Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-16
By J. ED GRILLo.

st. Louis critics and fans are not en-
thusing over the appointment of Bobby
Wallace to manage the Browns. While
Wallace. because of his great ability
as a player, has always been a decided
favorite with the patrons of the game
in that city and elsewhere. his DISPOSE
ton is such that it is decidedly ques-
tionable il he is the right man to ham
die a ball team. True, it will make
little difference this year who has
charge of the team, for there IS hardly
a way that one can figure it to be
higher than eighth. but Wallace has
never displayed that spirit and energy
which is needed by the manager Of a
team which requires rebuilding.
Wallace is much too retiring to be a
leader. AS a player he has never been
known to assert himself in any way,
being seemingly perfectly satisfied to
do his own work and regardless OF the
outcome of the contest.
Every man on the st. Louis team is a
personal friend OF Wallace. 1t is not
likely that he will want to make a
single change for this reason. If a
trade were offered Wallace would
hardly have the nerve to go through
with it, even il 1t was to his teams adj
vantage. for he would be too anxious
to consider the players end Of it.
But Wallace was not appointed with
hope Of lettering conditions. Con-
tinuing his policy of making one dollar
do the work OF ten, Owner Hedges
probably figures that, inasmuch as he
Is compelled to pay Wallace rather
steep salary as a player. he can add a
little and also let him fill the position
ne xnvhn he n
new man to handle the team he would
draw considerable additional money.
Protests against the Athletics and
Phillies playing their usual spring
series this year are not meeting with ia
vor in Philadelphia. When the COM
mission passed the rule preventing
worlds champions from transforming
in the fall it was given credit for
having taken a step in the right di-
Athletics. but the effort to have the
spring series eliminated is not meet
ing with the approval Of all the Phil
adelphia critics.
Frank Hough of the Inquirer. after
praising the action which stops the
worlds champions from making trips
in the fall, says this of the efforts to
prevent the spring series with the
Phillies:
"But in their efforts to cure an i'm
posed to transforming trips after the
close OF the season are apt to go 10
the other extreme. as was shown last
week when some one declared that the
spring series between the Athletics and
the Phillies should be declared OF. for
the reason that il they were defeated
by the Phillies the Athletics and the
American League would have their dig
nifty lowered. That's poppycock. There
is no comparison between fall barn
storming trips and spring exhibition
games. In the fall the spectators eX-
pect to see the finished article. and
when they do not they very properly
think they are being imposed upon.
but in the spring they expect to see
fust what they do see-exhibition
games played upon the level, but in
nothing like the form the players show
later in the season. There is no at
tempt at deception. and no one is de-
ceived.
The manager who takes poor ball
team and in course Of few years builds
1t into a winner is the individual who
ought to receive the highest compensa-
ton. To be placed in charge of a team
which is we'll balanced and does not lack
playing strength does not require great
Fred Lake should have taken this view
Of the situation and he would probably
still be at the head Of the Boston team.
Lake had nothing to do with the develop
rnent Of that organization. When he
team was intact. He received a compare
lively small salary to handle it. some
thing like So 500 per season, but because
Of the success with which the team met.
because Of its playing strength Lake
made the serious mistake OF thinking him.