Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-29
HARD TO MAKE GOOD
Y0ungster Must Have Moral
Courage in Base Ball.

Don't ever think for single minute
that it is easy to break into big league
base ball. No professional asprant start
ing out on successful career has .
harder row to hoe than the young base
ball player who is ambitious TO break
into fast company. Thu young player
has more to contend with than merely
practicing base ball and getting his body
into good physical condition.
He must first Of all he wise" to the
ways Of the big league stars. He must
know how to conduct himself so as not
to draw their disfavor at the critical
stage. He must realize and study his
problem in geometry.
If the young base ball player is I'M
fortunate enough to get himself dis
liked by the players his chances Of
making coed are very slim. The players
will refuse to work behind him: his own
little misplays will be emphasized and
magnified until ofttimes the coach 10
caught off his guard and misjudges him.
1t is easy enough for the older men to
make the life OF the recruit almost I'M
bearable In the clubhouse and around
the hotel The result is that the young.
ster starts to worry, then he becomes
'grouchy," his work drags; he becomes
careless, and the next thing he knows
he has been released. And why? OBJ
viously because he failed to make good
that season or probably because the club
could not find room for him under pres
ent conditions. The real truth, however,
is that the youngster got In wrong
with the big players at the start. al
though he may have been unconscious TO
the very last that he was simply worked
out of the club.
The young player has a hard time Of it
at every angle of the game. His minor
league reputation wins him 'try-out
with the big league team and that is all.
He has nothing back Of him i'm reality
except what he can show the coach. IL
the coach manager is impressed with
his style, then he IL given an opportunity
to make good on the field. On the other
hand, IL the manager doesn't take TO the
young players field work, then IL is all
off. The youngster can do his best. but
he won't land berth because his indi-
vidual style is not the kind that appeals
to the man in charge.
Long Time Breaking In.
Often youngsters are two. three and
even four seasons breaking into a big
league club. Every spring the club takes
the likely young material south for .
trial and those who make good are car
ried as regulars by the club. When .
player shows ability, but appears to need
more seasoning. or when there is a berth
vacant for good youngster. he is EARNED
out by the big league club, subject to call
He is likely to be called upon to join
the big league team any time.
Del Drake, for instance, has been car
ried south by the Detroit club for four
seasons. Drake displayed ability that
Manager Jennings thought warranted de-
velopment. Accordingly, Drake worked
In the minors. improving his playing
every year. until Jennings might want ~
use him. Now It looks as IL hughie will
find a place for the hard-hitting out
fielder this year
With a colt pitcher 1t is even harder
to make the grade than with the man
in the field. Pitchefs-good pitchers
are scarce. The big league scouts are
always on the lookout for good pitch
ing material Whenever youngster
shows good in the minors he is COB
bled up by one of the big clubs and
given careful 'tryout." Very often
the colt pitchers make a fine showing
In the south, but later in the season
they find that they have overworked
themselves and they travel back to the
minors again. The veteran pitcher, after
a successful season. can take Z. easy
generally secure. He warns up slowly
and carefully. He watches the colts
throw their arms away i'm the race to
make good on the spring trip. When the
regular season opens the colt pitcher, as
a general rule. is pretty much all in.
Then the veteran, in smiling confidence,
goes in and reaps the honors that count.
1t is the old story. He had to do the
same thing when he broke in and he can
not feel any sympathy for the colt who q
likely to lift him of q soft job.
new player who has the making
of q good team man in him is always
looked upon with more or less jealousy
because it simply means that there is one
Mi rocking the salary shin -
slow ones will have to drop OF in time.
that's a certainty. but no ball player
welcomes the day he is dropped out OF
the big league-perhaps forever That is
the reason why so few players but: their
way into fast company. 1t requires more
than mere base ball ablity-it requires
good moral courage and an unwavcring
confidence in ones self.