The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-05
GRAY MATTER IS AN
IMPORTANT FACTOR

Some men are referred to as the
brains" of a ball club. Sometimes it
is the manager who acquires this title;
sometimes it is a player, and more
rarely an extra hireling-a scout or
what is popularly known as an "old
head" But nearly every club has one
man who is the "brains"-the chap
with the gray matter, the lord high
advises who advises the unexpected at
! the psychological moment In reality
he may be bone head" as dense as
a wooden Indian: but once he acquires
the title Brains it is his forever
Sometimes a player is foisted on. the
fans as the brainy one by an over
dilligent, romancing writer, and some :
times the player earns his distinction.
But suffice it to say that there are
some players in the game who are
pointed out as being particularly long
on gray matter who couldn't make
good in the "one-lamp" league, IL left
on their mental resources, while other
players who are crow ed to the back
ground are brilliant in the extreme.
several bali teams have shifted, and
the envied title is waiting to fall on
the most deserving man in many clubs
In the browns camp, Jack O'Con-
nor. who in his day was called King"
and who for the past two years has
been pointed out as the brains" has
severed his connection and signed to
manage Little Rock. Already 1t has
been written that Jack is turning a
few of his "heady" plays, and one of
the pert performances won q victory
over Roger Bresnahan's Cardinals
| O'Connor has made a deep study Of
baseball, and few men in the game
have superior knowledge of the
sport. He has knack for doing the
unexpected or outguessing his adver-
saries. 1t was Jack, for instance, who
made big John Anderson, then with
Washington, throw the ball against
the pavilion. Jack pretended to be
the Washington first baseman and
big" John heaved the ball to him.
Then Jack sidestepped and let the
horsehide roll, while pair of Brown
les scored. This was only one of the
tricks that earned Jack the title of
brains"
Crieer Now Brown Brains.
Lou Criger comes t the browns to
| fiji, to certain extent, O'Connor's
shoes. Lou seems to be all brains. Ball
players regard him as the greatest
student of the game playing today. He
! is an encyclopedia on baseball. He
knows the batters, the fielders and the
pitcher He's a rare gem and a valu-
able asset to the st. Louis American
league entry. Last year Criger allow
ed Cobb to steal but one base and
then McConnelrs error was partly re-
| sponsible for the pilfer. LoJ. can uur~
guess Tyrus RaymonG, and calls the
latter bone head" Others call him
wise guy" But Crieger should sup
plant O>Connor and will undoubtedly
be the recipient of the title brains"
The baseball world looked upon the
retirement of Fielder Jones as the
passing of the greatest exponent of
inside" baseball that ever played.
His wonderful grain work earned for
the white sox the title of "hitless
wonders" Under his regime the team
won games without hits-won them
merely on superior headwork. Fielder
Jones gave grand evidence of his abil-
ity as a manager in a game last year
when, after three men were on the
bags, he warmed up all his pitchers
and put in new twirler for each
batter that McAleer sent forth, re-
tiring the side without run. 1t was
play without precedent IN the Am
erican league and only emphasized the
fact that Jones was the games braini-
est member.
Mcclure Should Help.
Boston is sure to feel the loss Of
the veteran Jim MCGUIRE this year,
while his presence as a nap should be
great help to the Cleveland team.
No man knows more about the game
than MCGUIRE. Last year, with the
youngsters at Boston he made a great
showing, and this year he ought to
add some good gray matter to the
maps. AS first lieutenant to Larry his
opinion will always be sought in mat
ters of Importance and his advice will
often prove great help to the local
manager.
Already Mcguire has done much to-
wards improving the young pitchers
and catchers on the Cleveland team.
He has taken the rough edges off the