Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-27
HOWELL WOULD SEND
PLAYERS TO CLASSROOM
Browns Scout Believes He Has Good
Plan to Teach Minor
Leaguers Game.
ALL NEED TO LEARN
FINE POINTS OF GAME
Play in Small Leagues Is Mostly
Crude, and Youngsters Are Green
When They Advance.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ST. LOUIS, November 26.-Harry
Howell, the Browns scout, believes he
knows why there Is such a scarcity OF
f1rst-cIass ball players. although the
game is played in every corner OF the
country Howell blames the lack OF
graduation Of minor league players into
stars In the majors to the lack of good
teachers in the small organizations.
AS Howell has done a lot of scouting
for President Hedges in the last few
years. and has been in a good position
to observe matters, he should know what
he's talking about.
Howell claims that majority of minor
league managers are composed Of former
major league players who have reached
the end of the rope. They have no chance
to star in their chosen profession longer.
and care little If the youngsters in their
charge advance.
He also points to the fact that there is
so little ''big league stuff pulled IN the
minors that although a younsster may
have ambition and the knowledge of the
higher glass play he doesn't have keen
enough competition to execute 1t often.
Scheme of Play Is Crude.
Most of the case ball that is played
in a majority OF the smaller leagues is
very elementary" said Howell. THE
mana gers, for most part, are composed
Of players who have seen their day in
the big league, and whose ambition
has run out. For that reason the young
fellows set themselves to a certain
style and 1T is seldom changed as long
as they continue in that league. They
continue playing in the same old way,
and consequently are not given an OPP
portunity by the fellows higher up to
show II they possess more than they
show.
Now and then you will come across a
manager who teaches his players big
league stuff. Some fellow may catch
onto 1t easily, and may want to try It,
ers on the other teams probably play the
clean game without tricks he soon for
gets through his lack Of seeing the other
fellow pull the unexpected"
Howell not only tells why he believes
there is such a scarcity of good ball play
ers, but believes he has a good remedy,
and puts 1t up to the club owners to put
it into effect.
1t Is In the form of school for minor
league ball players He would have the
faculty Of about four teachers, Johnny
McGraw, Addie Joss, Frank Chance and
Jim Mcclure stripe. or players of their
brainy. ability, catcher. pitcher, intieid-
Regular classes could be held during
the winter. Howell would make this
school open to any minor or major league
player. They could attend free Of charge,
of course, paying their own expenses to
the city where the school would be es-
tablished.
Good for Club Owners.
Because there are so few good ball
players picked up from the minors each
year, the club owners should be willing
to pay out of their pockets the salaries
of these instructors continued Howell.
When you take into consideration the
amount of money that Is spent yearly
FOR minor league players who last just
about the length Of the training trip,
you can see where the club owners
wouldn't be hit so hard. They would be
repaid by being able to line up some OF
these players who attended the school
and took advantage Of the teachings OF
the wise base ball men. A person doesn't
realize the crude base ball played by
some Of these men until he actually
sees it,
Howell is one of the few scouts of the
country who, in looking over a prospect
i've purchase, dons his uniform and works
out with the player. He learns his weak
nesses and then goes to work toward per-
fecting them. He not only shows the
player how to throw, field, run and steal
bases properly. but usually leaves a last
Of instructions for him to study. How
ellis scheme may not be adopted by the
club owners, but his talk certainly has
the right ring to It,