The Washington herald., 1909-04-25
KcGRAH 4 WONDER
Matty Tells Why His Leader
Has Been Successful.
KNOWS REAL INSIDE BASEBALL
Glansss Leading pitcher BRING. Ont
Fine Points In the Makeup Of the
Most Successful Manager Sew
York Ever Had-AbIe TO Handle
Players with Great SKIN.

n SPECIAL dSlicte N tne BOSlCI E1eT-
aid, Christy Mathews0n tells Why Man
ager McGraw haz been 50 successful as
manager Of the Giants:
I have often been asked to what
would attribute John McGraw's success
as a baseball manages IN the first place.
his method Of handling players eonduces
TO getting the best possible results cut Of
them All players cannot be treated in
the same manner. One man has to be
patted upon the back. while another
needs a sharp reprimand to make him
put .orth his best efforts or remedy his
faults.
Employs Tact.
''McGrsw has the supreme tact 20 en-
ploy these opposite methods IN a way
that causes no friction with the team.
with the result thar XII the men pull To-
gether for the success OF the club Every
one knows that harmony Is essential to a
winning baseball team Many teams on
paper appear strong enough TO win the
championship. but because OF some in
ternal friction they fall short OF their
possibilities. On the other hand, McGrav
landed the penHant for New York il 1854
with team that was not seriously rated
at the opening of the season as a con
tender for first place. The good fellow
ship and pull-tOgethef spirit that AMI
mated that team could not be excelled.
and John McGraW-s lubricating tact kept
the internal machinery working smoothly
from first 70 last
Inside Baseball.
"a second great factor in McGraw's
success is his knowledge Of inside base
bali He is constantly planning to Pull
OF the unexpected. and in the execution
Of his plans he always takes into coasid-
Grafton the abilities Of the players called
upon 10 carry out his scheme OF play.
The squeeze play. so popular with some
Managers does not appeal TO McGraw.
but every other trick OF device by which
a run can be put across the plate has
constantly been successfully used in his
compsigns on the diamond He objects
10 the squeeze play because he believes
that a brainy pitcher ought 70 break up
the play and prevent its success by
pitching the ball so vide that the bats
man IS not able TO bunt #.
Delayed Steal
The delayed steal. the bUnt-and-run
from second. the hit-and-run from first. or
the clean steal Of third are all plays that
can be worked with fair degree Of sue
cess by certain men against particular
teams These and many other plays that
contribute 70 team wcrk or inside base
ball ara constantly practiced By Nc
GTa~'s team. ready 70 be sprung when
ever the WaIcbfUl eye OF the alert man
ager sees an opening
s''Of cO6rse. the plays are not always
successful. for quiek-thinking opponents
may anticipate them and break them ID.
but Il a play fails because Of some act Of
omission OF commission on The part OF
his players. McGraw is quick 90 detect
the fault and devise q remedy. some
managers have considered football and
lacrosse as suitable for spring practices
for baseball players. but the Giants are
drilled and drilled IN baseball. ROt only
physically. but mentally. Tactics play
large part IN McGraw's method. and a
player who cannot learn the fine points
Of the game gn6sr him viii never excel
in cur national pastime
Clever Trader.
In the selection and retention Of PLAY
srs McGraw's judgment is rarely a. fault.
" men ~ G@[dl-4S 4Lldatc ger OF re Arl6l1IS
one OF his first acts Was to release ten OF
twelve players. People who thought they
knew declared he was letting some good
material slip through MS fingers. but
only one man il the lot has retained a
major hague berth.
The trade by which New York ac-
Guired Tenney and BridEeu was much
criticised. but the result has justified
McCSSaws judgment BIcGraw has the
nerve TO stand By his own judgment, and
this was never better exemplified than
when Larry Doyle made good at second
base last year McGTsw had faith in
Doyle from the beginning Of spring prsc-
tice and was deaf 60 the general criticism
that he was making a mistake
I have been asked II I shall not miss
Bresnahsn- Indeed shall miss him,
both as a catcher and companion. but
1 believe that the deal by which We lost
Bresnahan viii strengthen the team in
two departments OF the game where We
were weak. When the season of Ica IS
finished it Is my belief We shall again sp-
plaud McGraw's wisdom in engineering
an advantageous deal"