Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
Some Ball Players Have to Be
BuIIied, Others HUNDRED
and COaxed.
DOOM SAYS HANDLING OF
PITCHERS is HARDEST JOB
Hurlers Are Often Ruined by Not
Getting the Right Kind
of Treatment.

SOUTHERN PINES, N c., March T.
The job of trying out a minor Lacquer
is one of the hardest and most difficult
that a big league manager has to tackle
is the opinion of Charlie Doom, the
catcher-manager of the Phillies Very
often managers unskiilful. undiplomatic
handling of recruit will ruin him SO far
as his big league usefulness is concerned.
even though the recruit may have enough
natural ability to land him at the top Of
the big league heap.
A big league manager must not only
know base ball; he must have a thor
ough knowledge of human nature. Where
one method will win with one player 1t
will fail utterly with another. Each man
is different. each has certain peculiaritiss.
Find them. then humor them and you
bring out the best in the man.
Some years ago a young pitcher came
to me in mid-season. He was heralded
as real find l had him work out for a
week or SO, saw that he had curves and
speed, but he struck me being little
shy in gameness. l was afraid he might
falter in tight hole. But, in my little
talks with him 1 learned that one thing
that he hated almost as much as poison
irg yellow.
Recruit Makes Good.
We bumped into series of double
headers just about that time. and |
found that i had used up all my regular
pitchers and would have to use my rookie
in one Of the games. Just before he went
into the box | called him over for
final word.
." These other fellows think you're vel
low. ! told him. They think you'll quit
cold If they get one or two hits off
you early in the game. Now you go in
and show them that you aren't yellow.
See?
They think I'm yellow. heyg he
snapped. Well. I'll show EMIL show
en-
And he did. That kid went in and
pitched like veteran-pitched his heart
out. almost. And we won. After the
game he rushed up to me, and, grinnins
like a child. said: Well, l guess |
showed 'em | wasn't yellow. hey?'
Had tried that same trick on some
other fellow, with IA different nature.
the chances are he'd have brooded over
the idea that the other fellows thought
him a gutter and would have gone to
pieces in consequence.
Cole Thrives on Flattery.
king Cole, the pitcher, who was
rescued from the minors by the Yam
KEGS. who jumped to the Federals and
then back to the Yankees, is the type
of player who thriyes on fiattery. To
charge Cole with being a gutter takes
the heart out of him: to let him believe
YOU think he is wonderful pitcher is 10
transform him into a real wonder.
When Cole Joined the Cubs some years
ago Frank Chance. then manager of the
team. soon learned that Cole was sus-
ceptible to fiattery. Chance quickly
off IfaT nj
his finding with excellent results When
ever it was Coles turn to pitch some OF
the Cub regulars would manage TO get
within earshot of Cole and then edge
in few remarks about:
Say, isn't that Cole a wonder"
He's a pitcher-a real pitcher-one OF
the best since Kusies time.
The fellow who nicknamed him King
knew what lie was about That boy GER
tainly is a king among pitchers.
Cole would overhear this and it made
him bulge with pride. II made him pitch
himself into the leadership of the league
in that year-l9ln-and his thirty-three
victories materially aided in landing the
Cubs at the top of the National League
heap.
How They Stopped Wabbling.
In some of his games Cole, at times.
would show signs of weakening. This
always was signal for his teammates.
while sitting on the bench between in
nings, to carry on a conversation among
themselves-but Tor Coles benefit-some
thing this order;
Those other guys think the King is
the joke is on them
Il should say it is, another would
chime in. They don't know the king
WHY. that boy simply let 'em get few
hits and runs that last inning SO they
wouldn't be altogether ashamed to show
fac
Right YOU are would be the remark
from another. Watch the King next
stand 'ein on their heads.
All this would reach Coles ears-apd
all this would cause an instant stiffenins
of Coles hackbone-it would stop the
oozing Of Coles courage and send him
back into the box a new man-and an
pitcher.
cole had good curves and speed when
he landed with the Cubs but IL was the
fiattery of his teammates-that subtle.
indirect fiattery-that caused him to make
the wonderful showing he did. He fig
ured that his teammates thought him one
of the greatest pitchers of the age-and
he determined to show them that he was