Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-11
SCOUTS MUST HAVE KEEN EYE
Some Lack Perception in Estimating
Young Material.
ST0vK'S CASE IS IN MIND
He Was Picked from a Losing Nine,
but Scout Noticed that He Al
ways Knew What to Do
with the Ball.

NEW YORK, Feb. l0-Sometimes it is
small matter which induces the scout
for a major league team to recommend
base ball player to a major league
manager True the personality Of the
scout is likely to have something to do
with il
There are scouts who have heea on
the traf for the last two or three years
who lack keen perception in estimating
the possibilities Of young players. The
man who is doing his best in the minor
convince the scout that he is worth
having.
Probably that scout isn't worth so
much as a scout as his employer thinks
he is. II doesn't take sudden BRAIN
storms nor a very discerning intelligence
to tell first-class ball playing from sec
ond- class ball playing, even If it happens
to be going on In a minot league circuit
so the scout who can see deeper than
the surface is likely in the long run to
be of more assistance to his major league
club than the scout who can only pick
out the PLAYER who is sure to finish on
| top in the minor league averages.
| There is young player who is to go
to Marlin with the Giants this year who
was recommended not so much on his
ability as a member Of the Fon du Lac
base ball club, which finished at the
bottom Of the race Of the Wisconsin
Illinois leagne in 1911, as for the reason
that the man who took look at him
one afternoon happened to observe that
Stock. the player in question, knew what
to do with the ball when he had ii.
All Players Are Not Sure.
There are some major league players
who TO this day are not wholly sure on
that score. They need a warning voice
to. tell them what to do when there Is
quick move to be made. Frequently
there is a pinch in a game when the
observant ball player catches some un-
wary chap off third base instead Of
throwing the ball over to first. where
everybody expected that 1t would be
thrown. That one play might win a
championship.
This scout, who had his eyes on Stock
last season, discovered that one thing in
which he excelled was handing the ball
TO the right man, and as he is young and
was doing fairly well. In fact quite well
with tailend club. he told the New York
people that II would not be a bad idea to
20 after him on general principles.
Stock played in 1ls games with the
Fond du lac club. He was at bat 43l
times, made fifty-seven runs, III hits,
stole twenty-eight bases and found him
self the proud possessor Of fourteen sac
rifices and a batting average Of .26S.
That's not so bad for boy who is not
out Of school In the field he had 2il
putouts at shortstop. SIS assists and sixty
two errors. His fielding average was .ss7,
which could be better without demanding
too much OF the doctor.
He may get an opportunity to play with
the Giants this year. Players never know
what is going to happen when they join
the Giants for the spring training trip,
but possibly he will have an opportunity
to play with a better team than that with
which he was connected In 1911, and II
he shows any class as a ball player he
is directly on the road to promotion in
the Uew York club. for sooner or later
McGraw will add him to the roster II
the championship material is there.