Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-04

Is it possible for the manager of a
big league base ball club to play every
day and direct his team successfully?
When that question was asked fve
years ago and more it developed a
rapid-fire argument. There were Con-
ME Mack, John McGraw and Hughey
Jennings a. ammunition for the bench
mana ger adherents; the debaters on
the side Of the playing boss had Frank
Chance and Fred Clarke as notable
examples of success.
Ask the question today, and what is
the result? Only one playing manager
of the American League and three in
the National One Of the latter trio,
Roger Bresnahan of the Chicago Cubs,
probably Will not catch fifty games in the
course of the coming season, while it
is not at all certain that Bill Carrigan,
who bosses the Boston Americans, will
go behind the bat in more than fifty
battles. Therefore, the tendency seems
to be toward the man who does not
take an active part in the pastiming.
If the manag erial type were selected
from the result of the 1914 major
league campaigns the bench manager
would win easily. George Stallings,
who drove the Boston B'ves to the
National League pennant and then to
victory over the Athletics in the
worlds series, never leaves the dug
out reserved for the players. He does
not wear uniform. Neither does
Connie Mack appear on the field in the
course of game, and yet he has won
more honors than any other base ball
boss in modern times. His team cap
last year-if you require that informa-
ton.
Triumph for Bench Managers.
Therefore, any way you choose to
| take it, the 1914 campaign in the big
/, show was triumph for the bench
mana ger indeed, for the citizens clothes
manager.
1t always has appeared best for the
manager of team to confine any work
| he may choose to do to coaching when
his team is on the attack; For now IN
| the world can Charley HerzoG of the
Reds, for example, know what is GO
ing on in the outfield when his atten-
| ton has to be rivcted to possible play
| at second base? Or how can Roger
Bresnahan. wearing the mask and
chest protector for the Cubs. decide
what the infield shall do in case of a
double steal when Sherwood Magee is
at bat and Rajah has to devote his at
tention to preventing the siusger from
chances has Miller Higgins to plan in
| side attacking for the Cards when he
| is at the plate trying to rap out SIN
gle and send in the tying run:
Base ball today is a game of brains,
and it usually is up to the manager to
exercise the mental powers. The play
ers-and there are few exceptions-are
mechanical to the extreme. They ex-
pect to be told when to bunt and when
to hit it out: when to come IN Tor a
play at the plate and when to stay out
| for a double killing.
1t is well known that Connie Mack
and George Stallings are supreme in
the course of game. They may
permit certain players to use their own
| Judgment on hitting, or bunting. or
stealing. But the bosses have an
elaborate system of signs, and flash
them for almost every important move
which comes up in the battle. And
| because they sit on the bencn, with the
whole battle before their eyes, and no
individual efforts to distract their at
tention. they are in a position to know
what is best to do, in their judgment
at least.
Fred Clarke, when he was a playing
mana e,, was 800 batsman and one
| Of the best left feiders in the big
| leagues. He could say to his players.
DO as I do and we'll win. Further
more when the Pirates were supreme,
base ball was largely a game OF slug
and field" Frank Chance. too, was
thoroughly capable first baseman as
well as frst-class batsman. but he
| had as his aids such bralny players as
| Evers, Tinker. King and Mordecai
Brown. Clarke and Chance both found
and direct their teams. And neither of
,hem was in need of clutches when he
| 1uit active work
Coaching by the Boss Inspiring.
In spite Of the fact that Mack and