The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-28
SCORES The Blunt
Collins Is Training Boston Team
in Long Hitting.
Thinks That the Way to Win
Games Is 10 Bat.
HAS SIXHARD DRIVERS
Jimmy Can Hit Well and Blunt
Equally as Good.
Tim Murnane Writes GOssippy
Letter on Baseball.
las STXHARD DRIVERS


the Post from Tim 1durnane at Macon,
Ga, queries:
Is the bunting style of batting un-
popular with the players2
Long ago the baseball public dis
carded this style of work as below the
dignity Of major league players, offer
ing the spectators a chance to applaud
and to make it less attractive, as less
than one man in four could attempt
the play with anything like profession
al certainty-and there is nothing more
distressing than to see hard-hittng
batsman curtailed in his work at the
plate, doing something that he had
neither taste nor ability to perform
we'll.
Captain Collins Of the Boston Ameri-
cans, was never strong on the bunting
game, depending on hitting the ball for
long drives or working the hit and run
game. At this style of ball playing he
landed Boston in second place twice.
and in first place the same number of
times, once carrying off the world 5
championship from Pittsburg, q first
class team of hunters. No team can
expect great success unless able to mix
things UP at the bat, unless composed
Of string of exceptionally long
drivers. In this respect the Boston
Americans are stronger today than
when they won from Pittsburg, two
years ago, for Grimshaw is a much
harder hitter than was George La
Chance, and Selbach can outhit Pat
Dougherty when it comes to long dis
lance.
I doubt if there is a club in the
country with six long distance drivers
outside of the Boston Americans, viz
Freeman, StahI, Collins. Parent Ferris
and Grimsh a. -four sluggers and two
scientific batsmen, Collins and Parent
being able to bunt and place the ball.
have seen the Boston Americans at
practice ten days so far this spring
without one attempt at bunting the
ball, and it strikes me that Manager
Collins has overlooked his Opportuni-
ties for advancing the teams success.
Cutting out the sluggers, It would have
been a good idea to practice all the
other players on the bunt game, for the
ordinary batsman is rs per cent more
valuable to a ball team when he can
mix things UP with the stick, and all
bail teams should practice bunting at
least one-half the time before the sea-
son begins, and not forget the style OF
work during the regular season. The
leaders in both major leagues last sea-
son, New York, Pittsburg, Athletics.
and ChfcagOs, were all bunting teams,
the Giants having four long drivers in
MeEtes, DOnltns Mccain and Bresna-
han, while the Athletics had Seybold,
Murphy and Harry Davis. Pittsbure
had Fred Clarke and Wagner While
Chicago had George Davis. Tannehill
ana Cauanan. Little base running IS
necessary on a ball team Of hard, long
drivers, who can send g, man home
from hrst base.
The great ball player, however, is the
man who can bunt place the ball and
make a long drive, and this is Jimmie
Collins great value to2 the Boston
Americans. When at the bat no pitch
er ever faces this remarkable player,
WhOs like Lave Cross, has a steel nerve,
/ Ia In -
circumstance philosopher in defeat
as well as in victory, never predicting
the outcome of q race, and always well
posted on the strength of every team
in his own league.
Collins actually leads his men simply by
example, never Sinking his work for a
form, doing the best he can with the tai
ent picked out by the club officials. He
mas MS own way Of getting results, never
seeming TO drive his men or map out any
plans for the purpose Of team work, but
/ welding his team together by daily con
tact win plays as they come up and fin
ally resting on the successful move How
different with Frank Selee when handling
the Boston champions selee was forever
working out some scheme and giving the
/ players q private lecture, completing a
signal code, and working out a campaign
/ as il he were about to fight for a cOun-
Try S freedom- Selee was q theOrist, with
Y IDEAS culled from clever players remarks.
put was able to create enthusiasm among
MS prayers Wleh ne presented MS planss
/ as they gave the manager credit for being
! really much wiser than he was. Had
/ FRANK oelee a more thorough knowledge
/ of the playing end of the game, Famed
] from actual service in the field the
/ chances are that he would never have
/ been the pronounced success that he
/ proved TO be in major league company.
1t was the mingling Of the ideal with the
( propositions into such a form that Frank
I G.. Selee was able to surmOunt all obsta-
eles ana class with the first half dozen
great leaders OF the game. the other five
succeeding as the result of long service
on the field
To win ball games the players must
/ have the proper enthusiasm I would
] rather take q team of very ordinary abil-
ity. full of enthusiasm, than have the pick
! OF the profession who are Indifferent. The
I Indifferent ball player is the microbe of
( the profession, and first under the wire
only at meal time and pay day.
me major league clubs are already Try
ing to unload their young players to the
minor leagues all over the country, and
IN every case the player viii look for in
crease of salary as the result OF being
even considered worthy OF d trial with
the major league clubs. Manager Collins
has picked up two very clever catchers
in Peterson from Harrisburg and era
ham from the Coast league Both are
natural and rangy and up to all the points
Of the game. They have won q place from
the jump with the Boston Americans. This
/ was gratifying to Collins as catchers are
growing scarce who can throw and hit
7 doubt If any other youngsters VIII be
retained for the team, as the old fellows
4 are coming back this spring looking like
Z racers out for the purse, determined to
| hold their jobs and when a veteran de-
/ cides to get In the game for fair he is
usually hard to beat out until the eye
sight falls or the limbs grow weak.
The veteran is sure to beat out the
yOungster on the road, where the parti-
san crowds are more than likely to annoy
the new man
To judge from newspaper reports, Gin
cinnar, Washington, Detroit and the Chi
cago league clubs have a better than even
( chance for pennants this season. In Gin
ciunaM all depends on Ed Hanlon, while
Frank Chance must carry the load at
Chicago Washington and Detroit are
delighted, Tor their team looks stronger
than last season. This is the way IT looks
I to me: Washington VIII have trouble at
short and second base.
Baseball Team Robbed.