New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-08
Many of the Giants on
Anxious Seat After
Visit, However.
BESCHER ESPECIALLY
ILL AT EASE NOW
Why McGraw Encourages His
Men to Play Bridge, Chess
and Checkers.
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

Marlin, Tex, March miller Hug
gins came here this afternoon to shop,
but after McGraw had pulled all the
goods from the shelves the customer
departed without taking thing.
But the Giants are still nervous, for
they fear that the manager OF the Car
dinals will return. In particular, Bob
Bescher Is i'll at ease, for Higgins
seemed TO take . liking to him. The
outfielder and the visitor held long
conference, and IL is generally believed
that Bescher is the man whom NcGraw
has offered in exchange for Poll Per.
rift. However, no decision was reached
TO day, and the deal is still hanging
fire.
Bescher, like most men in the base
ball game, has no desire to play in St.
Louis. Davey Robertson is another
who fears that a st. Louis fate yawns
in front Of him. Robertson positively
declared that he would not go to the
Cardinals, and limited darkly that there
was another league which might be
glad to get him.
McGraw will make every effort to CO.
operate with Higgins in completing the
deal for he knows that unless 1t is set
tied he will have a number Of nervous
baseball players in his camp.
An experienced moving picture fan
once told us that Christy Mathewson
was an excellent Aim actor in other re-
spects, but that he failed in his love
scenes. He mentioned the matter to
Matty, and he had ready alibi.
you see" he explained. my wife
saw the first pictures | was in and she
told me that did the love scenes en-
tirely too ardently to suit her. After
that | was under strong pull when
ever il came to the sentimental stuff in
any picture
Our attention has been called to
piece in "The New York American" in
which Damon Runyon. a humorous
writer. facetiously declared that Nc
Graw, Merkle and Math ~wson have OBJ
tanned the American rights to use in
auction bridge.
Herbert Spencer, we understand, once
remarked that 20 play billiards pretty
we'll was the mark of a gentleman, but
that TO play overwell was an indication
Of a msspent youth. Our bridge fur
nishes z rough analogy If the pretty"
is not stressed too much. While the
manager and his accomplices were
wasting their time with Foster and FL
we'll we were better engaged in tigur-
ing out the odds against inside
straights.
There are more players of bridge,
chess, checkers and other mentally eX-
acting games among the Giants than in
any other club in the big leagues. This
is probably due TO the fact that Nc
Graw has always encouraged such
games among his players. with few
exceptions" he declared. "the problem
Of the big league manaSr IS not to
keep his men from breaking training,
but to prevent them from getting stale.
"A big league race provides severe
mental strain over a long period OF
time, and most players intensity this
strain by thinking and talking baseball
after a game is over. Auction or check.
ers takes hold Of players mind and
makes him forget what happened on the
diamond for little while. I've been
managing a big league club for long
time. and | think | put just about as
much Of myself into game as any
other manager, but | keep my health
because ! can forget game when It's
over