New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
BASEBALL A SPECULATION
impossible to Tell How Players
Will Turn Out.
BENDER ONCE ON MARKET
Frank Navin Refused to Trade
Mcintyre or Jones for the
Indian Pitcher.

OF all forms of speculation. dealing In
baseball players Is the most precarious.
There seems TO be no way of accurately
Judging a player and selecting the Tive
ones" from the dead ones" Chance, not
Frank Chance. Of the Cubs, has played an
important part IN the development OF n
great many Of the brilliant men of the dia-
nond. and many a manager who carefully
guards his stars is given credit for shrewd-
ness and perspicacity by retaining the SER
vices Of these players, only because he could
not got rid Of them when they had bad
years.
Connie Mack. Of the Philadelphia Ath-
letics is one upon whom fortune has smiled.
Two of his best pitchers, who went long
way toward winning the worlds champion
ship for him last year, were once on the
market but could rot be traded OF sold.
They were no other than Chief Bender
and Jack Coombs.
Detroit might have had Bender once but
doctor said he had Bright's disease and
could not live Frank Navin. president of
the Tigers. knew this, and passed up the
Indian when the opportunity was offered to
sign him. Bender last fall pitched one Of
the best games of the worlds series, is a
Zero in philadelphia, and Detroit could
not get him now at any price.
few years ago Bender pitched great
ball for Mack He was suddenly taken i'll
and hung around Detroit for several weeks.
One wise specialist declared that he had
Brisht's disease and would never be worth
ANYTHING again. About the time that the
physician rendered this decision the Ath-
letics came TO Detroit and Connie Mack
sought out Frank Navin.
SAY. Frank" began Mack, Il need an
outfelder. You have both Davy Jones and
Mcintyre. Now I might be able to do a
little business with you"
| mot much you WILL" replied Navin.
"Anybody that isn't good enough for you
| isn't going TO benefit the Tigers"
II is one of Navins pet theories that any
time Connie Mack lets go It is wise TO step
aside before the lemon crop is fully ripened.
Therefore he was bit chary at this par
ticular meeting
Tell you what III! do said Mack I'll
trade Bender for Mcintyre or Jones"
you will not" replied Navin, who had
heard the verdict of the eminent specialist.
Thereupon all negotiations were called
| off Bender remained with the Athletics.
while Mcintyre stuck 10 the Tigers until
solo last week to the Chicago White Sox.
Bender is one of the pitching stars of the
! American League Connie Mack, in recent
wears has received much credit In certain
| quarters for his farsightedness in picking
the Indian to come back" AS matter Of
| feet. he attempted to shake Bender, but
no one would have him.
| Bender, before his ilneess, used to pitch
sterling ball until about the middle OF Au-
| gust each year. Then he flattened out and
| showed little or nothing. Since he was I'll
and recovered he seems TO possess even
greater strength, and last fail ended the
season better than he began IT,
! Jack Coombs was another case OF this
kind. He did little work one season be-
cause his arm was in poor condition. Mack
al that time was willing TO listen to trades.
but who wanted pitcher with broken
arm? Yet Coombs came back" and is
to-day rated as an iron man"
These cases are only two Of dozens in
baseball. Somehow or other the profess
sional athlete is swayed by some circum-
stance or other. and the man picked up as
O dub" often develops into brilliant
player for no apparent reason at all.