Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-03
HAVE SUCCESSFUL
SCOUT IN MIKE KAHOE
Veteran Has Secured Most Promising Mate
rial for Team-Patsy Donovan Wants
His Men to Be Real "Speed Boys.''
BY J. ED GRILLO.

| Much praise has been showered on the
scouts of the various major league teams
who have been fortunate enough to pick
! up valuable players from the ranks of
the minor leagues, though In the distri-
button of these kind words Mike Kahoe,
who has probably been as successful in
the short period that he has been with
the Washington club as any scout in the
country, has been entirely overlooked by
the critics.
There is not man in the employ Of
either major league who corralled bet
ter looking pair of youngsters last year
than Cunningham and Ainsmith, two
players who are conceded to be stars
though they have shown but a few weeks
in the big show.
Kahoe found this pair. He recognized
their ability from the very first time
that he saw them. and never left the
town in which they were playing until
he had closed deal for their release to
the Washington club. The year before
Mike picked up Dixie Walker, d pitch
er who has not yet shown his real form
in this company, but of whom much is
expected. This is probably the extent
of what Kahoe has secured for the
Washington club. but his value is not to
be wholly judged by the number of play
ers he has gotten. The fact that he
has prevented the club from making nu-
merous purchases of players whom he
did not consider up to the major league
standard has also added to his worth
Scouts can earn their salary and more.
too, by preventing club from buying
players on whom they have a tip. Tips
come into a ball club office by the thou
sands during year, and the recon-
mendations are always seductive, and
unless club has a scout in whom 1t has
confidence 1t can be badly stung during
reason. Kahoe has prevented much OF
this sort OF thing and deserves to De
classed with the most successful scouts
i'm the league. not even barring the men
Connie Mack has out to look over young
sters for him.
McAleer's scheme to have Kahoe visit
the various college games played early
In the spring should bear fruit, for in
these days many good players are drawn
from the colleges, and KahOe should be
able to get good line on them long be-
fore any of the minor leagues open. To
have him visit the training camps of the
various major league teams. In order to
look over the youngsters. SO that when q
club asks waivers on the players later In
the season McAleer may act intelligently
in giving his consent for their departure
from the league, is another innovation
which will give the local club an advan-
tage, and one which other clubs are sure
to follow after a while.
Year before last the Boston team was
we'll named Speed Boys for every man
that came to bat. barring the batteries.
could step down to first base fast enough
to make any inflelder hustle. There
seems to have been generally slowing
up last year, which Manager Patsy Dono-
van intends to remedy. More speed is
wanted by Donovan, and he will train his
PLAYERS with this improvement in view.
ssIf some of the team had run a little
harder last season." says Manager Dom
ovan, "they would have derived a bene-
fit right away in their batting averages.
Take Duffy Lewis for instance. II the
Californian had been able to reach first
just one step quicker he could have
boosted his batting record thirty points
for the year.
Nobody regretted Lewis inability to