Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-13


the reserve list the major leaguers fire.
quently prevent men from following a
course of action that will materially
advance themselves. And the clubs
auction off their players like so much
barley or straw. They sell the players
contract. and he must play for the
buyer or join the SO called and gener-
ally unstable OUTLAWS" or leave the
game for the joys Of peddling shoes or
selling cookboOks.
King Bee of the Game.
The interest of organized ball centers
in the omnipotent national commission,
and its chairman. Garry Hermann of
Cincinnati is the big man of the game.
Yet it will always be recognized that
the players are the lifeblood Of the
game, and the magnates spend much
Of their time trying to convince the
players that they are nothing of the
sort. Players like Hans Wagner,
Christy Mathewson, Napoleon Lajoie,
Tyrus Cobb, Mordecai Brown, Johnny
Evers, Sam Crawford, Fielder Jones,
Terry Turner. Cy Seymour Roy Thorn
as. Miller Higgins, Bill Bradley. Fred
Clarke, etc, are as the stars in dra-
ma. The magnate is in a sense their
business manager, but the latter's pow
or has encroached beyond its natural
sphere because of his long standing
ability to secure high class legal advice
in the drawing Of contracts. For this
reason there will probably never be
another Brotherhood war, when the
players had the magnates beaten. but
they didn't know it. and Somebody
else did. And this particular somebody
worked successfully the most stable
bluff In baseball history. The Brother
hood laid down its hand.
When McGraw Gives an Order.
But the players vocation has seldom
been one that went hand in hand with
business ability. The excitement and
uncertainty of their careers have a
marked effect on their temperaments.
For this reason but few Of them make
a success as team managers. The sue
cesSful manager must lose his heart
and cultivate his head. He must see
that his orders are obeyed. A clew to
the managerial success Of John Nc
Graw of the New York Nationals is
had In the following true story:
The New York team was one run be-
hind in the ninth-a man Oh first and
none out
Lay 1t down." said "AIuggsy" to the
batter
The man stepped up to the plate.
saw q straight one coming over. swung
at 1t and lifted the ball over the fence.
AS he trotted in to the bench at the
end of his home run, proud because he
had won the day, the manager barked
at him:
You're fined fifty When say bunt
/ mean hunt"
| And the fine was paid into the club
treasury too. Ask Cy Seymour If II
| wasn't.
| McGraw and Chance of Chicago and
Jennings of Detroit want their orders
Obeyed. They themselves will take the
responsibility for the failure of theil
plan Of action. They have small time
to bother with players who worry over
the wisdom of the managers advice.
Trick Plays to BE Sprung.
| Every baseball season has at least
predominating or distinguishing fea
lures. Indications are that the present
campaign will prove one essentially OF
trick plays. Work at the spring train
ing camps Of the big teams showed
this. The squeeze play, essentially 6
trick, has variations in application t
other bases than third. where it has
been invariably used; new base run
ming devices are claimed to have beer
worked by one manager: distinct.
new curve has been originated, accord
ing to two or three we'll known pitch
ers. etc.
Also the "knuckle ball" successor t,
the famous spit ball" curve, will, 1T ii
believed. be perfected by several twirl
ers of an experimental turn Of mind
The knuckle ball was discovered las
year. Jack c'Tax'0 Neuer, the New
York American recruit Of a year ago
is said to have mastered three Style
of delivery Of the 'foolers."
One of these, which we will term tn
single knuckle" because only the in
deX finger is bent down on the palm
with the ball resting on the first joint
takes the place of the. drop. 1t float
up much like slow splitter, hangs 70
moment and falls away abrupt
downward. One Of the others. or "dou
Die knuckle," is grasped by thumb an,
two outside fingers of the hand. witt
the index and big fingers bent down t
form the cushion. This gives q curv
which may be controlled so as to breal
either way.
The triple knuckle." or that whicl
rests on the knuckles of the three in
side fingers and is grasped by little fin
ger and thumb, is the one on which
the pitcher puts the steam. It is claim
cd that with this curve one can get al
upshoot or "raise'' Of several inches
He Got What He Needed.
III 4