Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-10

PHILADELPHIA. February 1O-When
the major league base ball teams get to
work down south in a few weeks much
will be read by the fans regarding the
showing made by the young players as
fielders. batsmen and base runners. The
lads who hit a straight ball over the
fence for home run or who pull down
"a fly ball after hard run will get their
names in the headlines.
The plays look good. and as no one
can tell whether or not the youngsters
could do the same things in champion
ship games they are given full credit by
the war correspondents for their feats.
Little. though, will be heard for time
about another class of players. These
men are the young twirlers who have
been gathered from schools, colleges,
minor leagues and town lots. While the
infielders and outfielders will be speeding
up their plays in the hope of catching the
eyes Of their manager. the juvenile Twill
ers will be under wraps"
They are just as anxious to ''cut loose"
as the candidates for other places on the
team. but the veteran catchers who are
looking after their welfare will not per-
NIT it. Occasionally lad is so anxious
to display his prOwess. that he will dis
obey orders during the first week or ten
days of practice.
His ambition to strike out some star
slugger like a Baker or Magee Is so
keen that he will suddenly cut loose with
all of his speed OR with a curve ball.
Such tactics always arouse the ire of
the manager or his coach, who has the
particular pitcher In tow, and sharp
call-down usually follows. KID Gleason,
when assistant to Billy Murray as man
ager of the Phillies, has threatened to
thrash more than one yOungster who dis
obeyed the orders to pitch only straight
balls and not to attempt to use speed.
The desire to show off, though, Is usu-
ally SO keen among the juveniles that
they cannot help cutting loose. Many Of
them. anxious to make good In the fast
set, have worked outdoors for some time
before going south. They want their
their good work, and they take chances
of getting a call-dOwn. too. in order to
make an impression.
1t is this habit which keeps the regu-
lars on a team on the anxious bench.
They have not had chance Of having
their eyes sharpened. and they are just
as wary Of speed and curves at the start
as any person could be. Being ''plunked'
on the arm, body or head Is not a sensa-
ton that any ball tosser enjoys.
i remember one day down at Southern
Pines, when kitty Bransfield was with
the Phillies. and human flagstaff named
Troy was pitching. Troy stood six feet
five inches high. and he had made a
reputation by striking out punches OF
players in games in the coal regions. He
had gone along and followed instructions
faithfully for several days.
Bransfield stepped to the plate and was
not as watchful as usual because Troy
had never shown any sign of not keeping
close to the orders. To the surprise of
the crowd Troy "cut loose" with regu-
lar ''roundhouse curve one OF those out
shoots which starts to curve half way to
the plate and keeps on describing an arc
until it gets to the catcher.
Bransfield was all set to Whack a
straight ball over the leftfielder's head.
Kitty" saw the ball start to curve. his
bat dropped by his side, and in trying 10
dodge out of the road he tripped over his
own feet and fell on his back
1t was the first curve ball that Brains
field had seen in months. Ordinarily
such ball would have been peaches and
cream for him. With only few days of
practice kitty was as startled as If
ne had seen ghost. 1t was such a good
joke that Troy escaped getting call
down.
There is not a team in the country that
has so many first-class pitchers that a
manager is not constantly on the watch
for more of them. The pitching staff is
the keystone of club. For this reason
every team leader hopes to dig up a
''phenom' In the spring.
These youngsters are handled ike so
much Dresden china training trip
until the manager or catchers have an
opportunity to size them up. Some of
them. it is soon discovered. have not got
the brain capacity to make big leaSuers.
Others are SO confident that they know
it all that they will not profit by the
advice given them.
One year the Athletics took south Il
very promising left-hander. He had been
much sought after by other clubs and he
was given the most careful kind of coach
ing. 1t was even predicted by some that
he would turn out to be another Wad-