The Washington times., 1913-01-02

N n, S--o66SB8A
are a comparatively new Institution
in the national game. and without
doubt they have been Of great as
sistance in Strengthening big league
teams and IN bringing into the lime
light star players. who otherwise
might never have been heard Of only
In their immediate neighborhood-
It was due to a scout that Ty Cobb
was unearthed down in Georgia, and
that grand piayer is only one of the
many who owe their present reputa-
tions to the argus-eyed sleuths. who
roamed the country from one end to
the other In search Of talent that
promised to become big league
timber.
The discovery" Of Cobb, In fact.
was the incentive that caused other
clubs than the Detroit roganization
to send out agents" in the hope
ward Of all the expense that was in
CURED by the new departure.
Soon there was swarm OF em-
bryo Christopher Columbuses. who
backwoods districts in their en-
deavors to dig up phenoms-
Scouts After Jobs.
Managers of clubs were swamped
with applications for jobs as scouts,
and In their desire to duplicate the
good fortune of the Detroit club, man
ayers took all kinds Of chances and
engaged men as scouts who were abso-
lutely useless an account of their ignor-
ance of baseball and the qualifications
required that produce a real ball play
er.
The scouts would see a man perform
In one game, and IL the latter hap
pened to have a good day" on that
particular occasion the telegraph wires
to secure the "dazzler." Headquarters
would "falP for the lofty talk and the
recruit would be bought outright at
price so high that the club selling him
month at least, whereas otherwise the
club would have been In the throes of
disbandment and dissolution.
The scout system has been q great
boon to wobbling little clubs run by
the village barber-the towns one
fat on the hospitality shown them
with free shaves thrown in. The ad-
vance guard of the sleuths consequent
" lived on the fat of the land and
counted their success In quantity rather
than quality.
But not so the clubs who were
obliged to pay for the freight for all
the Junk" shipped to them by their
too ambitious agents" The latter
were spurred on to their sublime heights
of discovery by rivalry.
Frequently several scouts would meet
accidentally in the same town at the
same time and professional jealousy
would overcome their crude Judgment
and players would be recommended that
were of no more promise as possible
Corners than Charley Faust.
agents" Called In.
Occasionally some sleuth would be
fortunate enough In his blind stab into
the ''phenom'' grab bag to get a prize,
but they were SO few and far between
that finally the big league clubs. for
their own protection. were forced to call
in their enthusiastic agents for
call down, SO that gradually the bar
ber shop element among the scouts was
eliminated and the present system
adopted that has brought into the scout
ing field old ball players who, by their
experience of the game and knowledge
of players make fewer mistakes. even
If they do not make good in digging up
embyro Cobbs.
There is no haphazard way now OF
selecting a player recruit. The veteran
player now acting as scout Is INSTRUCT
ed to remain with one club in which a
promising youngster Is playing. until
ne is absolutely sure of the youngsters
ability and then to make his report.
Scout McMahon. the old Baltimore
Oriole pitcher, who was scouting Tor
the Giants. stayed with the Utica IN.
W club for over month before he
was satisfied that young Burns was
good enough to become Giant. That
Burns Is to be given chance in the
Giants outfield. according to McGraw.
Is evidence enough that McMahon's
thorough investigation was valuable.
II liz, therefore, the only proper move
for any club engaging a scout. to Sc
lect an old ball player for the i'm
portsut Job. They cannot al b -