The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-01

New York, March 31.-(Special. )-Base- ball fans will get a fine opportunity this year to decide the question of what pre- liminary training is best calculated to develop a successful manager. Argument on the subject has been worn threadbare and nearly every enthusiast still pos sesses the same idea that he had at the beginning He believes that catcher has the best chance for assimilating baseball knowledge, or that a first baseman, an infielder, outheder or pitcher is best fav- ored by opportunity.
 Old ball players will tell you that it is the man rather than the training upon which the development of a manager de- bends. They will say that Connie Mack would have made a greater manager if he had played the infeld instead of catching in his younger days and that McGraw would be just as great if he had been a backstop instead of an infielder, and so on through the whole list of successful leaders. But nevertheless the fans have their opinions, and they like to take a fling at argument every once in a while They most assuredly will have a chance this year.
 The 1912 fans will watch the vicissitudes of seven teams under new leaders. The capacities in which these men worked in 1911 and their new charges are:
 Manager--Clark Griffith, Washington Americans.
 Field Captain Harry Davis, Cleveland Americans.
 Umpire-Hank O'Day, Cincinnati Ma tonals.
 First Baseman-Jake stahl, Boston Americans.
 Third Baseman--Harry Wolverton, New York Americans.
 Outfielder-Jimmy Callahan, Chicago Americans.
 Catcher-Jo Johnny kling, Boston Nation- als.
 Of these Clark Griffith has had the most extensive experience as q manager, al- though Stahl and Callahan also has had big league managerial experience. In his best year as d pitcher, when he had a winning percentage of TIA Griffith piloted the Chicago White Sox into the American league championship of 1901 He was at the helm of the White Sox also the follow ing year and in 1903 took charge of the New York Yankees. remaining in the managerial berth until 1908, when he went to Cincinnati to lead the Reds ,g the Ma tional league During his tenure of of fee at Cincinnati he was unable to make the team in any year more than con- tender, but he has been said to have been beset by hard luck throughout his career in the ohio city. His departure from Gin cinnati was not because of any displeas- ure with his work on the part of the ownership of the team, however, but be cause of more lucrative offer by the Washington manager.
 Griffith has earned for himself during his career the sobriquet of the old fox . and he is generally conceded to be about as well posted on all around baseball af- fairs as any man in the country. His ma terial at Washington is not of the best except in a few spots, but 1t is believed he may make his team a genuine con- tender for the lower end of the first di- vision
 Jimmy Callahan's baseball life has been an interesting one and he takes hold of the White Sox under interesting condi- tions He succeeded Griffith in the man agtment of the Chicago American league team in 19pS but quit in disgust in 1904 when Fielder Jones was raised over him and given the leaders job. Callahan then eNrerimented in outlaw baseball organ izing the Logan Squares in Chicago and making what is said to he a small for tune by his independent operations.
 When a little over year ago he an-