The San Francisco call., 1913-09-26

pecially amazed by the large crowds.
The players with the right stuff In
them get over this feeling and play
without regard for the hooting of the
crowds, as all seasoned ball players
do Few real big leaguers realize
that a crowd Is bowling during the
game. They just know the shouting
is there. as the grandstand, and the
bench, and the fence are. 1t is part
of the scene and has nothing to do
with the players. But it is all new to
the youngster. For this reason the
smart managers have observed the
practice of holding their recruits on
the bench for some time and easing
them into the game gradually after
they have become used to the scene
and the surroundings. BY the sudden
injection of a verdant youngster into
the lineup many a manager has
spoiled a promising future.
TRAIN THE BUsHERS
George Burns received this kind OF
training on the Giants bench for a
year before getting a regular berth.
McGraw would put him in to run for
some one occasionally during this
period, or he would let him play for
an inning or two to finish a game
which was hopelessly lost or certainly
won. In this way Burns got accus-
toned 20 things, so that when he
began this year with a team that
faces the biggest crowds in the coun-
rty it was not like q recruit going
to work. but like a veteran picking
up where he had left off. 1t was only
for a short time that Burns displayed
any inclination toward nervousness,
and he never showed 1T in the field
His batting was not as hard at first
as II has been since. but he was just
as good a fielder just as fast and
just as sure.
BASE RUNNERS WILL COUNT
Good base runners are going to
count for the Giants in this series. /
believe. We had fast team In 1911,
and it was generally predicted before
those games that we would steal
bases fiuently on Ira Thomas, but he
had been practicing and was prepared.
Base stealing did not figure to any
extent in the games. We could not
get away with it. But this year the
bulk, If not all, of the catching will
be done by Lapp and young Schang.
Lapp is not physically strong enough
to catch every game of the series, and
his throwing is not as steady as
that of Thomas, anyway. He will
have one good day. and another when
he won't be able to get stealers at
all.
BURNS is DEVELOPING
Burns has rapidly developed into
great batter. He has naturally a
good eye, being very expert at any
thing which requires quickness of
vision. He Is very good shot and a
great pool player. Because of his ac-
curate eye he is a hard batter to
pitch to since he refuses to go after
bad balls.
Oldring probably excels Burns as a
consistent and dangerous hitter. He
Is apt to break up a ball game for
you any time. 'Rube" got bad
break in the series of 1911. 1t will be
recalled that he deposited a home run
into the left field bleachers in the
early part of that fifth game, which
looked like cleanup sure. Philadel-
phia had already won three games. II
seemed as If the punch was fatal to
the Giants chances. and it looked like
the blow which would finish the Sc
ries II the Athletics had won that
game Oldring would have been q
great hero. but the Giants finally
| took 1T in an extra inning. and no.
body has thought anything more
about Oldrings home run since Ba-
ker was the only boy to get credit
for the circuit smashes.