The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19
DISCOVERING BALL PLAYERS
WHAT VARIOUS MANAGERS RAVE
DONE IN THAT LINE.

Frank Belee One OF the Best Judges d
Young MateriaI-Stars Developed b.
Grinlth, MeGraw, Mack and HanIoE
-Dreyfuss Has Brought Out Many
BY DO means the smallest part OF the
work OF men whoae hn=lress 4 L to pro,
duoe successful baseball teams. though II
doesn't show on the surface as much as othei
duties, i8 to get the material. There arr
managers who a turn out q winning team
onoe they have the material to hand
others who not only can do that but forage
for and discover material and still others
who a take material that somebody else
has picked out and improve II. The idea
manager 10 he who can do all Of theee things,
but in the manifold requirements Of the
position the manager Is bound TO excel In
some detail, rather than the whole. The
purpose Of this article IL not to go into that,
but to tell Of a number Of big league stars.
who discovered them, or who developed
them. or who wa responsible for bringing
them into fast company. There are cases
In which more than nj manager had a
hand in bringing players into prominence.
Frank Selee, who so successfully managed
the, Boston and Chicago teams before his
failing health sent him TO the Far West,
was at onoe a capable manager on the
bench and ono Of the best OF judges of raw
material. Herman Long, the premier
shortstop Of his day, was brought to the
Boston National League team by Selee,
though in q Measure Long had established
bis worth by his sensational work with
the Kansas City team. Charley Nichols
va another Selee find. being brought by
him from Omaha 70 Boston. This crack
pitcher, as well as Long, matured 10 the
highest point Of his skill under the tutelage
Of Selee. Billy Nash. the third baseman;
Bobby Lowe, the second baseman; Billy
Hamilton, the feet base n and Victor
Willis. the drop ball expert. budded and
bloomed in the League garden under Selee.
Johnny Evers. the second baseman; Joe
Tinker, the shortstop. and Schultz, the
outielder. were men brought out by Selee
after the latter went to Chicago. and under
the Selee regime in Chicago Frank Chance
was taken from behind the bat and mads
one Of the best of first basemen, a
speedy base runner andistrong batsman.
Many are the players who have come into
diamond fame through the agency OF Ned
Hanlon. now managing the Cincinnatis.
OAO Vi NV u tilC ZIG otCu VIII hcclc .
After Keller had been brought from the
team to New York by John
Ward he was turned owe to the Brooklyn
club Shortly afterward he and Dan
Brouthers were traded to Baltimore for
Billy Shindle. the third baseman. and Tread
way. the outfelder. Keller at that time
supposed to be a third hasemAn-at
least he was tried III in that position by
New York. 1t was under Hanlon's guidance
that he developed into the star outfielder,
scientific batter and fine all around player
that he is.
The noted Hughsy Jennings, now a big
league manager himself, became a sta
under Hanlon. This was in 1894, the year
in which the Baltimores began their three
pennant winning feat. the year In
which Hanlon got together the historic
collection which included Keller, Jennings,
Kelley, Robinson. Mcmahon. McGraw.
Reitz, Brouthers and Brodie. Jennings
,ame to Baltimore from louisville The
lbilty 10 become a great player always
Ras in him. but he rose. to the heights Of
as a peerless shortstop under the
management Of Hanlon. Probably he was
he best shortstop the game ever has known.
danlon saw not only that he was a fine
ielder; but saw to it that he became a first
batter and base runner. He was a
rood inside player, as were most Of the
Id Orioles. and few have equalled him
n taking a thrown ball and putting the ball
N Q base runner.
John McGraw was really a Hanlon
Billy Barnie brought McGraw
o Baltimore, but IL was under Hanlon
hat McGraw rose to stardom. He was
short under Barnie and was shifted
o third by Hanlon. OF purse nobody
ut himself could give him his shrewd
sense, but Hanlon saw that he had
bis, and the ability OF the latter as a man
ger consisted, for one thing. in surround
az himself with men Of that kind. Robin
On was nc spring chicken when he became
n oriole, but he improved vastly as a
ackstop under Hanlon. Joe Kelley did his
est work under Hanlon, and Reitz and
were his pupils.
Pitcher Joe McGinnity was a Hanlon
iscovery-at any event was brought from
he backwoods into the big arena by him.
Ianlon sent the Iron Mar TO Baltimore,
'hile he GHanlon> managed the Brooklyns,
nd IL was with McGraw az overseer that
IcGinnity made good. McGraw did more
develop him than anybody else. Frank
itson. the pitcher, was a Hanlon product.
It has been said of McGraw that he does
OF develop new material, but the facts are
/ variance with that assertion. He brought
ut Bresnahan for one, TO say nothing of
IoGinnity-and you don't unearth a Bres-
ahan everv day. Moreover, with McGra~
!, guide, philosopher and friend, Arthur
has come TO be a top notch third
aaeman. Burnham of Newark is the dis
,verer OF Devlin, so far as his professional
lreer is concerned. for he sold Devlin toll
but he became the finished per-
,rmer that he Is under McGraw. Nor did
lose any time in finding out for
that Devlin would fiji the bill. Devlin
one of the National Leagues best base
lnners and nearly all that he knows about
lat accomplishment he learned with
oGraw as his tutor.
George Browne, cast loose by Philadel-
was taken up by McGraw, and his
siding improved 100 per cent. after the
OF berths. He 10 a fine thrower,
hioh McGraw was not slow to find out: a
ir batter and q swift man on the bases.
OF the least Of MoGraw's feats was 10 dis
,yer that there was the making OF a crack
In 81 Seymour. Seymour was so
ratio as a pitcher that he oarne near falling
to Oblivion as a ball player. MoGraw
ipted him up, took him to Baltimore and ,
ado an outfelder OF him. Ills value il too
III known TO dwell upon. Ames: Witse and