed Boston in second place
/ twice, and in the first place the same
number of times. Once carrying off
the world championship from Pitts
/. burg, first-class team of hunters. No
team can expect great success unless
able to mix things up at the bat, I'M
less it is composed Of string Of ex-
ceptionally long drivers. In this re-
spect the Boston Americans are
& stronger today than when they won
I from Pittsburg two years ago, for
/ Grimshaw is much harder hitter than
was George Lachance, and Setback can
outhit Pat Dougherty when it comes to
! long distance.
doubt If there is club in the
country with six long distance drivers
{ outside the Boston Americans, viz,
Freeman, Stahl, Collins, Parent, Ferris
/ and Grimshaw, four sluggers and two
/ scientific batsmen, Collins and Parent,
being able both to bunt and place the
s ball.
Boston at Practice.
We have seen the Boston Americans
at practice ten days ago so far this
spring without one attempt at bunting
the ball, and 1t strikes me that Man
ager Collins has overlooked his oppor-
/ tunities for advancing the team g slug
ging success. Cutting out the sluggers
1t would have been good idea to prac-
tice all the other players on the bunt
game, for the ordinary batsman is 25
{ per cent more valuable to a ball team
whey he is able to mix things up with
the stick. All ball teams should prac-
tice bunting, at least one half the
time before the season begins, and not
forget this style Of work during the
regular season.
The leaders in both major leagues
last season, New York, Pittsburg Ath-
letics and Chicago, were all bunting
teams, the giants having four long
drivers In Mertes, Donlin, Mccain and
Bresnahan, while the athletics had
Seybold, Murphy and Harry Davis.
Pittsburg had Fred Clarke and Wag-
ner, while Chicago had George Davis,
Tannehill and Callahan. Little base
running is necessary on ball team
of hard, long drivers, who can send a
man home from first base.
The great ballplayer, however is
the man who can bunt, place the ball
and make long drive, and this is
Jimmy Collins great value to the Bos,
ton Americans No pitcher ever faces
this remarkable player, who, like Lave
Cross, has a steel nerve and shines best
under the most trying circumstances
A philosopher in defeat as we'll as in
victory, never predicting the outcome
of a race and always we'll posted on
the strength Of every team in his OWL
league. ~~,~-.
Collins actually leads his, men by ex'
ample, never Sinking his work for a
minute when in condition to put on a
uniform, and doing the best he can with
the talent picked out by the club off
Gals. He has his own way of getting
results, never seeming to drive his mer
or map any plans for the purpose -o1
team work, but welding his team to-
gether by daily contact with plays az
they come up and finally resting on the
successful move.
selee a schemer.
How different is Frank Selee whe1
handling the Boston champions. Selee
was forever working out some scheme
and giving the players private lee
ture, completing signal code ant
working out campaign as if it wer'
shout to fight for a country's free
dom. 9elee was theorist, with ideaI
culled from clever players remarks
and he was enabled to create enthusi
asm among his players when he pre-
sented his plans, as they gave the man
ager credit for being really much wise
than he was. Had Frank Selee had
more thoro knowledge of the playin,
end of the game gained from actua
service in the field, the chances ar
that he would never have been the pro
nounced success that he proved to b
in major league company. It was tn
mingling Of the ideal with the rea
that resulted in blending baseball
propositions into such a form tina
Frank G.. Selee was able to surmoun
all obstacles and class with the frs
half dozen great leaders Of the game
To win ball games the players mus
have the proper enthusiasm. I woul
rather take team Of men with ordi
nary ability, full Of enthusiasm, tina
have the pick Of the professionals VIII
were Indifferent. The Indifferent bal
player is the microbe Of the profession
and is the first under the wire only a
meal times and salary day.
The major clubs are already tryin
to unload their young players on tn
minor leagues all over the country, an
in every case the player will look 70
an increase of salary as the result o
being even considered worthy Of
trial with the major league clubs
Manager Collins has picked up tw
very clever catchers in Peterson fro1
Harrisburg and Graham from the Coas
league. Bottle are natural, rangy an
up to all the fine points of the game
They have won place from the jun
with the Boston Americans. This
gratifying to Collins, as catchers ar
growing scarce who can throw and hi
bit. -.
Other Youngsters.