Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-04
Magnatss Prefer Players Who
TwIrIod or Received.
JOHN M'GRAW An EXCEPTION
Robinson, Moran and Stallings All Are
Former Catchers--Bill Carrisan and
Connie Mack Were Baokstops Too.
Mitchell, Now Manager Of Cubs, Play.
Cd Eoth Ends.

Ii you were to select manager 10
pilot big league club would it make
any difference to you whether an Az
plicant served bis big league apprcn.
| ticeship MS pitcher, catcher, outiieldei
or iniielder? Perhaps not But il the
applicant can show battery experience
It seems to carry a lot Of weight with
| tho men who employ big league man
ageIs 1t must be more than a conci
dense that ten Of the sixteen major
league managers won their spurs in
the battery department, with the catch
ers predominnting.
The three men who finished one, two
and three In the National league last
season Robinson, Moran and Stallings
all are former catchers Bill Carri-
gan, who won two worlds pennants
for Boston, was a catcher, and Connie
Mack, who won more big league pen
n0nts than any man in the history OF
baseball, also was catcher
Look over the managers and observe
how the battery material stands ont.
In the National league six leaders art
former battery men, four of them hay
Ing served as catchers. Robby, Moran
and Stallings already have been men
toned
Fred Mitchell. the new manager of
the Cubs, worked both ends Of the bat
terry game. He pitched for the Rcd Sox,
Athletics, rhillies and Brooklyn and
caught for the Yankees. Mathewson
and Callahan are former pitchers. 1t
Is true Cal completed his playing ca.
rcer as an onttelder, but he was a
pitcher until his arm went back on
him, has won no hit laurcls aud always
was pitcher at heart
The only managers In the Nationa,
league who did not work either end
of the battery game are John J. Nc
Graw, the high salaried managerial
prince Of the Giants, former third
baseman. and Miller Higgins Of the
Cardinals, who held down second base
very ably until he retired from active
service last season.
Going over to the American league,
the battery men divide honors with
nonbattery men fifty fifty. Mack OF
the Athletics and Foil OF Cleveland
are former catchcrs, and Griffith Of
Washington and Donovan Of the Yam
KEGS were famous pitchers I'm their
days.
Jack Barry Of the Red Sox, the only
playing manager left IN the game, still
IN grand inhelder, while Hughie Jen-
nlngs OF the Tigers, like Barry. won his
greatest rcnown at shortstop.
However. 1t must be added It Ia only
lntely that battery managers are reap
ing much success, especially IN the IA,
tlonal league. In the late eighties and
nineties the great managers were Cap
Anson, a FIRST bascman; Ned Hnnlon.
an outfeldcr, who won three pcnnants
In baltimore and two IN Brooklyn, and
Frank selee. cA'ilan nonplaying
manager who led the great Boston
champions Of 1897 and 1893 and built
up the Cubs In Chicago, which later
We're inherited by Frank Chance
From 1901 to 1913 Fred Clarke, John
McGraw and Frank Chance, outfcllcr.
third bnseman and first baseman, re-
spectlvcly. won everything IN the Ma.
tional League. McGraw winning FIVE
pcnnants and Chance and Clarke four
each. After that three catching man
ngers won the National league chnin-
pionship In succeeding years, Stnllings
In 1914, Moran In 1915 and Robinson IN
| 1910.
Mnck's presence n felt throughout
the history q the AmcrlcAl league lie
49, ->~~s~r---~ ---~QsSum-.