The Washington herald., 1910-07-18

There are so many elements that con-
tribute to winning or losing baseball
games that it is hard to decide which is
the most important. 1 believe luck Is
first. team work second. hitting third.
and fielding just ahead Of base running
Few persons understand how much the
game IS affected by luck. II makes and
breaks ball clubs every season, and some
times it seems as If luck alone decides
pennant races. But II you come 10 study
the matter more deeply you will discover
that the thing we cali luck" keeps pur-
suing certain teams and running others,
and II any one begins TO seek why this
is true he discovers that luck IS only
another name for gameness, determine
ton. and hustling ability The team or
the player that persistently hnstles. that
runs out every ball al top speed, that
tries for every ban that IS hit as hard
as It is possible to try. soon becomes
'lucky"-for the player who does that
is there ready TO take advantage OF
luck"
One sometimes wonders why, after the
middle OF the season, some clubs are so
easy to defeat and some so hard It is
luck again in another form The one
club has been beaten until it is discour-
aged and listless in its work. half
hearted in everything. while the other is
full OF confidence. inspired with hope.
out after everything. and every man is
on his toes every minute, and It beats
better ball clubs through sheer hustle and
confidence.
These things are facts. There are some
clubs that are dangerous no matter how
many games they have lost, and others
that are done and out of race as soon
as the luck breaks against them for a
short time. A young ball player who
wants to know how to win can find the
secret OF it in these statements, and any
veteran ball player will vouch for their
truth.
The first thing a young PLAYER ought
to do Is to see that his condition is per-
feet. and he must keep II that way and
train himself so he can last through an
entire season, Then he ought 10 begin
studying the game. watching every other
players records and learning all about
them. He ought to watch his own men
and the opposing team. studying how
they make plays and deciding for him
self which is the better way. II he does
those things and practices steadily he
will become a better ball player and
last longer in the business than scores
Of men who are his physical superiors
at the game.
Another bit OF advice for a young
player: There Is a complaint that the
old players do not give the young ones
q fair chance. This is not true. If the
young player does not get his chance
It is his own fault. A young player just
starting with any club must watch his
private behavior as closely as his play
Ing. A fresh" ball player. or a ''swelled
head" or one who does not attend TO
business soon finds that he is not popu-
lar. and begins to complain that he
does not get his chance A player who
joins a club, watches and listens, sticks
up for his own rights, and does not
trample on the rights OF others, always
is welcome. A player in the modern
game is judged almost as much by his
conduct as by his playing. The greatest
mistake a young player can make is to
think that because he makes a success
full start his success is assured, and to
swell and cease to pay close attention
II business. They ought to learn that
baseball is more than a sport. and realize
that it is the most sportsmanlike OF all
sports.
Copyright. 1910. by Joseph b. BowleSl