Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-17
LACK OF CONFIDENCE HOLDS
BACK MANY YOUNGSTERS
Majority Will Show Unusual Ability in
Spring Practice and Then Fade
Away When Real Battle Starts.

class In every movement fail to stick in
the majors. Every fan can recall some
pitcher who in warming up looked like a
million-dollar beauty, terrific speed, fast
breaking curve and a good change of
pace. Seeing the chap in action for the
first time you would Immediately conclude
| that he is wonderful pitcher. It is a
different thing. however. when you step
on the rubber in real game from warm
ing up In front OF an admiring grand
stand or pitching to the players in bat
| ting practice.
The real test calls for display Of some
thing that is not needed In practice-con-
| fidence. 1t is the player with the heart
of oak the player who is confident he can
do things, that is worth while in base ball.
While they often fail. the real stars of
| the game, the men like Cobb. Wagner,
Latoie.; Mathewson and the many other
celebrities, do their best when the strain
Is greatest. That is the reason they are
classed as stars. they do things out of
the ordinary. Pitchers fear Cobb or La
| joie great deal more when men are on
the bases than when the sacks are emp
ty. They know both are men stout of
heart, men who do their best in the pinch.
Batters will tell you that they find Chris
ty 'Afatflewson almost unhittable when a
single is needed to send a couple of runs
across the plate With the bases empty
they will tell you there is nothing hard
to solve about Matty. The reason-Math-
ewson is a great pitcher. who does his
ways has something In reserve to dish up
to- the batter.
One often hears the remark that the
player must just naturally have con-
fidence in himself, that confidence cannot
be inspired. I never could agree with
any such belief. On the contrary. be-
1ieve that confidence can be inspired and
inst1ned, through proper handling. In
this one feature a manager can display
his greatness. The wise leaders of the
CT ordl In hot
cOrding to their temperament. Rough
treatment gets the best results out Of
Certain players, a similar policy ruins
others
7 have always regarded Rube Oldring
of the Athletics as a wonderful player.
one OF the greatest in the business Yet
1t took the RUDE several years to find
himself, and Connie Mack had to show
him the way. Oldring from his very de-
but in the American League was a star.
Oldrings greatest fault was his lack Of
confidence; he didn't think he was one
third as good a player as he really was.
Oldring took things to heart too easily.
and allowed criticism to affect him en-
tirely too much. Not until Connie Mack
by his original system had impressed on
Oldring his greatness did that wonderful
player perform the many phenomenal
stunts that he was really capable of.
Today Oldring is recognized as one Of
the greatest players In the game, simply
because he found himself. He has con-
fidence galore, Is aggressive, but always
in a gentlemanly way, and Is constantly
doing the unexpected.
In many cases the confidence of young
pitchers is ruined through the policy OF
taking them off the mound just as soon
as trouble looms up. know former
college star. now retired from base bali,
who always insisted that his failure to
star in the majors was due to the too
quick system of derricking. Unfortu-
nately for the player in question, he
joined a club that had chance for the
pennant. Because of his great prowess
as collegian he was started In several
games. only to be taken out as soon as
he gave couple Of bases on balls or al
lowed a few hits. Naturally, every time
he went to the rubber afterward he was
looking at the bench more than the plate,
expecting to see the signal of distress
handed him at any minute.
A few years ago Willie Mitchell Of the
Cleveland club won ten straight games
at the close OF the season. when all the
clubs were at their best. It was predict
ed that Mitchell would be star the fol-
lowing year. Great things were expected
of him. Perhaps Mitchell allowed this
fact to worry him. He got away to a bad
start. was yanked from the box any
time he showed signs Of faltering, and as
a result lost his confidence. Willie Mitch
ell has far more stun than MANY south
paws regarded as stars of the game.
All he needs is the old-time confidence.
1t is sure to return with the clever Har-
ry Davis in charge. There is no gamer
player in the business than Harry Davis.
l know from experience He showed
his confidence by his work in the worlds
series after being out Of the game for
months. Willie Mitchell Is sure TO I'm
prove under his direction.