New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-16
PROFANITY HAS
uses In BASEBALL
Stallings Has Driven the
Braves to Their Position
by Invective.
HARDEST TASKMASTER
BUT NOT UNPOPULAR
McGraw and Mack Sparing OF
Criticism of Their Men
Most of the Time.

The efficacy Of prayer is bywords,
but it has remained for George Stsi
lings to show that profanity Is no
without its uses. The leader Oh vac
Braves has driven his men from deSu
last to contending position tor tne
remnant By the sheer force OF his III
vectlves. -.
John J. McGraw can use Language
upon occasion and Connie MACK, AZ
though very sparing in his criticism,
csn say things which mt the mara ane
cut in doing so, but both these men,
leaders as they are OF TWO gree
schools of baseball, make II an almost
invariable rule not 70 criticise player
while a game is in progress,
Stallings, on the other hand, IS PEI
feet demon while a close battle is being
fought. He is known as one OF tno
hardest taskmasters in baseball, yet ne
l. not unpopular among his men, fof
he plays no favorites, and VIII esii
down planet of the first magnitude
with lust as much fervor IS ne VIII
use in addressing one OF MS n''''
stars.
TIRE Braves have a certain secret
pride in the linguistic prowess OF their
leader, and one player was nearo 70
boast that during certain series ~
which the Braves played very badly
Stallings swore steadily for four days
and never repeated a single phrase.
This ability may be laid partly 70 tne
fact that he is always IN training g ior
he spends the winters on his plantation
In Georgia and keeps in trim by TAX
ing 70 the mules
What Did He Say to Demmitt!
Particular outbursts Of the manager
are treasured for singular poignancy,
but perhaps Ray Demmitt, once OF the
Yankees and now of the White Box
drew the most eloquent tribute whien
Stallings has ever paid to player.
II was the last inning OF 9 game up
on the old hill top grounds OF the
Yankees and the home team needed one
run to tie. Two men had been retired
but there was q runner on third when
il came time for Demmitt TO bat. Inc
player approached Stallings and asked
swell, Mr. Stallings, shall hit long
fly and sacrifice him 10" The reply or
SfalIings is remembered, but 1t viii
not be set down here. Demmitt did not
bat.
Almost every manager has some spe-
cial species of player as his idea. Thus
the Giants are made up largely OF the
McGraw type-a type distinguished by
a superlative aggressiveness and cocn-
ness. The college type OF player as
exemplified in Collins and Barry IS
TYNE much in favor with Connie Mack.
But it would be hard TO analayze the
likes and dislikes of George Stallings-
The only general rule which can be
laid down Is that Stallings likes play
ers who have been declared failures oy
some one else.
of course no good manager pays
much attention TO the estimate placed
upon players by newspapers, ou.
Stallings is particularly independent or
public criticism. He had at hrst base
for his team last year Hap Meyers.
Hap did not hit very hard, but ne
fielded his position well and ran bases
in wonderful fashion. Yet when TINS
season came around Sailing released
Movers and signed in his place very
Percheron OF a man named Schmidt
who played the bag most awkwardly.
Castoffs That Have Made Good.
Schmidt did not hit at ths beginning
of the season, and everybody declared
Stallings had made bad blunder, but
the batting of the big first baseman
has proved to be one of the chief fac
tors in putting the Braves into the
race. Josh Devore had been with al
most every team in the league before
Stallings took him, and Connolly, ar
other outfelder, was cast aside by
Clark Griffith.
John j. McGraw tried Dick Rudolph
and decided that he was too small.
Other managers thought the same when
the pitcher was released, but Stallings
took him on, and soon found that he
was amply large enough to be one OF the
winning pitchers of the season. Maran-
vile did not attract other managers
because he could not hit, but under
Stallings he developed into one Of the
best short stops in the game. Hess
was a has been who had been dropped
from fast company, but he has pitched
much good ball for Boston.
Hank Gowdy was much too awkward
for McGraw, but Stallings signed him
for three years. Wilbert Robinson de-
cided that Red Smith was such a
trouble maker that he would be a
detriment to any team, so StallinSs
quickly bought him.
Seemingly it makes little difference
what the component parts are which
Stallings takes at the beginning Of the
season, for at the end of the year he
invariably has not SO many individual
players, but a machine. Profanity Is