Evening star., 1909-04-11
OF BRAINS
IN MAJOR LEAGUES
Heady Players Change Teams
and May Be Pennant
Factors.

Some men are referred to as the
brains of ball dub. Sometimes it is
the manager who acquires this title;
sometimes it is a player, and more rare
~ an extra hireling-a scout, or what is
popularity 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 adviser who ad-
vises the unexpected at the psychology
cal moment. In reality he may be a
"bonehead," as dense as a wooden In
dian: but once he acquires the title
Brains it's his forever.
Sometimes a player is fo.sted on the
fans as the. brainy one by an overdil-
gent, romancing writer. and sometimes
the player earns his distinction. But suf-
flee it to say that there are some players
in the game VINO are pointed out as be-
ing particularly long on gray matter
lamp league If left on their mental re-
sources, while other payers who are
crowded to the background are brilliant
to the extreme. This season. however.
the brains. of several ball 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'Connor.
who in his day was called king" and
who for the past two years has been
pointed out as the "brains.' has severed
his connections and signed to manage
Little Rock. Already IL has been writ
ten that Jack is turning few of his
'heady" plays, and one of. these peri
performances won victory over Roger
Bresnahans Cardinals. O'Connor has
made a deep study OF base ball, and few
men in the game have a superior knowl-
edge Of the sport. He has a knack of do
ing the unexpected or outguessing his
adversary. 1t was Jack, for instance,
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 horsenide roll.
while a pair of Brownies scored. This
was only one of the tricks that earned
for Jack the title of Brains"
Criger Now Brown Brains.
Lou Criger goes to the Browns to NIL.
to a 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 encyclo-
pedia on base bail. He knows the bat
ters. the fielders and the pitcher. He's
rare gem and valuable asset to the
st. Louis American League entry. Last
year C.riger allowed Cobb to. steal but
one base. and then McConnelrs error was
partly responsible for that p!lfer. Lou
can nutguess Tyrus Raymond. and calls
the latter "boEeiead." Others call him
plant O'Connor, and will undoubtedly be
the recipient OF the title OF Brains
When Clark Griffith quit the Yankees
and later signed up with the Cincinnati
club. to command the destinies Of the
Reds. many people said that one Of the
"brainiest'' little managers In the Amer
lean League was making mis- exit. Grimth
was the first manager to make success
Of changing pitchers. He yanked out
the tiring twirlers SO fast It made their
heads swim, and put his club up In the
race long before any OF the other man
ayers took up the practice. lie went In
himself in pinches and was reputed to
have nothing but his ''head"--no speed or
no curves-but still he was fairly sue.
cessful on the slab. Fans are awaiting
with a certain degree of expectancy. how
ever, Grif1ith's showing in Redland. Sue
cess in his new berth means that he will
continue to wear the title Brains"
Roger a Good Boy.
Stanley Robson probably paid the fan
ciest price ever paid for a player for
Roger Bresnahan, just to get a good
catcher and some 'brains' for bis young
ball club. Whether he was successful
remains to be seen. but long ago Roger
was recognized for his wisdom In running
a bail club and recognized by that peer
ess manager. Johnny McGraw. Roger
is booked to receive the title Of brains"
in the ST. Louis National League club.
The base ball world locked upon the
retirement of Fielder Jones as the passing
of the greatest exponent of inside" base
ball that ever played His wonderful
brainwork earned for the White Sox the
title of "hitless wonders" Under his
regime the team won games without hits
won them merely on superior head
work In st. Louis Fielder Jones gave
grand evidence of his ability as a man
ager when. after three men were on the
bags he warmed UP ali his pitchers and
put in new twirler for each batter that
McAleer sent forth retiring the side
without a run. 1t was a play without
precedent in the American League. and
only empha asized the fact that Jones was
the games brainiest member.
Cleveland signed Jim MCGUIRE TO add
that one essential which has heretofore
been lacking in MISUNDERSTANDING, Nc
CURE was q success with the Boston
club He goes. to Cleveland to make
team that Is physically fortified to win
the American League pennant strong in
the department which has been the cause
of its repeated failures. He Is assuming
q colossal task, k,-but has in the past prov
en- himself capable.
Cubs Crippled Without King.
Wise fans are predicting that the Cubs
will run second or worse since Johnny