South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-04
STATESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
BY FRED O KELLY.
By BRED {. kELIY

tnat you're interested in. see what YOU
can get out OF this little tale OF per
sonal experience by Harry Devendorf,
formerly secretary to the late Vice
Pres. Sherman.
To get the story properly one would
have 10 see the earnest manner in
which Harry tells it. But. anyway.
here il is:
Devendorf was manager OF a ball
team at Utica, y. Y, few years ago.
II was losing team and therefore
the great majority OF the fans there
abouts lost interest in the game. About
all Devendorf was able 10 acquire
from his efforts was advice. He got
every conceivable kind and variety of
advice handed 10 him
The attendance grew small but Their
was one little bunch of about a dozen
enthusiasts who went together TO every
game, no matter how poorly the team
was playing.
When the game was over this little
crowd would gather about Devendorf
and accompany him home from the
grounds. giving him much advice all
the way.
1t seemed that practically everything
he was doing in the management Of
the team was wrong.
''Aw, Y'oughtn't to've let that guy
bunt. Whyn't you tell i'm TO hit the
ball? Hit 'er out. That was the
thing TO do. Well, it's too late now,
of course"
One fellow would come at him
something like that.
Then the next one would observe
that if they just had better pitcher,
there might be some chance.
But where can / get a pitcher ?"
Harry would ask.
Oh. they didn't know exactly, but
they would get one.
However, il wasn't the pitcher that
was losing the games, another would
say, but the catcher-and not so m uch
the catcher as the Outfield. The cen
ter fielder should have been catching
and the catcher would do better play
ing shortstOp.
You can imagine the showed of ad-
vice a manager would get in such cir
cumstances. And worst of all, he
was obliged to listen to it. He couldn't
say: Boys, l know more about run
ming a ball team than you do" Be-
cause the moment he said that, the
others would have their cue to re-
tort: Then, why in thunder don't
you win some games if you know so
much about it,"
No. there was nothing to do, ii
seemed, but quietly and inoffensively
TO endure all the free suggestions and
Finally. however, Devendorf became
so weary of the perpetual advice that
one evening, after a game in which
the visiting team had shut them out,
to 0, he submitted a proposition to
the little band of volunteer counselors.
III tell YOU" he began, Il don't
profess to know all there is to know
about baseball. 1t wouldn't surprise
me at all if you boys, sitting in the
grandstand, could figure out what
ought to be done, just as well or better
than 1 can. And L want you to know
/ appreciate the way you have kept up
your interest in the team, even when
we have been losing. You're enthu-
siastic and you come around with ad
vice because you'd like to see the team
win. l think all the more of you for
IL. You're all right. And, as L say,
you might be able to see mistakes that
| would overlook. l may have got
into a rut. So here's what I'm willing
to do:
I'm going TO let you ten boys be
managers of the team for ten consecu-
tive games. Each will have his turn
and each one of you will have absolute
control of the team on his day. You
can take the team and do any dag
gone thing you please with 1t. I'll eX-
plain the situation to the players and
if they don't follow your orders III
see to il that they're fined-or fired.
You can pitch anybody you want to,
shift anybody TO any other position,
put the first baseman behind the bat
if you like-just anything that you
think best"
Devendorf paused for breath after
he had thus outlined his plan to the
ten fans and they thought the idea
might be all right. They, of course.
didn't like to butt into his game
though, they said, and
"Oh, yes" cut in Harry, and
omitted one point.
"Ar 1 ask in return for letting you
have the fun of managing the team is
that 1 have the privilege of advertls-
ing each day which one of you Is IN
charge for that day. All the friends
of the man in charge will want 10
come to see how we'll he does, and II. s
only fair that they should be notihed.
Is il a bargain?"
But one by one the fans allowed
that they didn't feel as if they ought
TO go before the public as base ball
managers when the game was with
them only a side issue. 1t might look
immodest or undignif1ed on their part.
They guessed they would let Deven-
dorf go along and manage the best
he could He was making a miserable
bOtch of 1t. twas true, out lReS
didn't just feel like stepping into the
breach.
And Devendorf was harased with
their words of advice no more.
Along about that same time Deven-
dorf got a letter from a budding ball
player who desired a chance TO play
on Harrys team. He agreed TO be a
rare find, but neglected to state in
what position he excelled. Harry wrote
hack and reminded him that he hadn't
said what position he played In the
Young man replied and enclosed pho-
tograph with his letter.
7.The accompanying photograph"
saws he. will show that l play in a
stopping position"
And here's still another one. y
Young player bursting with ambition
a;,rlied to Devendorf one morning Tor
a chance to play on the team. he
was an done up in a red suit. None
of the other players had red SUITS
Harry told him to go out into right
field and see what he could 90. a
few minutes later Harry noticed that
the red-suited applicant was TIL
standing around.