Evening star., 1919-09-21

ayers who have ironclad rules about
discipline. and department that must
heavy fine. There are no such rules
on the Cincinnati and Chicago clubs.
Moran and Gleason are on the square
with their men and they work along
the theory that any player worth
while will give them similar treat
ment in return. The honor system
prevails at Cincinnati and Chicago,
and it is big success. In another
way Gleason and Moran differ most
emphatically from great many other
league managers.
1 know Of SOME major league mana
gers who associate with their play
ers, in a close way only during. the
progress of the game. At other times
that there must be a certain line
drawn in order that the player shall
have the proper respect for the mana
ger. Moran and Gleason do not work
along these lines at all. A close rela-
tionship exists between both of these
managers and their players. In the
evening it is not an uncommon ming
to see Moran and Gleason in c;A the cen =.
varous tsl OF phasep floae Of Of RleSsa the game.
Most Of the Chicago players regard
Gleason more in the light of father
than a manager. All have whole
and many a laughable story is told
by the Chicago players OF Gleason and
his razor strop. 1t is said that on
several occasions. largely in a spirit
of jest, he has soundly spanked some
Of the players. greatly to the enjoy
ment of a number of the others who
looked on. On the Chicago club 1t is
said that a threat to bring the razor
strop into play is a far more benef1-
cial remedy than the suggestion OF
a fine.
Highly Esteemed by Players.
One can get pretty good idea of
how a manager stands with his play
ers by the remarks they make when
some one speaks of their leader. Ask
Cincinnati or Chicago player what
he thinks of Moran or Gleason, and 1t
is thousand to one that most OF the
answers will be along this line: HE
is the greatest fellow in the world to
work for" why, 1 would play my
head off for that fellow. The only
way they can keep me out or the
game Is to cut off an arm or leg
"He is the best fellow / ever work I'd
for" IF a man can't play ball for
him, he can't do it for any one" They
don't make them any better than
him." "Give him fifty-ffty effort and
he will just about give you seventy.
FIVE and twenty FIVE in return If
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given the player always gets the
credit
! That is the way the Cincinnati and
Chicago players talk about their
leaders, Moran and Gleason. When
you get an expression of that sort,
from the clubhouse boy to the star, 1t
is easy to see why the two clubs We're
a contender from the very start:
There is no knocking on the Reds and
White Sox. There Is no undercurrent
Of displeasure between player and
manager that very often exists on
major league clubs. Both aggrega-
tions are just one big, happily FAMILY:
Gleason and Moran treat them all
alike, they play no favorites. The
mediocre player gets just as much
consideration from Pat and Kid as
system. 1t has done big things Tor
both clubs.
When the barrier was sprung on
the 1919 pennant race no one gave
much consideration to Cincinnati and
Chicago. True, Cincinnati had led the
league in batting the year previous,
but that didn't get much attention
from the critics. 1t was regarded as
a team that lacked balance, co-ordina-
ton. When Pat Moran was selected
as leader to succeed Christy Mathew
son. he had what seemed just a fair
ball club. I say fair ball club, be-
cause it was very doubtful who would
play the very vital positions Of short
stop, and first and second base. In
Heine Groh he had one of the very
best little third sackers in the busi-
ness. but the other positions were in
doubt. That isn't a very pleasant
prospect for a manager just taking
charge of q new team. On paper it