Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-20
SENTIMENT PLAYS
SMALL PART IN GAME
1t Is Not What You Used to
Do, But What You Can Do
This Minute.
By Billy Evans.

Base ball is truly survival Of the
fittest.
Sentiment plays a very small part IN
the great national game.
You must deliver the. goods in the
majors or minors, or it's back to the
factory and ten hours a day OF real
toll.
It's not what you used to be able to
do when you were star, but what you
can do this very minute. Salary is based
on present ability, not deeds of the past
The base ball fans of today are loud
In their praises Of the great Wagner,
the brilliant 4ajoie. the sensational COBB.
the wonderful Mathewson and score
of other luminaries. These players are
the idols of the fans in their respective
cities. They are big favorites with the
base ball fans because they are deliver
ing the goods. Just now they are the
stellar attraction, the players over whom
fans enthuse.
In a few years things may be entirely
different. Just as soon as Hans Wagner
slows up on the bases and fails to clout
the ball around the 800 mark. the root
ers will soon implore Barney Dreyfus to
get some youngster' to take his place.
When Ty Cobb fails to steal bases with
reckless abandon and crack out timely
hits that spell victory for Detroit, the
Tiger rooters will yell for some one to
take up his burden in the outfeld. New
York rooters will forget many of Christy
Mathewsons wonderful performances
when that great twirler's trusty right
arm fails him. It's the same with every
star In every league: just as soon as he
hits the toboggan, the fans yell for his
head. Present failures soon Overshadow
past successes. Two or three poor plays
that lose games can destroy a reputation
that hundreds of brilliant plays built
up.
|. The task Of the veteran Is equally as
hard as that of the youngster. although
his experience often helps him out of
tight holes that would have proven eX-
tremely embarrassing to the new recruit.
In these days of modern base ball a
PLAYER can't hold down berth in the big
league very long on his past reputation.
He may hang on for year or two be-
cause the club owner employing him in
sists in hoping against hope that he will
come back to his old-tme form, that the
inability to deliver is only temporary.
AS in every other business, the men
connected with the game, the players in
particular are always aspiring to be re-
garded as the best at their respective po-
stions. They do this because they realize
| that their chance to Increase their yearly
stipend depends altogether on the form
they show.
The abolition Of the salary limit was
one OF the very best moves ever made
for the good OF the game. In the old
days when the major league players were
limited to a salary of s.. 400 for their six
months work there was little to strive
for After player reached such a fig
ure because of marked ability. there was
no inducement to try to improve, except
that of personal pride. It's a cinch
that Tyrus Cobb would not take the
chances on the bases he does il he knew
the taking OF such chances wouldn't help
his standing as a player, and inciden-
tally increase his salary.
remnants are impossible with a lot of
dead timber Championships demand
high-class players in all departments Of
the game. Club owners and managers
are always On the alert for men who can
deliver the goods just a little better than
any of their rivals on the other clubs
Base ball is truly survival Of the fit
test.
When a youngster breaks into the big
league from the bushes the first thing
the opposing players on every other team
do Is to try and discover hisweakness. if he
has any. Old players realize their sue
cess depends on their ability to outguess
and outplay the newcomers The young
sters realize they must show to as good
| if not better. advantage than the vet
Grams. provided they care to remain in
| fast company
Any time minor Lacquer breaks
into the majors with a batting average
that threatens to drive all the star
twirlers out of the organization the
pitchers at once begin to devote all their
time and attention to the new arrival.
Not knowing what the youngster likes.
the star twirler may feed him a fast
one. letter high. only to see the bush
Lacquer jar the left-field fence. He will
go through his entire assortment for the
purpose of finding out just what kind
of ball the youngster has trouble hit
ting, should he happen to have a weak
ness. Possibly, after experimenting for
some time, he discovers that the am
bilious youngster has trouble hitting a
liirNA ball the outside a the knee II