New Britain herald., 1923-03-30
PITTSBURGH LOOKS CAPABLE
 OF CAUSING GIANTS TROUBLE
Moral of Team Is Good and Players Themselves Seem to Be Snappy Outfit When on the Diamond.
By Billy Evans.

 Ringing with the Pittsburgh Pirates takes you back to the good old col lcge days,
 Enough musical equipment to out it jazz orchestra Is carried by the Pirates. Several of the boys finger a mean banjo and guitar, while there arc enough good voices on the club to shame some Of the highly touted quartets that are playing big time.
 Manager Bill McKechnie is strong for music. Bill has a fine voice him. self, and is much sought after in- dividual when the athletes get ready to put on some close harmony.
 Once upon a time, not so long ego, there existed a rumor that the Pitts burg club was honeycombed with cliaues, that discipline was a lost art, and that training rules were made to be laughed at.
 Pirates One Happy Family.
 Possibly such a condition once ex- isted. but no more. The Pirates are one happy family. On the training trip. with the days grind over, mu- sic forms the chief recreation of the athletes A dozen of the players
  hath such charms that the others stick around to listen.
 There are no specific rules on the Pittsburg club. It doesn't seem as if any are required. McKechnie is the manager of the ball club. He is a real manager. The players are strong for him.
 In return McKechnie simply puts it up to the players to behave them selves, emphasizing the fact, how ever, that the player who fails to do so will suffer, not only because he has affected his own play but more so because his selfish tactics have injured the chances of his teammates, who are giving their best efforts.
 Kind Words for Schmidt.
 The Pittsburg club is going to be very much in the National League race during the coming season. First, | because the Pittsburg team is real pennant contender. Second, because every man on the club will be giving his best efforts. Third, because the team is sure to get commonsense management.
 McKechnie is level-headed chap who served his apprenticeship with the players, is able to get on a level with them and still retain the so called dignity of the manager
 For several years the sport sheets have featured Walter Schmidt in many a story. True. Schmidt has often played the role of holdout A holdout, however, does not mean that a player is a bad actor. When l player refuses to sign and thereby becomes holdout, it is merely a i difference of opinion between club and player as to the value of tc athlete.
 Yet Schmidt has often been | painted as disturber, player who always took the opposite view to that held by the manager. l would | say that such criticism was de- cidedly undeserved. Certainly no player on the Pittsburgh club seems stronger for McKechnie, no player is working harder, and no player is accomplishing more. Schmidt is a finished catcher. It is impossible to compute his value in developing young pitchers aside from his reg ular work.
 No Change in Lineup.
 The Pittsburg club has close to 50 ball players at the Springs, yet it is doubtful if any of them will cause the Pirate manager to shift his line- up of last season.
 The catching will be looked after by Schmidt, Gooch and Jonnard, with two collegians, Warwick and Mattox, as great prospects.
 The infeld will have Grim at first, Tierney at second. Maranville at short and Traynor at third. In the outfield will be Bigbee, Russell and Carey. Barnhardt will be ready for utility infield roles. while Cuyler is a great uotfield prospect.
 The pitching burden vii Hall on last years staff. The only new re- cruit who looks as if he would be able to step right in and help out is Koontz, secured from the Sacra- mento club of the Coast League. Owner Dreyfus had to bid high for Koontz, and Manager McKechnie says that present indications make it seem the money was well ex- pended.
 Traynor Real Star. I certainly was impressed by the work of Third Baseman Traynor.
 (Continued on Eleventh Page).