The Washington herald., 1914-02-25
Matty Says 'Peppery Johnny
Still Is a Wonder and Will
Help StalGngs.
is A BRAINY PLAYER
ny CHHIsTY MATHEwsON.

By the addition of Evers to tht
Boston club, | believe George
Stallings now has pennant con,
tender on his hands. Ii George
had searched this land far and
wide for the very man he needed
for the Boston club, he could moi
have hit upon a happier selection
than Peppery John. He is just the
balancing force that the young Bos'
ton inheld needs to knit it to-
gether into a good machine.
Stallings was talking over his
system of team building last sum-
mer one day when the Giants were
playing in Boston.
Get Youngsters.
'T have inherited lot OF broken.
down ball clubs in my time" said tho
chief, "and have discovered that the
only way TO obtain any results with one
is TO go out after all the likely looking
green talent you can grab and select the
best out of IT, When / took hold OF the
Boston team this year. It was made VI
largely OF a lot of worn out veterans
who were wearing their futures for bus
ties and who had been cast of by other
big league clubs because their days OF
usefulness had passed Although these
vets had lost their speed and their arms
none had lost his swelled opinion Of him.
self which he had gathered when he had
been in his prime.
II made up my mind could finish last
with a lot OF green youngsters who will
hustle for me as well as with a bunch
Of time worn veterans, so I began to
cast the latter adrift. Now !. at least,
have some speed and some future to my
club. 1t is not made up OF players ready
to decay and pass out. That is the trou-
bic with so many managers OF tail end
teams. They are ever ready to grab at
the castoff of another leader when
waivers are asked on some veteran, be-
cause they think they may get a few
more years of baseball out Of him. This
Is a foolish mistake
Quick Thinker.
Johnny" Evers is one Of the quickest
thinkers in the big league. and he knows
the game backwards. believe that he
could recite the rule book. because I
have never heard him slip up on a point
OF the rules in any arguments with um-
pircs, and he has had many in my hear
ing. Not very many umpires like to get
tangled up in an argument with John
ny because he can soap the rails for a
lot OF them when it comes 10 arguments
on the rules.
Aside from his head work. Evers is n
great ball player, and / believe he has
some of the best years of HE baseball
playing left in him, for he Is still young
man. / look TO sec him do better this
season than nc has at any time since
1905, when the Cubs took the pcnnant
from us by nose and through Eyers'
fast headwOrk. After that year.
johnny" met with financial reverses
and was in an automobile accident.
which affected his playing. l am sure.
The little second baseman had one shoe
store in Troy. y. Y. his home town. and
another in Chicago. and both failed.
All his earnings were invested in the
as I understand it, and these
losses practically broke him.
Conditions Ideal.
But in Boston the conditions arc ideal
for John to return to his Old-time form.
The cares and worries Cf managing a
team are of his shoulders. and in George
Stallings he has a leader in whom he has
confidence and for whom he has respect.
Evers is bound to be very valuable to
the chief in mapping out his campaigns.
and you can depend upon Stallings to
take advantage of this. John is receiving
as big a salary in Boston as he did
with the Cubs when he was their leader,
so he has no financial grievance. Neither
has he any ambition left to be the man.
ager of a club. He does not think that
is what IL has been cracked
up to be. I recall the first time l saw
him in New York last season after he
had taken the reins over the Cubs.
How do you like being a boss,
johnny" l asked him.
IF they ever offer you a job managing.
Matty,' he replied, duck II and take the
smallpox or yellow fever or something
mild and easy instead
Evers still has all his old speed and
ability. He can hit. :nd there is not n
league than he. With Maranville the
young shortstop that the wizard StallinEs
turned up last season, these two should
make a remarkable combination around
second base. almost as good as the old
Tinker and Evers one BY just this one
move, Stallings has put together a fine
nfield. II the Boston team is allowed
to retain Sweeney, he should be able to
make good at first base, as he is a sturdy
hitter or course, he may have been dis
posed Of elsewhere by the time this article
Is printed. as there are some indications
10 this effect. But, even without Sweeney.
you can depend upor it that Stallings
has some good man In mind to take care
Of the first bag for him. The Chief is
seldom caught mapping.
Understand. please, 1T I am not pick
ing the Boston club to win the pennant
DR. anything like that, but say that with
the addition OF Evers, II has a chance to
be up there fighting, which is something
no BostoT National League team has
lone in some years It was great move
On the part OF Stallings and Gafrney TO
get johnny" WhCn Stallings first took
hold Iof the Boston team, he said to me
0ne day:
We'll, don't like the air of last place.
Wen finish better than that this year"
After the season of 1918, he remarked:
Fifth place Is better than last. but we
will finish higher than that next season.
The first division looks good to me-"
tcopynsht. 1915. bS the Wheeler Syndicate, Inc.l
Articles written by Christy Mathew