Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-09
PLAYING MANAGERS
SHOWING DISAPPEARING.
Bench Bosses Win the Honors-carri-
gan Only Playing Manager in Amer
lean League.

Is it possible for the manager of a
big league baseball club to play every
day and direct his team successfully?
When that question was asked five
years ago and more, it developed a
rapid fire argument. There were Con-
ME Mack, John McGraw and Hughey
Jennings as ammunition for the bench
manager 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
in the American league and three in
the National. One Of the latter trio,
Roger Bresnahan Of the Chicago Cubs,
probably will not catch so games in
the course of the coming season, while
it is not at all certain that Bill CARR
gan, who bosses the Boston Americans,
will go behind the bat in more than
SO battles. Therefore, the tendency
seems to be toward the man who does
not take an active part in the pas
timing.
If the managerial type were selected
from the result Of the 1914 major
league campaigns. the bench manager
| would win easily. George StalhngsJ
who drove the Boston Braves 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 a game, and yet he has
won more honors than any other base
| ball boss in modern times, His team
captured the American league pennant
last year-if you require that infor-
nation
Therefore, any way you choose to
! take it. the 1914 campaign in the big
show was a triumph for the bench
| manager-indeed. for the citizens
| clothes manager.
1t always has appeared best for the
| manager of a. team to conf1ne any work
| he may choose to do to coaching when
his taem is on the attack. For how in
| the world can Charley HerZog, of the
Reds, for example, know what is going
| on in the outfeld when his attention
has to be rfveted to a possible play at
! second base? Or how can Roger Bres-
nahan, 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 attention
to preventing the slugger from knock
| ing a home run? Again, what chance
| has Miller Huggins to plan inside at
lacking for the Cards when he is at
the plate trying to rap out single and
send in the tying run?
| Baseball today is a game of brains
and is usually Is up to the manager
-
players-and there are few exceptions
l-are mechanical to the extreme They
expect to be told when to bunt and
when to hit it out; when to come in
for a play at the plate and when to
stay out for double killing.
1t is well known that Connie Mack
| and George Stallings are supreme in
the course Of a game. They may per-
NIT certain players to use their own
Judgment on hitting, or bunting. OF
e%n
elaborate system of signs. and flash
them for almost every important move
| which comes up in the battle. And
because they sit on the bench, with
the whole battle before their eyes, an6
no individual efforts to distract thei1
attention, they are in a position &c
know what is best to do; in theil
Judgment, at least
/ Fred Clarke, when he was a playing
manager, was q 300 batsman and one
of the best left feeders in the bis
leagues. He could say to his players
do as do and well win" Further.
more, when the Pirates were suprem,
baseball was largely a game of SLUG
and field" Frank Chance, too, was {
thoroughly capable first baseman, al
wei as hrst-class batsman. but hi
had as his aides such hrainy player.
as Evers, Tinker, King and Mordeca
Brown. Clarke and Chance both fount
that they could not continue to play
and direct their teams. And neither
OF them was in need Of clutches whe1
he quit active work.
Coaching by The Boss Inspiring.
In spite of the fact that Mack and
Stallings do not wear a uniform and
depend upon their respective lieu.
tenants, Davis and Mitchell, for The
coaching and other field duties, 4
would appear that the manager wfs
gets out with his men once in a while
should get the best results. Espec.
tally has this been true OF John Nc.