New-York tribune., 1920-03-31

keeper Phil Schenck and the club sec
The players were asked through theirs
committee how they would have divided
the money. They thought twenty-five
shares would have been right. declaring
out McGraw and Russell and splitting
share between the trainer and the Sec
retary.
Division Up to Players
The colonels insisted that McGraw
and Russell, who had been given
shares, should keep the money. This
accounted for two of the FIVE shares in
dispute. One other share the players
had granted. So the Yankee owners
agreed to donate to the twenty-four
players now interested sum equal to
two of the original shares, or $915.70
(S457.S5 peri, and this cut twenty ways
will give each maleontent $3S. .1b-if the
division is made equally. That is up
to the players.
The owners wash their hands in
signing the check for the amount. The
club secretary, the trainer. the ground
hold what they have. And everybody is
happy till some new wrinkle develops.
The victory of the Yankees over the
Reds yesterday, while little to brag
about aside from New York's lucid
demonstration of real offensive punch,
furnished an opportunity for Muddy
Ruel to prove his worth as backstop
in fast company. This young catcher
looked like a million dollars worth of
ordinary material behind the plate, and
if his form is to be taken as a criterion
then the Yankees should have q much
better chance than any rival to walk
off with the next American League
pennant.
Up to this year Ruel was a rather
snowy lad. He was hard worker, al
ways on the job, backing up plays at
first and third when his presence there
warranted. A fine thrower, but none
the less he was not particularly strong
as a strategist. He was slow to size
up situations out of the ordinary;. in
than brainy. Of course, he always had
plenty of time to learn. He came to
the Yankees after one years experience
in professional baseball.
One Years Experience
Last season was really the first time
he gained recognition as major
league regular. Bob Gilks, superin-
tendent of the Dover Hall Club and
scout for the Yankees, declared at the
time he dug up Ruel in the Southern
Association he would live to see the
day that Muddy would be ranked in
playing worth with Ray Schalk, Steve
O'Neill and their kind. That is among
the very 5est.
day celebration, saw at least one after
noon when Ruel made good all his pre-
dictions. No one of all the Yankees
stood out in the triumph over the Reds
more prominently than the little back
stop. Ruel did everything that could
be asked for Extensively. He worked
Ruether for pass and he hit Dutch
for single. He found Luque for a
triple. He scored two runs.
Defensively he was even a more
marked success. Three times in the
pinches Ruel came to the assistance of
his battery mate in tight quarters
when the Reds seemed bent upon
organizing a sorte. He trapped Dun
can off third with snap throw in the
second inning. which Duncan started
by trpling off Mogridge. He pulled
TIE same thing at the same corner on
Greasy Neale in the sixth, when Mays
was in the box and being punished
Lecause of butterfingered support.
In the fourth Ruel sneaked to first
while Walter Pipp was in pursuit of
Wingo's foul and took throw that
doubled Neale off the bag. But it was
his every action behind the plate that
impressed most; the way he handled
the pitchers and the judgment he
showed in directing their fire. Rucl
every minute looked like young man
who had really found himself at last,
as many good players who have gone
before him often have done, apparently
overnight.
Granting that Ruel proves the catcher
he should be when he gets his throw
ing arm tuned to concert pitch, the
Yankees will be doubly dangerous. 1t
was possible weakness behind the
plate that had the we'll wishers of the
Hugmen guessing a bit. Huggins has
wonderful wealth of pitching ma
terial: The pitchers are good now,
though not yet at their beat.
=. BY the time the season opens the
New York American League Clubs
pitching staff should be about as fine
one as any ever known to the game.
Good pitching needs fine handling. If
Ruel should prove second Schalk or
second O'Neill it would mean ada
mant battery strength, and that, with
the wallop the team carries, would be
practically enough.
West Virginia Retains McIntire
MOPC Wy W .N1r ~