The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-07-13
YA|F MAKING MISTAKE IN THE
BASEBALL CONTROVERSY HUGH
ny HUGH FULLERTON

Bernie TommcrS, who mas Deen lhe
center OF Yale's recent athletic coh'ro-
yersv Is one Of the most different oaSe-
ball coaches In the world. the charso
OF the voluntary committee Whlch
started all the trouble, was That TOM
mers was lacking in both experience anu
in ability.
The appointment OF Jack Blossom
perhaps the grea test shortstop that
Yale ever had, will straighten out ina.
Part nf tho thing. II It ever existed. But
Inc odd thing IS that Yale did not como
20 the front with n statement or rom
mers's ability and his devotion to laie'
The charge that Tommcrs lacked ex-
perIencc IS based upon the fact that
he. did not hava major league expert
encc. and that hfs methods OF coachins
n team were not those Of tho profess
sional coaches. This Is true--ior
which, instead Of moaning, Yale should
give three cheers. The fact that rom
mers does nor follow. that he refuses
tn follow, tho methods Of professional
coachcs, ought 10 be his strongest
recommendation instead of the cause or
n knock.
College variety Best
He 10 a college man who believes that
college baseball Is the best KIND. HaF-
ing watched major league Dasenail io'
30 wears, and college baseball as often
rs could escape the other KIND, want
to 20 on record as claiming mat inc
COLLEGE variety OF baseball Is inc pest
and finest we produce. This - NOT Ci
course, claiming that It Is the most per-
feet kind Of baseball. In recent years
the worst feature of college basepail' III
NV estimation, Is that the colleges have
h,
brand Of baseball, kind of baseball
which neither fits them nor. in my est
nation, helps them much. 1t Is perhaps
tho right kind OF baseball for letter
nerfect profess. onal teams. but not FOR
college tear
1t IS rather funny for 4 hardened stu
dent of baseball 10 watch college teams
directed by old majo- leaguers playing
the game. They are too letter perfect
10 make interesting baseball; IN fact,
thew look mechanical. deadly dull, and
play automaton bascball--until the
break comes. Then we get a laugh
for the minute one team or the other
breaks both cut loose and revert TO the
old college style of baseball, depcnCIng
upon individual effort, spirit ana the
old fighting blood TO win. Then we
have Tho dash, tho hustle, the refusal
,t. admit defeat regardless of rho odds'
Tommers evidently Understands that
for he refuses 10 curb players, refuses
TO check them in throwing. he tells
them to throw, and keep throwing, TO
use their own heads instead or depend
ing upon directions from the oench' he
encourages individual players.
The charge has been made that Tom
mers refused professional assistance.
AS n matter Of fact, he invited IT, ana
begged for aid from every one ne
thought could help his teams. He had
Chief Bender out twice day working
with his pitchers and he testified that
Renders aid was great and that the
Improvement of his pitchers was re-
markable. Instead Of being selfish, tho
evidence Is that Tommers gave every
one credit-even too much-for what
they did. in basketball he was not
much Of a coach-and the material on
the Yale team was rotten: they admit
II. He sought outside aid and admitted
his own weaknesses.