The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-06

head merely points the way. No gen. eral could win a fight unless the men | had the courage and the ability to deliver the punch. It is the combina- ton that counts. A soldier, I believe. | can fight much better and with more 1 intensity of immediate purpose if he does not have to bother and worry about the plans.
 Followed Instructions At no time and in no instance dur ing that series did the players fail to carry out my instructions to the letter. There were no arguments and no discussions as to the advisa- bility of this and that move. took l the entire responsibility and they seemed quite willing to let me shoul der what blame might come. If we had lost the series, l would have lost jit-not they. Our success can be laid to the fact, think, that had abso- | lute confidence in our players and i they had a similar confidence in me. I could not handle team that did not l have confidence in me-. and it is a i cinch that I would not have a group of players in whom I did not have confidence. All I want to know is that they are honestly trying to do what tell them. If they haven't the ability it Is my fault if I keep them. Never in my life have I blamed or criticised a ball player failing in an effort to carry out instructions. | Often We send up q pinch hitter only to have him strike out. That is a chance the manager takes. If it 1 fails he has no right to censure the 1 player. They can't always hit safely. If 1t were possible for a ball player always to carry out his instructions even to making the play success | ftt1 " would have haSe- ball. Managers could simply sit down in the spring and figure 1t out with pencil and paper.
 Doesn't Blame Players | I have made it a point, as I have said, never to blame player for fail- l ing in a sincere effort to carry out instructions from the bench, but I also have made 1t a point to censure i player, even if he won the game, by failing to obey orders. That l regard as necessary for discipline. At first had some difficulty in impressing this idea upon the team.
 | Back in 1905 I fined a played s25 for hitting home run with two on bases-a wallop that won the game. We had runners on first and second with none out, and I sent up Sammy i Strang to bunt. Sammy was good bunter and very fast on the bases. I wanted to make sure of his putting the ball down so as to advance the two runners.
 Fined for Homer
 I To my surprise the pitcher put the first one right in the groove and ] Sammy, swinging from his shoe strings, caught the ball squarely or the nose and knocked it over the right field fence for home run, bringing in the two runners with him i and winning the game.
 | As he came around the crowd be- gan applauding, and he was com pelled to take off his cap. Just at that moment he reached the dugout.
 "ThatIl cost you just twenty-five,' I said to him.
 "Twenty five? what'dy'r mean
 Mc?"
 .Didnt you have instructions to
 bunt that ball?"
 Sure, but say, Mc-that one came
 over there like a balloon. I just couldn't help taking a poke at it. Was
 a pip, wasn't it?"
 "Yes, but it'll cost you twenty five for disobeying instructions. Sup pose you'd hit into a double play?" "All right" he said, but the way that one felt guess it was worth it
 One of those to answer the ques- tionnaire asks if l think stars should
 be encouraged for the individual
 work or should they be made to play public like best?" he asks.
 The above incident is somewhat of an answer. but will attempt to ex- plain in more detail.
 Copyright 192s) United States and Can
 ada by the Christy Walsh Syndicate).