Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-21
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY J. ED GRuLO.

| The addition of a few ball players often
makes wonderful change in public senti-
ment toward the manager Of a team.
Until Chicago secured Harry Lord and
Andy Mcconnell Hugh Duffy was about
the most unpopular man connected with
base ball In Chicago not even barring
Charley Murphy. The feeling against
Duffy had gone so far that there were
several public demonstrations at the park
against him. This because Duffy's team
could not win. and it couldn't win beca use
1t lacked the strength.
But along came Boston with Lord and
Mcconnell, two grand ball players, and
the Sox began to show immediate i'm
provement. Then the fans began to
realize that Duffy was not such a bad
fellow after all. and by the time the sea
son ended they were satisfied that the
Sox were in good hands.
But 1t has ever been so. The manager
is blamed for his teams failure. though
he may be most competent. but lacks
the material with which to win. But the
fans will not take excuses. and when a
team is down the man at the head is
blamed
The charming personality of Willie
Hoppe. the billiard champion. is perhaps
more to be admired than his wonderful
ability as player. This twenty-three-
year-oid young man who for the past
fifteen years has been a marvel in the
public eye is modesty personifed Sue
cess has not turned his head, and he Is
undoubtedly the most popular champion
We have in any line.
There is perhaps no difference in the
competency OF the umpires in the Ma
tional and American leagues. and yet to
hear the numerous complaints which have
been registered against the officials OF
the old league by the club owners would
n hal n
had a lot Of incapable men in his employ.
| The trouble is not with the umpires.
but with the club owners. Lynch has not
been president long enough to teach the
he may never be able to do this unless
he Is elected for a longer. term than one
year. Ban Johnson's umpires have 1t
easy for the simple reason that a club
plant against their work When this
policy is adopted in the National League
the umrires of that organization will be
just as competent as those In the Amer
lean.
1t would not be at all surprising If the
deals which did not go through At the
recent gathering of the base ball moguls
in New York would be contaminated at
the schedule meeting in February. In
the meantime the managers or the teams
will be in a position to get line on each
other so far as material which has been
offered for trade Is concerned. There Is
no doubt that several players who have
been offered will be investigated. In this
base ball business they do not trust each
other very far. The moment a club gives
indications of wanting to get rid OF a
player suspicion is created that there. is
something wrong with him. In midsea-
son, Of course, it is different, for the
players can be seen in action. but at
this time of the year. with the players
isolated in winter quarters, the average
manager does not want to take a chance
There is no doubt that McAleer would
have been the recipient OF all sorts OF
offers for Street IL there had not been an
impression out that the star catcher was
physically incapacitated The fact that
he has gone to Hot Springs suffering with
rheumatism of the hips caused the other
clubs to hesitate about making any prop
ositions for him.
BY sending the men who have advanced
in years or are apt to take on weight
three weeks to prepare themselves for
the training season Jim McAleer Is do
ing a wise thing. Doc, Reisling. for in
stance. was OF great aid to the Nationals
last season simply because he was all
lowed to go to the springs for several
weeks before he reported to Norfolk.
Reisling, while he did not win a majority
Of his games. was one OF the best pitch
ers on the staff. Doc pitched consistent
ball. and it can all be attributed to the
excellent condition he was in.
a trip to the springs for Doc Gessler
may work wonders. for that resort has
been known to rejuvenate players who
were farther gone than the once hard
hitting Gessler.
1t is not often that a manager loses
his job and then after several years re-
covers it, but that is Fred Tenney's ex-
perience. Tenney managed the Boston
Nationals several years ago. and his re-
gime was not a success. but the new
owners of the club seem to. think that he
is the proper man to put at the head OF
ter chance now to make good than he had
several years ago. for the team, IL any
thing. is weaker now than 1t was then.
so that if Tenney has any managerial
ability he will have but little chance to
show it with the material he has on
hand.