Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-05
HARD SHEDDING FOR ROOKIE
Recruit Doesn't Have the Chance to
Show His Worth in These Mod
ern Days, Says Menke.
HOW SOME GREATS WERE MADE

NEW YORK. March f--The chances OF
q ''rookis" making good in the majors
are smaller today than they were In
other days when the clubs took only a
half dozen youngstcrs-or a dozen at the
nost--to the southern training camps.
Il j. the custom these days for club
owners TO grab off from ten to twenty
five bushers and turn them over to the
manager for tryouts during the few
weeks that the training season lasts.
When a manager has that many young
sters TO look over. II IL certain that he
cannot give much time to each. Usually
those he picks are the flashiest lockers
and be let's go the others who do not
/show up well right from the jump. II Ia
the logical thing to do. OF course. but
very often the flasny player flivvers
later, and the one who Is turned back Is
the real star.
One OF the greatest pitchers OF all time
made miserable showing during his
rookie" days and during his first season
as a major. Had he been a youngster In
this era he probably would have been
dumped back into the bushea-to rise no
more. But he lived his youth IN the days
when clubs didn't carry a small army Of
AaiNtAs anu ~ MS HAHHaEfF nN0 Time 10
give him thorough tIyont
The Tale OF mig SIX"
The pitcher IA Christy Mathewson. he
Joined the Giants in 100 neraided as
wonder, just the same way that a score
Of bushers arc heraided each year now.
Matty was given tryout against Brook
iyn IN July--and he was batted out OF
the box. He seemed 20 have nothing
~ he. a.
mound-each time he was walioped.
Matty pitched three games in 1900
and showed nothing startling IN any OF
them. In the spring Of 1901 ne was taken
south. but he showed nothing fashy.
There was nothing spectacular about
him. lie had been forced TO fight II
out In these days with lot OF brilliant
looking youngsters. II IL possible that he
would have lost out-and gone back TO
the minora.
But the old time clubs weren's ever
burdened with minor league taient-and
every man who Joined a big league club
was given a chance 10 make good. In
the next season-i903-M won thirteen
games and lost eighteen. Tor an aver
age Of .ti9 giving him grand average
OF 1865 for three seasons--a miserable
showing.
What do you think would happen in
these days 20 major league pitcher
who, after three seasons in fast COM
pany. averaged only 465?
Tyrus Raymond Cobb never may have
become a major league star II the present
day methods concerning rockies" had
been IN force IN 1906 when he Joined the
Tigers The Georgia Peach" arrived In
the Tiger camp labeled a real wonder
but tho labelling was no different than
that which Is applied to at least dozen
other bush ieaeuorh. II was up to Cobb
, 20 prove himself
IN 1906 Cobb worked IN forty-one games.
fila fielding was atrocious. He had come
billed as a elugger. yet in $50 trips TO the
plate IN that season he hit safely only
thlrty-eix times His average was .2ao.
What do you think would happen in thii
day and ago II younester hit for only
10 in his first year as major, and
fieided IN way that made Il soem 40 u
he were burlesquing the art7
But Cobb fingered. Hushie Jennings
gave lot of time and attention TO him
And DO you know whyg Simply because
Hughes roster wasn't loaded down with
lot OF high priced minor league talent n
those days. He had TO pick his team from
ro,la chocse 49,, ,,nse NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. a.
sur.1efv ira Ma ! ehance ~, s,,,,,v <,cons
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Hoo'e ~oslins MI TOT only 'S's ~ w
~nen ne Joined me Athieues ana ~
olon,t seem g oe ape 70 pay eisne'
+ snort oF thira' net TONNE hnpt MN
Simply because Sonnie's roster wash
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