Evening star., 1915-01-03
DONOVAN IS READY
TO BEGIN BIG TASK
Yankees New Manager Not
Worrying About Hard
Work in Store.
SAYS HE WILL NOT DRIVE.
BUT MAKE HIS MEN WORK
Thinks Theories Had Better Be Kept
Until Something Has
Been Shown.
special DISPATCH to The Star.

NEW YORK, January l.
"Wild" Bill Donovan came here
today to begin managing the
Yankees, but he brought his smile
along. That smile of Bills is
bound by a longterm contract
which contains no ten-day notice
of release; no, not even ten
second notice. George Stallings
has always said that he learned
more about swearing while he
was in charge of the Yankees
than at any other time in his
career, and Clark Griffith, the
"Old Fox" never had gray hair
in his head until he took charge
of the clan on the hilltop. Chance
and Harry Wolverton put $500
miles between themselves and the
New York American League Club
in order to gain peace of mind,
but Donovan, he just grins.
"Yes," said Donovan today,
"I've talked it over with Capt.
Huston and Ban Johnson, and |
guess I'm going to manage the
Yankees. | haven't signed a con-
tract. yet, but we've agreed on
everything. Some OF the folks
have been around telling me that
I've got a tough job on my hands,
but they can't get me to worry
ing. put on thirty pounds while
| was in Providence, and l don't
intend to lose any weight over
here"
SAYS he Is Not a Driver.
Pressed to tell just what kind of
manager he was, Bill Donovan said:
We'll. 1 don't suppose I'm what you
call a driver. l think l can get every
thing out OF a player It'd. - "a .'i.li'
but l can't get It by bawilng fs,Sn am nim eat pt
results that way, but l can't, and l
don't want to- l believe in getting out
on the coaching lines and staying
there, and l keep my mead up an .he
time. Sulking never did player or
manager any good The telephone COM
pany's got the right dope, Inc voice
with the smile wins. A grin Is worth
two growls in base ball any day.
Donovan did not care to say much
about the men on the team individual
ly, for he has not had chance to see
some of them play. but he seemed 10
iul a W
by no means as hopeless as many peo-
pie seem to think. There are some
mighty good players in the lot; re- re-
marked Donovan. dont th,nh ,.lns tnr fn,
me when / first went to Providence
haven't had much chance to see hirn IN
action, but some wise people ten me
that this Cook is a mighty good pros
meet. Maisel / know from the Inter
national League, and Pipp, too. This
Pipp is a mighty fine first baseman or
I'm way off. end you know I'm soHe
STheories," said Wild Bill, well. I'm
not carrying many. Anyway. NOBODY
wants to know anything about your
theories until you put something over;
guess the theories can wait unul
people begin to ask how We did it."
Fans Are With Him.
No manager ever took up the reins in
the major leagues with more fans root
ing for his success than Bill Donovan
has as he begins his task of developing
a winning Yankee team He has been
popular with local fans since he first
came into the major leagues, and that
popularity seems to have extended
the two leagues. 1t is doubt
full If the major leagues in recent years
have produced a ball player more highly
esteemed by teammates and opponents
alike than Bill Donovan.
The new leader has all the qualities
that make for successful leadership.
He was always rated as a highly in
telligent pitcher and game beyond
wild BILL" now in his thirty-ninth
year, bears the reputation of never
having taken drink in his life. For
more than twenty years he has been
a professional athlete and has always
ranked as a good fellow among good
fellows" Hugh Jennings. Ed Barrow.
Ned Hanlon and others who have man
aged teams of which Donovan WAS a
member are loud in their praises OF
the new Yankee manager for the good
influence which he always exerted over
other players. If Donovan has only
half the good luck that will be wished
for him in base ball circles alone 1t
will not be long before the Yankees
ho c1