The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-01
UTILITY man HAS HARD
POSITION IN BASEBALL
Arthur Hoffman Writes Interestingly
Of the Sensations and Trials Of
Man Who Keeps Waiting
for Chance to Play.

Arthur Hoffman, the well known
utility man of the Chicago Cubs. has
the following interesting article in
Morses Baseball magazine:
Some people look at a utility base
ball player just as they would at a
stage door hanger-on. They consider
him genial nuisance, which, since IL
cannot be cured, must be endured.
The utility man, like many worthy
workmen, is underestimate. Since he
does not have the spotlight To himself
all the time, the critical public says
that he must not be taken seriously
But, with all that he is generally an
efficient laborer in the baseball vine
yard.
Many persons whose names are
now in the headlines have come up
from utility. If all the once-utility
men were suddenly wiped from the
baseball slate it would leave a ragged
row of names. Nss
Each player in the club thinks he
has the hardest row to hoe. A first
baseman solemnly vows that the in
itial bag makes a greater demand on
a mans vitality than any other po-
sition on the nine; shortstop nosi-
tivesly knows his position is the limit
of human endurance. But looking at
II from an outsiders point of view.
know that i'm many respects the utiI-
ity player has a harder battle to fight
than any other warrior on the dia-
mond.
once asked celebrated baseball
star what he considered the hardest
role to fill i'm baseball. He answered
without a moments hesitation. "The
bench warmers"
Sitting on the sidelines, waiting,
waiting. always waiting for some
thing to happen, with never chance
to prove ones SELF tries ones soul.
Everybody except himself Is doing
something. achieving something. He
must sit there like a clod. A fielder
makes try at a fly and fails: the
man on the bench knows that he
could have made good If he had had
the opportunity He plays the game
from the bench: he holds his breath
for the third strike; his fingers knot
as the fly sails up. He suffers all
the agony of his team. being defeated,
With. never chance To prove his
worthiness. 1t is inactlon that de-
stroys Ir N 80 IA
Day after day goes by, and stin he
must sit -inertly on. the. bench ,Ho all
most gives up hope of ever once get
ting a try-out. Then one day, all of a
sudden, the manager sends him in.
The team is just a bit suspicious of
him; the grandstand has a critical eye
on him. one or two actions determine
his fate. He is sent in only at the most
critical moment. He is replacing n
favorite who has the sympathies OF
the crowd and the confidence of the
manager The slightest error on his
part draws on him fire of criticism;
the smallest tumble looms up big.
Should the regular have some mishap
1t goes unnoticcd, but with the utility
man IL is set down i'm the blacklist
ink on the debtor side of the page.
Five minutes often settles his fate as
a baseball player In such a highly
wrought condition of mind and mus
Gle a man does not always do himself
justice.
There is nothing more CALLING than
to be taken from a game for some
minor failure when one knows deep
down i'm his heart that he has the
making Of a first-rater. Whenever 1