Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-12
SCOUTS NECESSARY TO GAME
Experts to Chose Recruits Requisite
in Big Clubs
STARS ARE HARD TO FIND
Plenty Of PromisinH Material. hut
DifncuIty Comes I'm DiscoverinE
It-Irwtn Greatest Success
In The Business.

] n
young talent ~ make a tour OF the minor
leagues is surely in clover. Scouting for
new players has became absolutely neces-
sary in the opinion OF all the major league
clubs The demand for young blood material
is 30 great that the average club owner
Is willing to pay the travelling expenses
OF an experienced scout amounting to sew
eral thousands Of dollars each year But
good results cannot be obtained by this
method unless the scouts knows their bust
ness He must be able to know a promising
ball player the moment he clsps his eyes
upon him. Yet in many cases he cannot
reach definite conclusion. offhand and
Is compelled to make close study OF the
candidate before advising the club owner
to draft or buy. II is all a matter OF
judgment and the most successful scout is
the one who makes the fewest mistakes.
Plenty OF Youngsters.
THE woods are fun OF young players
who can develop into stars II they have
the right opportunity" say base ball men
who profit by experience, but it's hard
task to know where to find them" The
minor leagues OF course, provide a great
field for the scouts who have at least
four months in which to size up likely
material. Some Of the most obscure leagues
contain the most valuable youngsters, so
that II becomes necessary 20 60 over the
entire output OF talent with a fine tooth
comb
A dozen years ago major leagues never
thought Of hiring scouts They employed
agents in various parts OF the county
managers, umpires, minor league club own
ers and fans-to recommend promising ball
tossers. When A. c. Arson managed the
old Chicago club he employed more agents
than any other leader. AS a result he
had a sort OF mortgage on young players,
and one of the agents who covered the
New England territory dug up such stars
as Charley Farrell, Hugh Duffy, Flynn,
Noodle, Martin, Sullivan and Bob Petttt
Another agent in New York discovered
Tom DAILY over in Newark for Captain An
son, while many other fine players were
recommended to him by western observers
In chose days big league managers de-
pended great deal on the batting and
fielding averages published at the end Of
each season for their new recruits, but in
many cases they learned that the averages
had been purposely padded to bring about
sales It was highly unsatisfactory way
to dig up talent and there was many a
disappointment when recruits were tried
out.
Americans Hire First scout.
The Boston Americans were among the
first to employ a scout. Huff by name. and
he produced some excellent players. Then
gradually the other clubs followed this
example and the practice has become gem
eral. The small leagues were ransacked
by experts, good, bad and Indifferent, and
players were drafted or purchased by the
wholesale. So many OF these youngsters
filled the bill that it became necessary to
hire scouts at liberal salaries as the COM
petition increased, and today some of these
diggers for talent receive big money.
Base ball men say that Arthur A. Irwin
employed by the Highlanders is one Of the
best scouts in the big leagues. Twins
methods may be cited TO illustrate this new
branch OF the base ball business. In the
first place Irwin has been identified with
the national game for more than thirty
years. He was a famous player himself
when he covered short field for Worcester
Providence, Boston and Philadelphia, and
later became leading manager. Irwin
knows base ball from every angle and Is
wonderfully enthusiastic He talks base
ball in the daytime and dreams of It at
/ night. He never loses sight Of the fact
that ball players are born every minute
and that old players cannot last forever
That is why he has keen eye for young
blood.
When the season starts in the minor
leagues Irwin begins his travels. He goes
about his task systematically. visiting one
city after another in search OF desirable
timber. When he locates promising young
, player he makes a note OF him. so that
! ne can make another inspection later in
, the season. In his travels and talks with
managers, umpires and other ball men he
receives many valuable tips as TO the
whereabouts Of desirable youths and In that
way ne saves much time
a Handling the Prospects.
$ It is necessary, however. to travel IN
3 known. In the first place 1t is deemed
. advisable 10 keep employers of young play
4 ers totally in the dark until the time arrives
to talk business. Then again It is thought
unwise to let players know that they are
, under the searohlight. for II is better to
see them working naturally in their respec-
tive positions than TO pass judgment when
they are overtaNng themselves. Irwin,
during the course OF a playing season,
/ spends many afternoons among the fans
IN the grandstand watching this OF that
player carefully and with patience. II he
, finally decides that man Is worth some
: thing he begins an Investigation OF his
habits and his past record IN the game.
, In some cases I'm order 10 get better line
I. on a players ability he makes himself
known and then offers a few suggestions
calculated TO improve the youngsters form.
II the candidate shows intelligence and
speed as well as skill at the bat and in
J the field, Irwin loses no time in wiring TO
, the Highlanders' owner that a deal must
. be made at once.
: Speed always cuts big figure with this
scout II a player can run the bases
swiftly and has plenty OF ginger he gem
orally makes an instantaneous impression,
Tor Irwin says a player who appreciates
the value OF runs is the right kind 10 take
: hold OF This was the reason why he cor
: rallied Bert Daniels for the Hllmen. The
! first time Irwin saw Daniels he was thun-
derstruck. He had never seen q youngster
who could seoot around the base paths
with greater speed and he tabled him
forthwith. The same reason prompted IT.
win to secure Elliott. the new third base
man, who is said 20 be a whirlwind. But
before he advised the purchase OF either
OF those men he first convinced himself
that their habits were exemplary.
Dwyer Detroit scout.
The Detroits employ more than one scout