Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-06
VETERAN HELPS YOUNGSTER
MAKE GOOD--EDDIE COLLINS
Great Second Baseman Offers
His Own Case as an
Example.
-
M'lNNIS HAD ABLE TEACHER
Harry Davis Instructed Stuffy
How to Play the Bag
Correctly.
B1 EDDIE COLLINS
champion Second Baseman of the Ameri-
can LeagueD

tthh AstakhFsl
1 once knew veteran major league
pitcher who had been instructed by
his manager to go TO a town on a
bush circuit and pass his opinion on
the young pitching phenom who had
been doing sterling work in his own
league.
1They got an awful nerve. said the
veteran, ITO send ME out TO get a
guy to come and take my job
This is the way, but not the spirit,
OF the veterans in the big league to-
day When l first came to Connie
Mack. Monte Cross and Dan Murphy
were the shortstop and second base
men, respectively, of the Athletics.
and they both had seen number of
years of service. Barry and | were
Two kids of no major league eXpe-
rience at all, but no one on the whole
club gave us more attention or did
more than these two veterans to in
struet us in the secrets of successful
: cooperation around the middle sack.
Nearly every day in the infield prac
~tfse Just before the game Murphy
would reinquish his place to me so
that | might have the advantage of
working with the rest of the veteran
inheld. He would alternate OCCASION
ally with me, but more often go into
the outfield, until it finally came to
piss that | had the position all to
myself, and today ! realize that l
have him to thank as much as any
one for my job, 1t was the same way
with Monte Cross and Barry.
McInnis's Rise Striking.
McInness's rise to a regular posi-
ton was even more striking, as no
once could possibly have been more
conscientious in his course of train
Ing that our former captain and vet
eran first sacker, Harry Davis, was
with Stuffy.
~ Davis Takes Charge of stufy
aH'After Little Mac had been tried at
third and short without a vast
amount of success Davis said to Con-
ME one day. You let me take him in
hand; I'll make a star out of that
kid for you yet Realizing his
strength at bat, and the power he
would be to a team, Harry had re-
solved upon the only course left open
for Stuffy, first baseman. In
spite of the fact that proficiency on
Stuffy's part in covering the initial
sack meant his own ultimate retire
ment, Davis never hesitated upon his
Resolve to make Stuffy winner.
How he succeeded you all know
well enough today, for Stuffy Mclnnis
is the king of first sackers.
Thomas Also Martyr.
Ira Thomas is another martyr to
the cause. With his retirement from
Or live l,,,I,f ind 10 h,I h hos
left an able successor in Wally
Sehang. The latter needs no intro
duction; thanks to the Giants, he was
very well presented to the public last
fall.
One of the first to realize Schang's
possibilities, Ira wasted no time i'm
taking him in hand, and giving him
the benefit of all he had learned dur
ing his extended career behind the
bat.
On nearly every major league club
There are just rs striking examples of
the policy of lending a helping hand
to a recruit as are those of Cross,
Murphy. Davis and Thomas on the
Athletics | simply cite these latter
eases because they We're under my
closer observation.
The path of youngster in baseball
today is not Uttered with the count
less obstacles we are SO wont to read
We're thrust in his way in the days
: gone by. and this is further proof Of
the elevation Of our nations favorite
pasttime to a loftier and noblier level
Accidents shorten Players Careers.
Being hit by pitched balls has often
shortened the career of many a star
performer in the big leagues
IIofImnn's Case.
The case of Danny Hoffman, ex-
Highlander and St Louis Brown, is
the most striking which comes to my
mind. Destined to be one of the
greatest who ever wore a spiked shoe,
Danny was hit in the eye by a
pitched ball delivered by Jesse Tan
,nehill a southpaw of the old Red
SoX under Jimmie Collins and he new
or got over the effects of the blow
Although he remained In the league
for number Of years after the acci-
dent happened he was always pow
eress against left handler.
And Chance. Too.
Frank Chance is another player
who undoubtedly would be in active
harness today were it not for the fire.
auency with which his head used to
get in the way of pitched balls. He
probably holds the unenviabe dis
tinction of having been hit a greater
number of times in the head than any
other player. He has said many items
that he simply could not avoid being
hit. "When | saw a ball coming at
me ] seemed powerless TO move"
heard him say one day when he was
explaining the reason why he was
wearing a head-guard when he went
to bat.
Kid Elberfcld Another.
Kid Elberfeld, when member oil
the Yankees and later of the Sena-
tors, was another human target whom
pitchers walloped very frequently. I
has always been my opinion thai
Whenever the occasion demanded it