Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
successful major leagues in the history Of


base ball.
McAleer did not leave st. Louis because
he was driven out by the owner of the
club to which he was attached. Quite the
contrary. the owner would have eferred
that he remain, but McAleer bel eyed that
he had stood the target of criticism about
as long as was essential in one city, and
as he always has been a young man of
very independent frame of mind decided
that he would pass out.
While meditating upon the advisability
of dropping out of base ball altos ether,
for he has passed the stage where base
bali is wholly essential as a means of
livelihood, he was rendered the manage.
ment of the Washington club. and ac-
repted it, and / know that he is glad that
he did accept ii. because there has been
a fascination 10 him about the life of
Washington which has existed from the
days twenty years ago when he was IS
itor at the National Capital as the great
coming youngster of the age
That's what Tom LOTUS, his CIeve-
land manager. called him in jest and lived
to see it become sober earnest under his
own jurisdiction.
At one time, when he was Younger Nc
Alecr was something of a fatalist. He
believed that if a thing were to be. it
would be, and steps to avert 1T were ef-
forts thrown away. In his later years ne
has modified that view in some respe Is.
While there may cling to him something
o. the old Scotch doctrine Of foreordina-
ton, he has Sof.ened his earlier PM
losophy by accepting the theory that
human being by his own acts may to
some extent qualify that which had been
originally outlined for him.
1t may interest some base ball fans
to know that conto n1porary to McAieer,
when he became member of the Ma
tional League. were Ryan of Chicago. 20
garty of Philadelphia. the only player
who surpassed him in fielding average:
though not in ability: Hanlon. then OF
Pittsburg: 'Dicky' tombstone of Boston
and Geo ge Gore of New York. Not one
of them is left actively in q major league
except the Washington manager
}: = < J: !.
Cleveland was the first club to induce
McAleer to try his hand as manager,
and in Cleveland lie made his great repu-
tation as ball player. In Cleveland he
was SUI cessfuI not in winning a cham
| p onship. but in putting the Cleveland
| club on its feet in the American League
| and in having the way for the great sue
| cess which the team has had in it's last
I'VE years-suca success that the Cleve-
/ land management feels warranted TO ex-
| pend a large sum of money TO provide
/ Cleveland with permanent base BAN
/ park.
He did not win a championship for st.
| Louis but he took hold of the ST. Louis
| club and brought il out Of the doldrums
4 and leaves il a financial success In that
I its management has improved the prop
| the show places of the American League.
! ASa%li:net3n fans will find in James
| r. Mctiepr ono OF II" fairfst, most SIN
| cere, >ar,oSt workers who ever have
hccn At The head Of cli!h IL that city
/ l am sure Of i, fac ne has not changed
! Gle. iot: since lie played ball out III
\ Cleveland twenty years ago.
I Their Few manage will not handle his
!! pIavers as Cantiilon did. His methods
4 arr wholly different. Can;illon was in
1 cined to hc impatient and 10 argue thc
| p,in1 w.,h 4 PLAYER Wren the latter was
/ least il the mood Tor argument.
| < < !:
I McAice~ debates his points with failing
ball players when their mistakes rave
| had time t. cool. Then he reasons with
! them He Is Il good coach Of ouitielferS
! Why shouldn't he be" He is ono Of the
few men who are now able TO tell quick
/ " whether an outtielder is Of natural
| promise.
/ No man ever PLAYED pail in the outficld
who could run 50 accurately to the place
4 where a fly ball would be likely TO fall
| as McAleer His divination was so Won
! derful that some thought il akin TO sec
!, ond sight.
| One afternoon cleveland was playing
against New York on tie Polo Grounds.
/ Davis, J think. was ha1tinS against cleve-
land Al that time Davis was WITH New
| York McAlecr was III center neid Tor
| Cleveland. The bat crashed against the
| ball. and. without second LOOK, McAleer
| started for the extreme corner OF right
| field away over toward the ropes Wnlch
| surrounded the grounds.
i Look at him: What's he dong!
/ shouted Nick Engle, in Amusement is
/, he TRYING to run off the feld?'
| The spectators had missed the ball.
! They were too intent watching Davis
| tryinc to circle the bases. McAleer ran
| to the. ropes.
! Within TWO feet of them he suddenly
turned around and threw up his hands.
The ball settled in his gloves. Davis was
away out by second base. He was run
ming full speed. He stopped when he
heard the groans of the crowd. He look
ed back and saw McAleer returning the
ball toward the infield Then he walked
to the bench with detected air AS the
Cleveland players came In for their turn
| at bat Davis smiled in spite of the fact
that a home run had been taken away
from him. He called out to McAleer:
| There's only one boy in the country
| who could do that to me.
Sorry. old pal. but 1 had to-" replied
McAleer simply. He and Davis were
once partners in the outfield for C1eve-
land.
= x i
McAIeer doesn't do d great deal of
iincssing on the bench. When pitcher
is going right he lets him alone. Some
managers seem 10 think that they must
give orders. whether the pitcher is win
ming or losing. Not so McAleer.
lie is q manager who makes changes
if.UirklS Sometimes he makes them IN