The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-09
POR S
GREAT DEMAND
FOR PLAYERS
Not Enough High Class Men for
Sixteen Clubs in Two
Major Leagues.

Despite the great demand for first-ciass.
ball tossers all along the line. it is i'm
possible for some OF the clubs to secure
first-class players. Not only is-tke cry
from major league teams, but from the
minors. One strong minor league mas
been securing the east diligently for a
first-class infielder, and has been Wiling
to pay almost any sum within reason 10
secure such a one.
President Dewey of the Boston Nation
ais. has been after collection of players
-outfielders, catchers and a spare in
fielder-and has found it mighty difficult
to get what he is after. 1t has been said
often that there are not enough hlgh
grade ball tossers in the country to man
two major leagues, and this comes near
to being the truth. Wanted-First-class
ball toSSers' continues to be the cry OF
the day. When a club allows veteran ma
rerial to go in the hope of securing some
thing better, it has a mighty tough con-
tract on its hands. Pittsburg parted with
Second Baseman Claude Ritchey-had 10
do 1t, so tits said-but Abbetichio comes
long way from being a Ritchey.
Clark Griffith Busy.
Clarke Griffith has now been engaged
five seasons in collecting a championship
team and still has his troubles. He came
within one game of 1t at one time, but
this season seems to lack considerable
of being at the head of a pennant winning
combination On the other hand Comisk-
ey achieves wonders with a team which Is
much of the pickup description, yet it
does wonders and no team in the country
Robisons have expended immense sums
season upon season IN the endeavor to Sc
cure g good ball club, and can attest to
the difficulty OF the task.
So with the Washington club. TIE club
was not last last season simply because
of the decentralization of the Boston club
no other reason. This season a new deal
has been made, and one of the most in
defatigable workers in the country has
been secured as manager. and there can
be no doubt at all that he will be an i'm
provement upon the previous order OF
things. President Ban Johnson cannot al
ways hit the nail on the head. and he
missed fire considerably when he planted
Jake" Stahl to handle the Washington
club. Stahl was no Fielder Jones, not
by whole lot Jones proved to be one
out of great many and exceeded all ex-
pectations. Collins lasted long while in
Boston.
Cleveland Shy Manager.
Cleveland has yet to have manager
who can land pennant winner, and the
same is true of Detroit. 1t looks as If
Detroit is nearer the winning path this
season than since the club was a mem
Der of the American league. Hugh Jen-
nings has done finely with the club and
has not belied the expectations of those
who prophesied that he would make good.
That the Boston Americans could well
use such manager cannot be gainsaid.
II cluD cannot secure flrSt-claSS
playing manager bench manager is far
preferable, for the reason the game has
grown so that the man who handles the
playing end of the club should not be
hampered by anything outside the super
vision of the men. The Boston Americans
are now the only club that has playing
manager Of the clubs of the eastern sec
ton, and curiously enough the same is
true of the Boston Nationals, for Tenney
is the only playing manager in the east.
Chicago and Pittsburg have two first
class playing managers, and both have
strong club to handle. Many are of the
opinion that Lajoie's game would be
helped immensely were he not burdened
with the weight of managerial response
bilities Still, it must be admitted the
club has done as well under his charge
as under a bench manager. This does not
show anything-onIy that the club has
not yet had a desirable man on the bench
to direct the club.