Evening journal., 1914-09-25
Married athlete
Beats SINGLE ONE
Magnate Tells Why the
BenedictS in Baseball Are
More Valuable to Team
LOS ANGELES
SETS EXAMPLE


"A ball player cant chase chickens
and chase flies at the same time with (
any degree Of certainty that he'll land /
the flies"
That is "Hen' Berry's way Of say
ing that ball player whose head is /
turned by the hero-worship Of the /
fair patrons Of the diamond stands I
a mighty slim chance at high fielding /
averages of shining in the 800 bat
ting class
Henry Berry, the genial president
OF the Los Angeles club and vice
president of the Pacific Coast league,
would inject more orange blossoms
into the national pastime. Wedding
bells for all the players. he believes
would result in the highest possible
efficiency.
Not that Berry has a grudge against
single men. lt is merely that he has
for many years been a careful stu
dent Of this inside" factor In dia-
mond victories. and that his observa-
tions demonstrate TO his complete
satisfaction that wives help win PEN
nants through their influence over
ball players.
In this connection 10 IS an inter
esting fact that Berry is at the head
Of an aggregation numbering more
married players than any other club
In the country. so far as available
records show.
Out of p members IS Angels" are
Benedicts.
Berry therefore, has had ample
opportunity to study this angle of
the game at close range.
1t is his suS@Jtbility to the at
tentlons of pretty hero worshippers
that keeps many a promising athlete
from reaching the high place that
otherwise would be his in the world
OF sport" asserts Berry.
THE ball player is perhaps more
constantly beset by these fair idoli-
zers than any other professional ath-
lete because women frequent the dia-
mond more generally by far than any
other sport.
80 we have the very thing which
keeps baseball keyed 40 TO concert
/ pitch-the element of personal ad-
4
! the most dangerous possibility in
Iulling a good man down or keeping
+ him mediocre.
"The cure is marriage for the
players.
while a married ball player is
rot entirely immune from lionizing
by the opposite sex. it does cut down
his participation in those social di-
versions which frazzle a mans
nerves"
Emotional calm, says Berry, is the
thing to be desired in pushing a team
tD the top of the ladder. The steady
ing influence of home and family
lie, he believes. more than anything
else gives "A player that stability
which goes far toward winning pen
nants.
Il always prefer married players.
he says, "and there isn't manager
in the world who hasn't such a pre-
ference. In the big leagues especi-
ally they are always reassured when
they learn that a new ana promising
player is home man.
Aside from the positive influence
for manliness and steadiness It Yields
upon an athlete, marriage gives him
a decided protection from the dissi-
pations in which he may indulge
without restraint.
II have watched it work out along
these lines in our club here. / have
seen the widest kind Of men steady
down into the most dependable play
ers, men who can be relied upon at
all times to give the best that was
in them.
Il will say this. however; marriage
sometimes results in temporary back
set for top notch player. And
believe that Is usually to be attri-
huted 70 inconsistencies while he is
away or TO worry about his wife. on
the part of newly welded players.
"Homesickness undoubtedly has
lost some important games.
Take one instance OF the effect
marriage has had upon a notable
player. Walter Johnson, who only
recently became a benedict. is this
year playing the worst ball Of his
whole career / make ne attempt to
explain the reason in this case, bur
merely cite IL as an illustration.
"1n our club here The men have
consistently played a better game af-
ter renouncing their Single blessed
ness"
II do. however, recognize the prob
ability that any decided change in
mans mode of living, any period
OF readjustment, will be reflected IN
his work, and therefore ! discourage
marriage Of players during the ball
season.
These are some Of the profess
slonal disadvantages of ball players
signing a life contract with Cupid.
but the advantages 10 the player and
manager on the other side so far
overbalances them that I unhesita-
tingly say that the married ball
player is the best bet for any team.
I'm fact, I believe il is due largely
70 the fact that more ball players to-
Gay are married men than formerly
that the game is showing such
marked improvement in the general
character and disposition Of its men
eli over the country"
If he had his way Hen" Berry
would surely be one right hand man
| for Dan Cupid to copper to-