Bisbee daily review., 1909-10-16
UTILITY JOB A HARD ONE, SAYS HOWARD
DEL SAYS "FiLLiNc-iN" POSITION
MORE DlFEicULT THAN REG
ULAR BERTH.
MUST ALWAYS BE IN FORM
Utility Players Are Now considerse
Stars and Are Not Looked Upon
as Mere Substitutes to the
Regulars.


When Arthur Holman. one time be
ing the utility man of the country.
came into the position of q regular
on the Chicago National team, George
Howard, or "Dei,r as ne is known to
his friends. succeeded him in the once
of hlier-in. and has proved g most sc-
ceptable substitute
Speaking OF the work of the utility
man, Howard said recently: 1T is
very much harder 20 sit on the bench
ready at all times to jump in to take
the place OF some other player than 1t
is to be in the game every day. Sit
ting and waiting, probably for week
at time, without a chance to get on;
and show what you can do, is, to say
the least, very irksome. You see your
fellow players out on the field running
around enjoying themselves and win
ming the plaudits of the spectators,
and you, have to stay there and cool
your heels and smother your impa-
thence as best you may.
"Ali of a sudden. some day when
you least expect it, the manager calls
on you to go in and play Your fell
low players are rather chary of you.
and the people in the stand look upon
you with eye askance. 1t is up to
you to get out and fill the other fei.
lows shoes; yes, even do better. other
wise the wrath of the enraged multi
tude will descend on your undeseTving
head. Get into the game without any
chance OF warming up. and, nine times
out of ten at a critical moment, when
to make good means to win and to
slip up means to lose. Small wonder
that you are nervous.
The slightest error draws down on
you a pile of criticism. Should the
regular player have made the same
mistake il would not have been no
ticed, but with the utility man it il
set down in big black letters on the
page of the managers blacklist
"A very short time, even FIVE min
utes, may settle the life of a man as
ball player. In the highly nervous
state of mind and body that you are in
when you get your try out you cannot
do yourself Justice. There Is nothing
more CALLING than to be taken out .o
the game for some little offense. wher
you know deep down in your hear
that you have the makings of a gooC
first-class ball tosser.
You have to be able to play botl
in the diamond and the garden, ant
this requires a rather variegated Sc
| of brains. Many a player may hav,
the necessary mechanical ability I,
play both infield and outfeld, bu
! when given a chance out of their reg
ular position fail because they hav,
not the needed sdaptability of mind
It is a hard thing indeed TO be ablt
to put into effect the different play
| from the different positions Withou
an instant's hesitation.
For instance, take a man who
| playing the outfield and put hin
in the infield. Is It easy for him t
scoop up hot grounder and driy
the bah to first. or second, whateYe
the case may be, without stopping
TO think or take look around?
"Or, again, put man in the out
field who has been used to playin
one of the infeld positions He i
accustomed to having balls come a
him with terrific speed He know
how to stop them and what to do wit
them when he gets them. His throw
are short and quick, but now he ha