Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-16
GR0UCHY VETS HAMPER
WORK OF MANAGERS
Spring Training Camps Hives
for Dr0neS-Base Ball Men
Need Much More Drill.
By James Crusinberry.

ST. LOUIS Mo- January 15.-Some day
a man will break into base ball who will
revolutionize the game. He will tear
down the hive of luxury and ease in
which. at the present time, the major
!eaguers Toll i'm careless abandon drive
out all the drones and bring about a
new era in the great American sport that
will perfect a system of play deemed i'm
possible in the past. He will be despised
and hated He may even be banished
from the game before his mission is
complete. but he will have begun ref
ormatioh that all will follow.
The idea was conceived upon watching
a theatrical company rehearsing for
new production at one time. The man
who was drilling that company knew he
must have every movement of his play
eTs perfected or it would never take
with the American public. TIE hours and
hours OF drudgery put in by those actors
would have driven many a ball player
TO distraction. One man. ii leading man,
too. was compelled 10 make an entrance
IN one part of the play at least fifty
times in one rehearsal. before he did it
In d manner that suited the eXacting pro-
Queer.
Is there a ball player in the major
league today VINO would slide to second
FIFTY times I'm one mornings practice.
Just to get the form of that action ex-
actly his manager wanted it?
Base ball has grown into such promi-
nencc with the American public that it
cannot much longer carry the fans along
on tradition 1t must be inventive 1t
must progress. Old fans will tell you to-
day that tine present-day players do
nothing on the ball field that wasn't
done in the days when Charley Comiskey
led the old st. Louis Browns to four sue
cessive pennants.
IL nothing new can b. invented man
ayers can at least teach players to do
the present things with greater accuracy
and dispatch. 4 few players are mas
tiers, but In every instance il seems due
10 fhe players own efforts or to their
natural ability. Ty Cobb is the greatest
base runner and one OF the grandest
est man i'll the game and because he's
ambitious He worked while others
slUmped
Managers tell of one player being val
uable because he's good base runner
another because he can hit, another be-
cause he can handle ground ball so
accurately or another because he can go
psck on fly ball There's no reason
leagues shouldn't improve in ali these
matters.
For the past .our years have been in
the southern training camp with ma jor
league haliplayeTs during the spring prac-
never yet seen manager in Il training
amp drill his players in running and
sliding To bases. yet that Is conceded TO
he one of the principal features OF the
game | have visited the camps of Frank
Chance Fielder Jones. Jimmy McAleer,
John McCloskey and Roger Bresnahan
Outside OF the bit OF sliding one might
DO in a practice game. there no
effort made tn teach. even the beginners.
this important feature.
1t is said that Muggsy Metiraw is An
exception. that lie piles wagonloads Of
sand around the second bag. and makes
his men practice running and sliding.
McGraw has the best base-running team
III the business, too.
The average major league training camp
- lazy place. The veterans seem TO
lie down there mostly to bake out In the
OF course. there are exceptions. for
j have seen John Powell. incased in three
sweaters. running around the ball park
for an hour at a time
But a rule. the big Lacquer appears
the practice ground. throws a ball
for FIVE minutes. then grabs a bat and
spends the balance of the session In TAX
ing a turn at hitting. while some pitcher