The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-16
Boothby Sold to Camels---Indians Win, 10 to |
When | Sat on the
Bleachers B. JOHN J. Evras

what play Is going to be made, but
II 1t does not turn out that way what
difference does 1t make to the fan ?
On the other hand, If a player makes
mistake in his play it is at once
apparent to the player as well as to
every spectator, but the latter with
out considering what might have hap
Pened to him Or anyone else had he
been in the players place, starts con-
demning the player, and | have seen
many games where player would
make one mistake and because 1t
proved fatal chorus OF Take him
OUT would Immediately burst forth.
Thus. from my experiences, both as
a player and a spectator, l can now
readily see why SO much criticism is
handed out by the press and the pub
lie. Playing baseball and looking at it
are two vastly different things. If the
player succeeds, all well and good. He
Is a hero. II he miscues or fails to
take advantage of the chances that
come his way, why then it is differ
ent thing and all sorts of names are
applied to him. And in a majority OF
these cases the player is not deserv-
ing OF all the things said to him and
about him, for there is nothing that
hurts player more than to make an
error, either of execution Or judgment,
at a critical time. That is one reason
why the bleacherites should not be
hasty to get after player when he
takes chances and fails. Instead of
ridiculing him, words of encourage
ment ought to be given him. When
player feels that the fans have con-
fidence in him, the confidence in him
self will be increased.
was especially interested in the
last worlds series between the Ath-
letics and the Cubs, not merely be-
cause the Cubs were playing, but be-
cause had an opportunity for the
first time in my life of seeing the
two best teams in the country battle
for honors. 1t was the first world S
series the Cubs played in that was
unable to get into the games, due to
the accident which befe1l me near
the close of the National league sea-
son. However, / watched those
games with more than ordinary inter-
est for it gave me chance of study
ing the plays of two great baseball
machines, just as had studied the
minor league players when / Sat on
the Bleachers.' In those world
series games l saw numerous plays
anG openings that, perhaps, would
not have been apparent to me had
been playing. This only went to
strengthen my belief that more can
be seen in baseball game from the
side lines than when one is actually
engaged in the game. These lessons
have learned from being a spectator
have been valuable, and hardly day
has gone by that have not used some
play Or other that had learned or
figured out from the side lines The
more I studied the game the more |
liked it, and when | had an opportun-
ity of using play | had planned |
felt as though / was well repaid.
Another incident that has been of
intense interest to me while watching
the games from the side lines has been
to see other fellows in action. l have
carefully watched Ty Cobb, Eddie Col
Inns and all the other great players OF
the present day and, in my opinion,
Cobb is so far ahead of them all that
it would be useless for me to try and
make comparisons. / know 1t will
cause some surprise, and to many 1t
may sound like friendly boost, but
candidly, in my estimation. Frank
Chance was the only real rival Cob
ever had, all things considered, for
being the greatest player of them all.