El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-10-24

" ELIEVING that a baseball club
could be managed more advan-
- tageously from the bench than
from the field gave the matter
a long and serious consideration be
fore giving up my playing position in
left field After looking at the situa-
stion from every possible angle I be
came more than ever determined that
the opportunities for bringing out
the best results were far greater for
the bench manager than for the field
manager When you come to SIT II
right down to common sense, the rea-
sons are easily COmprehended-
Take the player who is engaged In
the game. He has about all he can
I do to think from the players stand
point, and there is great deal OF
quick thinking to be done by every
man on the diamond during every
minute the game is in progress His
eyes must be constantly open and his
mind must be ready to grasp instant
" any situation that may suddenly
develop 1t is necessary for him TO
be prepared to do his particular part
from the instant the ball leaves the
hand of the pitcher.
Thinking is one of the most impOr-
tant factors IN oaseDalL ana no m9I-
ter how perfectly man can handle
the ball. he viii never make sue
cess in the game unless ne is good
thinker.
Bench Leader Is Free.
Now, when a man who is engaged
in the game must think for himself
and in addition to that must do the
planning for all the rest of the play
ers. he is burdened with a handicap
that Is certain to prevent him at many
times from obtaining the best results
The fellow who directs operations
al
stacle. He is able to concentrate his
mind on one thing. He has a Tar bet
ter opportunity TO detect the weak
nesses of the other team and at the
same time TO discern the strongest
points of his own players When he
is not engaged in the game he IS also
enabled to figure out the various plays
to greater advantage.
Two ball teams in game are like
two armies on the field OF battle. Each
side has adopted certain line of de-
fence. 1t is necessary to form an at
tack that win break that defence,
and at the same time YOU must De
prepared to put up a defence that VIII
prevent the opposing club from break
ing your own method of attack. Each
manager like he commanding officer
in a battle, uses a different system to
provide the ways and means of get
ting results.
No two ball players are alike. Some
are Obedient and will execute every
order exactly as 1t IS given to them
Others require certain amount of
cOaXing Not a few of them must be
fairly pushed along, and now and then
one must actually be driven. Each
man has a different temperament and
the manager cannot hope to meet with
ultimate success unless he is able
fully to understand all these matters. /
He must know exactly how to handle
every player under his direction.
These are the most important things
that are to be worked out by the man
who is placed at the head of a base
ball team. and when a manager is
required to keep all these details in
his mind and at the same time to play
the game, he certainly is lessening the
chances of his club.
It stands to reason that the person
who must think of two things at one
time is bound to be at a disadvantage
with the man who is free to place all
his thoughts upon the one subject.
That is the whole matter in a nut
shell. and that is why I am thor
oughIy convinced that a bench mana