Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-06
IMPORTANT DAYS FOR
BASE BALL MANAGERS
Many PerpIexing Questions to
Be Settled on Spring
Training Trips.
BY Billy Evans.

The trials and trihulations of the big
league manae : now on in earnest,
he woes of the NOR league leaders will
commence shortly.
Of course. the average manager bumps
into more trouble during the playing
season than is usually allotted mere men,
but 1t is questionable &c any season of
the year brings forth more perplexing
questions than the spring training trip.
During the summer the base ball scouts
are kept busy digging up possible re-
'ruits for the majors and minors. In
The spring it becomes the duty OF the
manager to pass judgment on the much
heralded phenoms discovered by the
base ball sleuths
It's no easy job passing judgment on
these new recruits. Most any manager
in any league will tell you that as a rule
he finds it much easier job directing
The summers campaign in a hard-fought
race than that of tagging the o. k. or
n s. sign on the new players.
Managers are often severely criticised
Tor their expression of judgment on GER
tain players. when under the existing
conditions no other verdict could have
been reached. Surroundings and. environ
ment often play a prominent part in the
success or failure Of some ambitious
youngster- A certain player In his try
put with certain team might look like
foundry. while I'm some other team he
might instantly show to advantage.
x
Every player has a different disposition
some do their best under fire. but a ma
jority are able TO perform up to their
ability when conditions are favorable. If
recruit goes south with a club that
has four inflelders regarded as the best
In their class. and a couple of utility
players of great ability. naturally the
prospects of winning a regular berth are
none too alluring. Realizing these things
his ambition to shine is often dimmed
right on the reel. his heart is not in his
work. consequently he invariably fails TO
show his real ability. On the other hand.
let recruit go south with team that
has few real stars. and many places to
be filled by youngsters, naturally the
new player realizes that a great oppor-
tunity is open to him. Knowing the pos
sibilities. he puts forth every effort to
show his true worth. Under such con-
ditions the manager is usually able to
get much better line on his new men.
It's very often the case that the men
VINO show the best right off the reel fail
10 shine as brightly recruits who on
their first appearance in select company
look like promising farm hands. Often
4 manager finds himself swearing BY
some recruit because OF his great work
the spring training trip. only TO find
later In the sea son that his preliminary
work was merely flash in the pan.
On the other hand, another PLAYER is
early turned loose to the minors. In the
course OF three four years this same
PLAYER may he back in tho big league a
star. while the other chap who looked So
good AT the start may be working hard
for a living.
Take Jimmy Archer. for instance. who
caught a
the Chicago Cubs. Pittsburg once had
the same Jimmy Archer and turned him
loose. Back TO the minors he went and
served couple of years time, to again
find himself D. big Lacquer, a member of
the Detroit club. He was carried a sea-
son by Detroit and turned back again.
Another year in the minors and he dis
covers he IS back again In the National
League. this time a member OF the ia
nous Chicago team. three-time pennant
winners.
Little attention was paid to Archer un-
I'll II was certain that Johnny King in
tended remaining out of base ball for at
least a year. Kings refusal TO Join the
Cubs created a big stir in base ball. as
IL was feared that his retirement would
cause the Chicago club to go to pieces.
Naturally, the fans were interested in
who would take Kings place and do the
bulk of the catching for Chicago 1t
early developed that the burden would
fall on the shoulders of Jimmy Archer, q
former Pfttsburg-Detroit cast-off The
announcement didn't cause the Cubs en-
titusiasts to go wild with Joy.
Despite the fact that such wonderful
base ball strategiSts as Clarke and Jen-
nings had turned Archer loose this play
or was one OF the big sensations of the
National League last year The taking
of the place made vacant by the retire
fnent of the great King was a trying
one, but Archer filed the bill admirably,
and the failure of Chicago 10 win the
pennant for the fourth time could not
he charged 10 him.
Late last fall an outflelder broke into
the National League by the name OF
Wheat. and during his short stay, until
fhe close OF the season. he simply burnt
ND the older organization. In twenty
six games Wheat hit for .3O4 average,
giving him fifth place In the National
League hating averages. Wheat was
secured from the Mobile club, and al
though he never enjoyed much OF a repu-
tation In the south as slugger, ten OF
the thirty-onc hits he made as a big
aguer were for extra bases. seven OF
them being two-baggers and three o.
them triples. Critics everywhere on the
National League circuit heralded MIR.
Zach Wheat as a second Tyrps Cobb
Now for the funny part of the story.
The Cleveland club trained at Mobile
last year and Wheat was a member 81
the tee m At the time. lie took part IN
al thu games Mobile played against the