Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-16
BY j. ED GRILLO.

II the proposed ball players union will
have for an object the establishment of a
home for those members of their profess
sion who are down and out. besides doing
things which will be OF benefit to the
players, the organiza ton should meet
with the approval of the club owners.
But il the players figure on having
representation on the national commits
sion. SO that they can have say in the
disputes which frequently. arise between
club owners and players, they are sure
to meet with stubborn opposition. To be-
gin with. such representa- lion would
amount to nothing. for it would be but
one vote 10 four. Furthermore. the rul-
inss of the commission SO far the
players interests are concerned have al
ways been fair and square.
But home for old ball players could
be established by the players. Every
club in organized base ball could play one
benefit game year to esta blish the fund
for such home and keep it in operation
That would be a real and worthy cause.
and club owners. players and patrons
would be willing 10 support such a move
ment
w. A. PheIon, the Cincinnati scribe.
has discovered that Hank O'Days failure
as manager is that he lacks diploma cy
and is not good mixer with his players.
Here is what he says of Hank:
.All season long O'DaE has kept away
from his men, aside from a few short re-
marks in the Hobbies OF the hotels. Even
there Henry seldom sticks around long,
but beats it to some secluded spot and is
seen no more. He eats by himself: he
goes to and from the ball yards by him
self. andhe is never seen cumming around
with his warriors. No man can get the
best efforts out of a crowd unless he Is
one of them. Connie Mack is Il father as
we'll as a manager his boys all looking up
to him that way. John McCiraw Is a
practical joker, forever deTiSing fooi
stunts to mako monkeys out of outsiders
and give the Giants something to laugh
at. George Stovall says: When You have
an imperative thirst, fellows, notify me
and I'll lead you to it Frank nance
mikes with his men around the different
cities and DULLES them in d Joviai. play
full fashion.
Hank O'Day's years of umpirinS' spoiled
his managerial chances. For many sea-
sons he had held aloof from all players.
as is the uInpire's law He had grown re-
served. close-mouthed.. accustomed ~
herdng by himself: When he took com
rnand Of the Feds he honestly tried to
come out of the shell and mix. He could
not. For little time he went around with
the boys. took in picture shows with
them, tried to get sociable. No use You
can't break the habits of a dozen ears in
few days. What's more. the players
couldn't come halfway and meet him. In
stinctively they had grown accustomed
to Umpire O'Day, the common enemy.
They couldn't seem to get friendly with
Manager O'Day. their new director. Ere
long Hank resumed the iron shell he wore
so long as an umpire: the players stood
away from him. just as they did when he
Was making decisions. and Henry O'Day
became "A solitary being.
1t is perhaps fortunate that the average
manager of ball tea does not allow
himself to be influenced by public opinion,
and to this fact can the success of many
a team he attributed.
\ year ago all Boston Was shouting for
the scalp of Hcinic Wagner. the Red SoX
shortstop. 1t WAS bad YER for Wagner
and any sort of trade that would take
him away from the team would nave been
welcomed by the patrons Of the game at
the Hub. But Wagner WAS retained. not
withstanding the fact that he WAS jeered
every time he appeared on the field. and
yet today these same fans arc loud in
their praise of Wagner, who. to a great
extent is responsible for the present posi-
ton Of team in the race.
II Boston wins the pennant, and it IS