Evening star., 1915-03-21

Branch Rickey of
~ 5k&&s25 the ST. Louis team
of the American League waged MS
campaign last summer. Taking charge
of a team that was never figured In the
running Eickcy for a greater part OF
the year kept his club up in the race
and created all kinds of ENTHUSIASM
among the Brown rooters. At the close
of the season his team, which on paper
did not compare with the Cafdilais'
soundiy thrashed that club.
The St Louis club i'll an important
game last summer furnished several
illustrations why it is Il very wise pol
icy to taEc nothing for granted in base
ball. Perhaps nothing disSusts good
hitter more than to send up u hleh lily
to the infield. Every fan has seen such
= happening and Incidentally watched
the batter hurl his bat benchward aao
slowly jog to first. No doubt many can
recall cases where the batter absolute
y refused to run. regarding the eaton
such an easy one that TO waste strength
in running out the pop fly would pc
poor Judgment Hundreds of times
during the year batters hit sharp
grounders to the pitcher. which are
stopped almost before the batter gets
away from the plate. Perhaps ninety
nine times out OF hundred the batter
is an easy out. but nevertheless 1t dis
gusts to see the player quit cold and
refuse to run. Manager Hickey OF the
Brown had his own peculiar ideas on
such plays. He could forgive the play
er who erred badly when trying his
level best, but he had use for the
player who shirked his duty. and to
Manager Hickey running everything
out was first duty.
Ran out-Pop Fly.
liz The game l have in mind, Clarence
Walker. noted for his ability TO hit the
ball hard. sent mp a pop fly to the third
baseInan. No player in the game gets
moro satisfaction out of hitting them
far away than Walker. The look on
his face told me that Walker was more
than disgusted at his failure to hit
safely No doubt Walker felt like
walking back to the bench, assuming
that the catch would be made. How
ever. he knew that wrathy manager
would await his coming if he did such
thing. Contrary to the usual GUS
tom, Walker ran at top speed, just as
though there was chance for him 10
score a home run. lie paid no atteh
tion to the ball. for Hickey had drilled
into his players that at such a time it
was simply up to them to run, aside
The unexpected happened. the third
baseman. ordinarily sure catch. made
L bad mu1f of the ball. Walker was
nearing second at the time. Recover
ing the ball. the third sacker made
hurried throw to second in an effort
TO get Walker. The throw was a
weird one, and by some fast sprint
ing Walker beat the return of the
right fielder to the plate. Walker. SIM
ply because he had taken nothing for
granted. had scored a run Il pop
fly. on which the average runner would
have been contented to reach first base.
II proved the wisdom of Rickey's pol
icy in most conclusive manner.
Shotton Surprises the Pitcher.
Bert Shotton aside from being a
crack. outflelder. is one of the fastest
runners in the game. I don't believe
any player in the business can get
down to first base faster than Shotton.
He is called out on more close plays
at first during the season than two
or three ordinary players, because on
hits to the inf1eld that the average
player would be thrown out two or
three steps Shotton, because of his
great speed, makes them decidedly
close. The average fast runner will
cut loose any time he believes he has
at least an even chance, but there
are lot of speed merchants who re-
loose when 1t is 100 to / that they will
be thrown out city block. In the
saInc game in which Walker had made
the circuit because he had continued
to run out pop fly that eventually
was muffed Shotton pulled his little
s,unt that was equally worth while.
setting ball to his liking, he hit
L back at the pitcher with the speed
of a rife shot. 1t was in the pitchers
hand OH tie second bound. almost be-
fore Shotton had got away from the
plate. Regardless of Shottons great
speed. il seemed certain that he would
pc an easy out at first by at least ten
fcc:. figuring the pitcher took his time
u making the throw. Undoubtedly the
aeet outfelder didn't figure he had
ruch of a chance, but the way he tore
1own TO first base would never have
cSused one to think so. The pitcher
.ook little more time in making the
throw than he should have. because he
1idn't believe Shotton would tear -
irsr at top speed. when ready to make
he throw it was evident to him that
mere toss would not retire the run
irer: that il was necessary for him to
out something on the ball. He threw
nigh and wide to first base, and before
he bali was returned to the THfeld
shotton was resting on third base. He
scored from third a moment later on J.
Is to the outfe!d. These two runs.
rhich would never have been scored
rad Rickey's men played ordinary base
ball, decided the ball game.
Wor Title Of the Speed Boys.
Five or six years ago the Boston
team OF the American League was
Known as the Speed Boys. Individually
me players didn't loom up as wonder
fully fast men. but the club was al
ways cutting up capers on the bases.
The take-nothing-for-gr theory
was worked TO the limit. sometimes
o"erworked. SO that every now and
rhen some Boston player would be
nade TO look rather foolish, but a
greater part of the time they were
placing the opposition in the unfavor-
.oie light Game after game was won,
not because OF wonderful pitching. ter
-.flc siugginS or brilliant fielding, al
..ough the club showed well in all
:aese departments, but most OF the
games we're decided on the bases
hem were almost in the slow class
vas taking advantage OF what speed
nc possessed St Was ball club that
VAS constantly running. Such clubs
sooner or later get on the nerves oi
she opposition. and of course profi
.reatly thereby. There was a change
81 management In the Boston club q
year or SO later. and all of a sudden the
.itie of Speed Boys seemed anything
rut appropriate to the Boston team II
was the same identical ball club, but II
gas playing different kind of game
TIc speed was there, but the boys were
not taking advantage of the opportu-
nities offered.
ry Cobb Gives His Views.
regard Ty Cobb as one OF The