Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-19
FAST PLAYERS
DEVELOP EASILY
MAGNATES LOSE MONEY WITH
SCOUTS"
Teams of Major League Which Loom
Most Formidable Have Held
the Same Men for Many
Years

1t may we'll be doubted if the scout-
ing business is worth the powder.
Clubs pay large sums of money to men
to go the rounds and pick up material,
and it is a gamble If the men turn out
to be good.
There was no scout to pick up young
"Cy' Young of the Boston Nationals.
who has proved to be one of the big
gest finds in baseball. He was drafted
in the natural way and cost paltry
$500.
The Boston Americans secured one Of
the best available catchers in minor
eaguedom in Albert Shaw and appear
to have added jewel in Pitcher Pruett,
with st. Paul last season, and If he
does not turn out to be as good play
er as comes from minor league ball 1T
will be wonder indeed.
Two of the Boston American league
club pitchers-Young and Winter-have
been with the club since it began oper-
ations and are still standbys. Dineen
came year later and he still ranks
with the best there are in the country.
No other club can show similar rec
ord of three pitchers with the team five
consecutive seasons who have done
nearly as good work as this trio.
Boston Americans Intact
Then the Boston Americans have not
erable change in the infield for six sea-
sons, and that is a remarkable showing.
During that period the outfield has been
completely changed and now we have
two infielders of last seasons team
playing in the outfield.
On the other hand, take the WASH
ington club. 1t has been simply full
of changes. Patten Is tne only player
left of the team that started out in
1901, and he is as puzzling now as he
was at that time, If not more so.
Manager McGraw of the New York
Nationals has always run to seasoned
material There was many a howl when
he took Corcoran of the Ctnc1nnatis.
Corcoran replaced much younger man
in Gilbert, but he was far ahead OF the
Younger man in almost every depart
ment except that of running, and Cor
coran made up in judgment what he
lacked in speed.
"Jake'' Beckley was a man turned
loose by Pittsburg and Cincinnati and
has never been improved upon by those
| clubs even to this day. He certainly
| ia a better man than either Nealon or
Camel without any disparagement to
those players.
| Beckley is a great man for a team
irrespective of his batting and his field
ing, for he is always in the game for
all he is worth, and he is rarity in
being a first-class coach and is very
popular with the patrons.
A game is always lively when he Is
in it. A team composed of such vet
Grams as Young, Mcclure, Beckley,
Gleason, Cross Corcoran, Clarke, Beau
mont and Keeler could give any other
very warm argument.
Mack Proves Lucky
Connie Mack picked up a fine young
hall tosser in Knight. Last season the
lad did not come up to expectations,
but this season he has shown excellent
ability to cope with the situation and
his work has been very satisfactory.
1t did not cost Mack penny to secure
this ball tosser and all OF the poys
experience had been gained in and
about Philadelphia.
The ST. Louis Nationals have done a
lot of experimenting with youngsters
and expending whole lot of money to
secure club that could cut some fig-
ure in a race but thus far all efforts
have been to the bad and the club has
all it can do to keep out Of the last po-
sition in the race.
The Chicago White Sox champions
have been making a remarkable show
ing despite the fact that lot or new
talent has been employed in recent
games. A glance at a recent score re-
vealed the names of Welday and gull
len. Isbeell and Tannehill were both out
of the game.
The club is playing Dougherty and
Hahn in the outfield and neither or
these players was with the club when
1t started in the campaign Of last sea-
son. It furnishes rare food for ref1ec-
ton when one notes that Dougherty
is considered good enough player in
a team of championship caliber, but
was dropped by others in the same
league because he was not considered
good man.
1t was recently remarked that no
club contained so many players out
side of the pitchers who would have q
job to catch on to a new place as the
Chicago White Sox were they compelled
to look elsewhere FOR an opening.