Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-20

a mistaken idea that spring train
ing consists of drilling the players
into certain plays. That is merely
incidental. The main idea is to get
them in physical condition to stand
q grind of six months. l always
take at least seven weeks for this
work, for L don't believe that man
can be trained in less time than that
to last six months. The work has
to be done gradually. Lame legs
and arms must be Strengthened out
and the batters must get their eyes
accustomed to the sharp breaks of
curve balls. This takes time.
Players Take. Care OF Themselves
Another mistaken idea of the
public is that training consist of
giving the players certain kinds of
food and putting them through GER
tain athletic stunts. L do nothing
of the kind. The players are sup
posed to take care of themselves.
They are allowed to eat what they
please. II they suffer from it, it is
their own fault, and they quickly
realize it. L do not stop them from
smoking or any other little habits
that they may have taken up. In
other words, the idea is for them to
live naturally and develop physical
ly at the same time. The ball play
er must live through six months of
hard playing, and if he does not do
it naturally it will be a hardship
that he cannot stand. The prize
fighter or the football player trains
for a certain big>event, and when
that is over they can go back to their
| natural style of living. But the bail
player must keep up his work for
six or seven months. He has to be
fitted for that just the same as a
man in any other line of business.
II find in spring training that the
players often tire of their work on
the diamond. That is why 1 have
introduced such pastimes as tennis,
handball, pushball, etc. 1t takes the
mind off baseball and keeps the
players at work at the same time.
1T is never necessary to do much
instructing with the veteran ball
players. They know what to do, as
rule. and the thing is to get them
in condition to do it. With the
youngsters it is different They
have to be tried out in many ways
SO as to see what real ability they
possess. The best way to do this is
to get them into a practice game and
unconsciously. Often a youngster
will be very nervous at the start, and
to put him at his ease 1 have to
place him in position where he is
not expecting criticism. The first
thing L look for in a young ball
player is speed. If he is slow, there
is little use of his starting, unless
he happens to be a catcher or pitch
er. Speed counts more than every
thing else in baseball. 1t is the diff
ference between the big Lacquer and
the minor. After looking at a
youngsters speed, the next thing is
his temperament. Quick thinkers
are born and not made.
IT have found that the only way
to get results in training is to be
systematic. / work the men two
hours every morning and two hours
in the afternoon. L work just as
hard as they do. 1t is pretty hard
on me at first, but / know that
have got to show a willingness to
do anything that 1 would ask the
players to do. l am not as young
as some of these recruits and it
comes hard at times, but I get re-
suits from it because the youngsters
arc asham ed not to stick as long as
L do. AT that, L rather enjoy the
training, for it always puts me in
good physical condition, whether /
play or not. / like to play base
ball. and i always play in the prac-