The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-05-27
MANAGERS PROBLEM
Number of Pitchers to Garry on
Team Puzzles Handlers.
YOUNGSTERS Carried ABOUT.
Many Recruits Travel For Weeks
Without Getting Single Opportunity
to Show Whether or Not They Are
Fit For Fast Company.

to Show Whether or Not They Are
Fit For Fast Company.
One of the most difficult problems
that the baseball managers now have
before them is the number Of pitchers
to carry on the payroll for the best all
around results.
Last season and the year before the
Chicago Cubs won the championship
OF the world with six box men-Reul-
bach. Brown, Overall, Lundgren, Fra
ser and Pfiester-and this number Of
pitchers was considered low for sue b
a grand performance, even with big
money in sight for winning the final
| series.
The weaker clubs carry more pitch
ers than the stronger ones in hopes Of
developing a first string box man.
While the minor leagues carry along
nearly as manly as the big leaguers
One-half of the army Of youngsters
looking for money for pitching were
made possible by the knowledge that
a ball pitched with moistened fingers
would take peculiar twist without
any great skill on the part Of the one
who delivered the ball. This idea
drove lot OF strong arm boys into
the business at the expense Of the
game.
This season the major leagues are
carrying from seven to eleven pitc b
ers, ana the chances are that not one
half of this number will work in a
dozen games Several have been car
ried for years without one chance Of
their ever making good in fast con
pany. Others are carried along b
cause they can pitch effectively
against some one club. In fnct the
general belief is that the chief reason
1or carrying so great number Of
pitchers is that box men are strong
against some individual club.
You VIII find Jones reserved for one
club and Brown for another, each striv.
Ing to get the better Of one another in
the box. Now, if there was IL rule
made to cut the major league pitchers
TO hve and the minor league to three
you would find fewer sore arms and a
more interesting lot of pitchers, men
with better control and more apt to
use their brains.
Now, before game n dozen pitchers
will warm up in front Of the grand
stand, going through some graceful
stunts, especially on ladies' day. And
why not! Ihe manager usually sits
on the players bench Watching the
movements of his men. The catchers
are noting the condition of the pitch
erS, ana after the warming up n short
conference on the bench, and the box
man showing form and Willingness to
work is sent into the game
If the pitcher is not anxious for the
exercise he develops n lame back or
mas nothing, as the catcher will notify
the manager. He at got n thing
today That is Il tip to the mana ger
to chase the pitcher to the stable for
GOOD rundown and front seat in
the pavilion. to be admired by the
fans. who remember some good work
of the past. for the we'll bred fan win
never call players attention to the
defeats, passing over this column to
|. the victories.
With first class team for support.
every pitcher In the game is willing
to be called on if but halfway right:
but, knowing the weakness Of their
support. they are perfectly willing to
see fellow workman take the defeat
There are a number Of clever pitch
ers wise to the fact that the arm must
give out sooner or later and that eac Ii
hard game brings the end in double
quick time, to cut off the princely sal
airy for new move on the checker
board Of life
More money is necessary at the pres
ent time to secure a first class staff OF
box men than was paid out to a whole
team less than twenty years ago, sim
ply because three times as many pitch
ers are considered necessary for a
major league team.
Thirty years ago Tommy Bond
pitched the Boston club into the cha M
pionship single handed At that time
the clubs only played about 100 games
each season, and there We're several
very weak clubs in the circuit
Some twenty years ago Tim Keefe.
Mickey Welsh and Ed Crane did the
pitching for the New York Giants and
landed a winner playing 4 49, game
schedule. keefe and Welsh We're the
regular men. with Crane to fall back
on. while Titcomb was groomed for
emergencies.