Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-17
MACK'S RECRUITS HAVE NOT
SHOWN EXPECTED FORM, BUT
PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE
Several Youngsters Have Proved Disappont-
ments, But Others Have Surprised and With New
Il Men Coming New Team Will Be Strong
By CHANDLER D. RICHTER

| been woefully weak at the bat AT Maine
| Lawry was considered the fastest ball
player in the game and one OF the best
sprlnters in the East, and he seems to be
| thinking too much of getting away from
| the plate. This has affected his batting,
as he has not Hsen stepping firmly on to his
front foot as he swings.
I,awry does not fear the pitching and Is
not pulling" as most youngsters do, but
merely is trying to get away to flying
start He is ideally built for lead-off
man, and that probably Ia what he will be
doing when the 1917 season opens Let us
hope the fans are patient with him for the
present.
Macks greatest difficulty appears to be In
finding two capable outheiders. At the
start OF the season this department appar-
emily needed but little attention FOR few
years. but the departure OF Rube Oldring
leaves one regular and one utility outheld
position to be fled
Iannlng, n pitcher In college, and Mitter-
ling, formerly of Ursinus, have been tried
in the outfleld, and the latter Is still there !;
but neither sizes up to the major league
standard nor are they likely to.
Weak on Curve Ball
Nttterllng has hit fairly we'll in several
games. but appears TO have natural
weakness for curve-ball pitching, and prob
ably will become weaker instead of stronger
after facing high-class twirling for a long
stretch. He is a clever fielder. but Is not
fast enough on his feet for outfielder. 1t
is possible that he might improve wonder
fully, but It Ia extremely doubtful.
That Manager Mack also believes that
his outheld recruits are going 90 dlsappoint
him is evident as he declares that Wally
Schang will continue In left field and that
he will not return to catching unless he
(Nfack) is unable to develop another capa-
BILE receiver to aid Bill Meyer
At the present time Carroll, the Tufts
tu hnt,, ri. shpN tterb
trial and he looks like a great prospect
Carroll has looked weak at bat, but that is
to be expected of n catcher, particularly
as a recruit. In other departments Carroll
has shown up splenddly.
The foundation of all great teams ia the
pitching staff, and II Is upon this depaN-
ment that Mack is concentrating at the
present time. Until the pitchers show the
rest of the new team will be slow develop
ing. With Joe Bush or Elmer Myers on the
mound the youngsters look like different
team. even at the present time and when
the time comes when Mack can send
dependable hurler to the mound each day
his team will come with rush.
1t takes time to develop a high-class
pitcher because, as a rule. the man with
the greatest amount of stuff" is the slowest
to show real form. This accounts for the
scarcity of first-year pitching sensations,
who continue to shine in the big show.
Mack already has the material at hand
Bush and Myers are stars of unqueston-
able ability Mt the present time while Ma
bors and Sheehan have improved rapidly.
Neither is winning, but they are learning
and are getting so that they know how to
pitch. In another year both will be stars.
Pitchers Slow Showing
Several college pitchers have been tried
out, and after failing to show well have
been released. and Mack now has only
Hasselbacher Williams and Lannng, from
whom he expects anything. The latter has
not been tried on the mound yet but Is due
to start a game this week. He Is n south
paw and has quite n curve ball, along with
great speed II he can show well in the
game as he does in practice Mack has at
hand the much needed southpaw after he
has been schooled for n few months.
Hasselbacher and Williams have ap-
peared In several games with little success
but both have a great deal of natural
ability. It will require several weeks to
learn whether they are capable OF improv-
ing. or II they will stay just where they
are at the present time.
All things considered. Mack has made ex-
cellent progress. but not quite so much as
he expected, and still needs one or two
more youngsters of the Witt type. But
when one considers that Mack has McInnis,
Laioie, Witt. Pick Strunk, Walsh and
Schang capable of holding down regular
positions, the wizard manager will be in
excellent shape to start the 1917 season