The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-12-27


eruits Not Pleasing 20 Big Leaguers.
Joe Tinker Suggests Majors Have
School For Youngsters.
How 10 develop ball players is one Of
the perplex!pg problems that are dis
turbing the minds Of the many club
owners in the National and American
leagues. The present system of scour-
ing the different minor leagues for
talent Is unsatisfactory, because the
youngsters are not taught how to play
the game properly. They are left to
their own resources and II they hit
and appear skillful on the field are
bought by the majors After they
come up they have 10 be drilled IN the
intricate points Of the sport.
Few bali players who come up from
the minors make good. In nine cases
out Of ten the major league manager
has to keep a player ON the bench for a
year or two before he is ready to take
n regular place on tho club. While he
is sitting on the bench he IS being
schooled howsto run the bases, bunt.
slide, throw and many other things
that go 10 make him finished athlete.
One would think he would learn all
this in the minors. but he does not, for
II seems as if the leaders in the small.
or circuit do not take the time to teach
him
Present Method Unsatisfactory.
Major league magnates and man-
ayers know this and are DESTROYS Of
deyising some way to develop men
without paying eXorbitant sums for
them, rs they have been doing to date.
Players are purchased nowadays for
large sums only TO 60 back to the
bushes. The result Of this is the major
league owners arc the losers and find
1t necessary to scout around for other
men 20 he taken on trial Occasionally
players are taken from the minors who
have ability, but before they become
major lcaguers they are carried for a
season or two to be taught the biz
league method Of playing.
The Chicago National league team
spent large amount OF money foi
players who were touted as wonders in
the minor leagues in which they played
They came UP. donned uniforms and
were found deficient in the art Of play
ing. They were not even schooled ir
the minor points of the game Tive
pitchers were purchased, and neithe,
one knew how to hold up n runner a
first base saying he was not taught
TO do 1t. All they knew was to throw
the ball over the plate with all the
stun they could put in it.
Here Is Joe Tinker's Plan.
Joe Tinker OC the Chicago Cubs ant
Adolph Spielmann discussed the subjec
Of development of ball players recent
", and both suggested scheme tina
Is not ut all impraCticablc or impossible
Neither one approves the method o
purchasing players from the minors 70
unreasonable prices. because too man.
or them prove 10 be lemons. They L.
not think the scouting system goo,
one aud believe the time is ripe 70
each major league team to develop il
own players at home. Their suggestion
IS this:
Have each major league team sc
from six to fifteen promising player
and sign them to contracts. Appoin
an assistant manager 10 instruct then
tn the rudimcntS Of the game ut tn
home park all summer long. Exhib
ton games could be played with semi
pro teams in and about the city. whie
would give the men actual competition
Tinker aud Spiclmann figure that thi
scheme would he cheaper and the ma
tor league owner would he sure of wha
he was getting for his team. I'm add
ton ia this. i'm the case Of many ace
dents he would have access TO th
squad Of players under the eye Of tn
assistant manager or coach.