Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19

nant race generally has a harder row to
hoe than any Of the other players.
Realizing that he is undoubtedly more
or less nervous. the batters adopt all
kinds of crouching attitudes, move around
aimlessly In the box and implore the
youngster to get 1t over SO they can drive
it out of the lot. The coachers tell the
batter that he doesn't appear to have
anything and the batter tells the coacheI
he Is aware of the. fact. When batter
goes out on hard drive q chorus Of yells
usually informs him that when he loses
his horseshoe 1t will be back to the
blacksmith shop.
Sometimes youngsters who possess the
nerve that makes great pitchers go to
pieces under the fire they are subjected
to. II they have the proper nerve the
will surely come back and make good
And in all cases Just as soon as the bat
tiers discover that their line of talk has
no effect on new pitcher they at once
settle down to business and try their
best to get to first by outguessing him.
Player Must Have Nerve.
Great ball>players always are full Of
nerve. aggressiveness and constant
desire to win. Ball players admire men
with nerve, they look with disgust on
player with a streak Of yellow. If
ridicule and taunts will put such a per-
lack for verbal assaults. Ball players,
with few exceptions. like to see others
succeed. The raillery they indulge In
when a youngster breaks in is part OF
the game, sort of traditional. Thew
sire is to discover IL he has the proper
nerve. If he has his career will be a
smooth one; If not. he is liable to
bump into all kinds Of obstacles.
Owen Bush. the diminutive little
garded as one OF the best In the coun-
try at the position. Bush is fast on his
feet, has an excellent arm. is skilled at
touching q base runner and is better
than the average as a hitter. Best of
all, he possesses the nerve that goes to
make up great players. His big league
debut should be kept in mind BY every
ambitious youngster.
Bush joined the Tigers in the fall OF
1908. after the Indianapolis team. Of
which he was a member, had closed it's
season. The Tigers were webbing at
the time, the infield was broken up, an
aggressive shortstop was badly needed
In his first game he made three err
rOrs, most of them on easy chances, and
he was the sole topic Of conversation
| among the Detroit fans. I happened to
work the game. and at least a hundred
times that evening I was asked what
thought about Bush.
/ vouchsafed the opinion that I felt
| sure he would make good. but few OF
| the fans seemed to agree with me.
| A player lacking in nerve would have
gone to pieces after the miserable star
Bush made, but not the present star OF
| the Tigers. He came back full of pep
per. covered all kinds Of ground and
| took all kinds of chances. Inside of
| week every Detroiter was swearing by
the kid, for he was only nineteen years
of age. His work at short had the de-
| sired effect on the Tigers; the team
braced up and won the pennant Las,
| season his excellent work at short was
again big factor in the Tigers show
| ing.
| Pitcher Babe Adams OF the Pittsbura
team is also another shining example
| OF the nerve theory. He proved he was
| made OF the proper stuff in the worlds
| series. lot even regarded as a regular
prior to the series. he started and
closed the great battle for supremacy
and beat the Tigers every time he faced
| them. All efforts to rattle him failed
taunts from players and fans were
music to his ears.
| Any player with the average ABILITY
and plenty Of nerve has q chance to
shine iE fast company.
| Nerve is easily q ball players most
valuable asset.