The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-07-02
General Belief That Outtielder
Must Only Hit the Ball is All
Wrong
CALLAHAN HAS HITTERS.
BUT SEEKS STILL MORE
Grabs Every Outlielder Waivers
Are Asked On to Get Man
With 1.-THE Idea"

n looks so simple TO play the out
field the general belief is that any fast
man who can catch ball can play out
there, But In order TO hold the )oo
in fast company he must be able 10
hit the ball on the nose with much
frequency. In other words, an out
fielder Is supposed TO be a batsman
first and a fielder afterward.
IL is coming TO be admitted by most
rooters that II takes brains to pitch
successfully, and a lot OF them are
beginning TO realize that mere me-
chanical ability will not make a great
inflelder, but that gray matter cuts
much figure out in the last line or de-
fense Is not so readily allowed.
Such important matters as studying
the different batsmen and governing
ones playing according to the score
do not enter into the spectator cat
cnlation. They also do not enter into
the minds of many player VINO Is
rated as a good outfelder-until ne
gets I'D against the real game and mas
a lot of problems 10 solve without
having learned the answers in the MI
nors
The White Sox look to be well sup
plied with outHelders. Manager Cal
lahan has four OF them. all fairly fast
vtytIfc players abe TO hit the ball Win
cons erable precision. TO cover
around we'll. and all possessed OF good
throwing arms. What more ne cou'u
ask for the fans don't see. But CAT
lahan has had men scouting Tor weeks
and has refused TO waive on every
outf,sher on whom waivers were
sought. He is searching for an out
fielder who can grasp the idea OF
has already grasped it, and has con
fdencs enough TO coach the other gar
deners.
Why don't the manager coach them
from the bench? II IS possible Tor
manager TO place his outteid Tor each
batsman II he has system OF WIZ.
w6tsing ample enough TO cover al
occasif,fls. But he would have to stop
the game or delay 1t willis placing the
MN for the different batsmen. Gar
lahan did that once yesterday. Win
scott pitching and Cobb at bat. he
swung his outfield back and TO one
side.
some batters are pronounced righl
aejd hjtters and the outfeld tnat
knows its business will swing arouiio
so as TO protect az much AS poss'pio
~ that field. Others hit oftenest 10
loft field and the reverse arrangement
OF the outfield Is necessary IL Is Tue
business of the men out there 10 ou
serve the peculiarities OF all their OPP
ponents at bat and take up their s.a-
lions accordingly, without waiting io'
,hAir manager to set tnefn.
In some things manager on 'he
bench cannot coach his outfieid. HIS
voice will not carry above the noise
when long fly is hit, but the men out
there can coach each other, partlcu-
larry on drives hit over the heads OF
the outposts. Then there Is the ques-
tion OF what to do with ball AFTER
catching II or stopping safe hit
Uany game has been won and lost
nv making the right or wrong throw
and the question OF wrong or risnV
demands entirely on the existing si'
uation.
AnaoutAeIder like Jimmy Sheckard,
formerly OF the Cubs, Is or tar greal-
or value to his team than the average
hug recognizes His chief value was
not his own individual briiliance, nut
his ability and willingness TO help US
associates In the gardening game. y
perfect Judge OF fly ball hmseH'
Sbeckard never failed 10 coach his
neighbor on long flies Often a CUP
ceuterfielder has gone back at top
sneed- with his back aurned TO the
bali depending on Sheckard to stop
him AZ the proper instant, and Sheck-
ards whoa" usually brought him
around In time TO make the eaten II
he could get under the ball at all. An
outfielder who can make noise also
will prevent any chance of a collision
between his pals, even II they do not
know how to decide which snail take
the ball without looking at each other.
Fielder Jones made outfielders OUT
Of Pat Dougherty and liam. re
knew every batsman and where ne
was most likely TO hit the dinerent
kinds OF pitching. and he not ohiy
pIayed In that part of center Held 10
which each man was most likely 10
hit. but he saw to II that his mates
on, either side took the proper STATION
10 ofYer the best defense In the mat
ter OF returning the ball Jones also
constantly coached his men as eacn
plny came up Even after he mad iost
some OF his own speed and a lou OF
throwing power, Jones was vaiuaoie
outfielder for what he could tell the