Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-25
By j. ED GRILLO.

Confidence more than anything else is
responsible for the success of the aver
age pitcher. These are the views of Jim
McAleer, who realizes that there are
members of his pitching staff who lack
faith in themselves and he is devising
means by which to instill self-assurance
into these twirlers.
The fact that there are pitchers who
can display as fine an assortment of de-
ceiyers as ever came from a strong arm,
in practice and then allow themselves to
be pounded out Of every game they get
into, is attributed solely to the absence
of self-reiance.
A man may have grit and nerve and
yet lack confidence. A series of discour-
aging events may cross a youngsters
patch and virtually ruin his future, where
II he had been blessed with good breaks
at the outset he would have gone along
swimmingly.
1--WE must do nothing to discourage our
young pitchers, says McAIeer True.
the work of some of them has not been
up to the standard, but / am convinced
that they possess enough natural ability.
and all they need is to get confidence in
themselves. Under such conditions q
manager can't take a stick and drive.
Our prospects depend almost entirely on
our pitchers If we find one or more OF
them going poorly we can't reach out
and get others. SO we must do the best
we can with what we have on hand
Pitchers are sometimes made overnight.
and, as / said before, l know that we have
men who can deliver the goods and will
il can impress them with their own
ability.
Despite the fact that some of the pitch
ers have shown poorly they will be work
ed in their turn until l am absolutely
convinced that they not up to the
ior lea CT r6 a n 20
the best showing possible this year. and
we may have to sacrifice a few games in
order to get the teams pitchers on
sound basis.
This has been a disastrous spring for
McAleer. Ever since he went into train
ing he has had few we'll days, and on top
Of 1t all comes a suspension. which is al
ready for a longer period than any ever
inflicted on the local manager during his
ten years service in the American
League.
It begins to look as If Ban Johnson in
ten days.
Manager Jim will be out of bed today.
and he will be ready to take hold of the
team by the time the ban is lifted.
Perhaps the best illustration that the
expenditure of large punches Of money
for playing material does not assure
winning team is shown in the case of the
W
Owner Comiskey has dug deep into his
jeans and purchased players right and
left 1t has been estimated that he spent
anywhere from $4,000 to twice that
amount in an effort to have a winner, and
vet. according to the showing the SoX
have made to date and the impression the
team has made with those who ought to
know. nothing has been accomplished by
this lavish outlay
There IS luck in base ball beyond the
capers it cuts in the actual playing of the
game. Ball players seem to grow scarcer
every year. and. strange to say. it is often
the player who cost least who is the most
valuable.
There are several instances to the poiI4t.
one of which involves Jack Hardy. one
OF the catchers of the Nationals.
1t is. of course, conceded that Johnny
Evers of the Cubs is one of the greatest
players the game has ever developed and
vet il is true that Evers was thrown in
for good measure when Chicago bought
Hardy from Il New York State League
club. The price for Hardy would have been
just the same whether Evers was taken
or not. lie went with the deal. What
happened"
Hardy was not with the Cubs long
enough TO make a reputation. while
Evers is today one of the shining lights of
the game.
Take the case of Larry Lajoie. Phila-
delphia did not want him. but sent a
scout to put the net over little Phil Geier,
a Washington boy. by the way. La joie was
thrown In just because the club felt
tickled over the sale of Geier. y COM
parison of the ability of the two players
ie of course, obvious.
No doubt many a scout and base ball
man has watched Browning work and
passed him up because he looked too
small and yet this 12J-pound bit of hui
Inanity is pitching good ball for Jen-
nings any pitcher he can boast OF
Browning was not expensive. but it was
that luck which sometimes follows
man for years ip base ball which drop
ped him into Jennings camp.
There is one thing about Dixie which
gives him an advantage over the aver