Evening star., 1924-01-06

'ENllu ttlSI, JuSE as WouiN W
much is that suit?" he said to the as
for So-and- So:
Which isn't the way base ball deals
arc begun at all. Bancroft knows 1t
now. He has found out that the way
followed by all of the successful
traders in the base ball business is
never to tell what you want; to men
tion every one else on the other fell
lows team except the man you do
something disparaging about that
one. That is the real way ~ '""""
Bancroft may adopt it. Perhaps he
won't. He is too frank anu sl.....,-L- -
forward, II would seem, ever 70 be
able to do the sort of haggling, STALL
filling which seems to be essential in
the juggling of base ball players
But this David James Bancroft.
born thirty-one years ago, and the
only active playing manager In the
National League. has other admirable
qualities
Fans Know His Worth.
The fans of every city in the cir
cult are familiar with his wonderful
worth as a shortstop and as a timely
and hard batsman. They know him
as an earnest. plucky fighter. who
does not give up till the ninth inning
is ended. Whether he has the bal
ance. the ability to control his tenn
per in the handling of men, which he
must have in order to become a sue
cessful manager, of course, only time
will tell To one who has watched
the veteran player-for he is vet
cram though only thirty-one-i it
would seem that he has these quail
ties and that he will succeed.
i've got my chance. If three years
under the greatest manager In base
ball. John McGraw, and working for
the man who was the greatest pltcner
in the game. Christy Mathewson.
mean anything. I ought TO make good
in the biggest opportunity of my life
managing the Boston club
Bancroft says this, and he means
it. He has reached the goal for which
all players strive-the leadership of a
big league team. True. the Braves
been doing SO well of late, but Ban
croft says he wishes 1T that way.
How Bancroft Reasons.
IF 1 had been named manager OF a
team that was winning and way UP in
the race I d have TO keep them there.
If did the team would get the credit.
If I didn't I'd get the blame. With a
tail-end club you've the comfort or
knowing that things cane be any
worse, that any improvement VIII
count and that there's always the
chance to become a miracle man by
bringing a tail-ender home in front"
Deep down in his heart Bancroft be-
lieves he can be a miracle man and
can make history repeat. George Stall
ings took team of respondent Braves
in eighth place in 1912, jerked them to
fifth place in 1913 and to a pennant in
1914. Bancroft has better team to
start with now than Stallings ever had,
and he says that if he isn't up there"
in 1924 he will be in 1925. He believes
ne can turn the trick. He believes he
is a man of destiny He has a
''hunch.' as the players put IL, that he
is going to succeed.
On the night of November 12. when
the trade OF Bancroft to the Braves was
made. John ]. McGraw made one of
his terse statements, explaining the
why of the deal-'why'' he had let
the best shortstop in the National
This statement was: First, for
the good of base ball; second,
from a desire to do something big
for my old friend Matty; and third, to
give Bancroft the opportunity which is
due him TO become big league man
ager."
do you know said Bancroft in
Chicago the other day, 81 think Mac
meant every word of 1t. He might have
picked some one else for the job or he
might have used me to better advan-
ytage in some other deal But he didn't.
I1t " dHlcu W EiNC iilo itts SIioASSb saiN
it's pleasure to think that ! am going
to get with such a man as Matty."
Though he has been playing in the
big leagues for nine seasons, Dave is
not ready to retire to the bench yet,
and 1t is from him as shortstop regu-
larly that the Boston fans may expect
the biggest improvement in the de-
fensive work Of the club.
Playing and managing are not go
ing to both me bit," says Banny.
"I've been captain of a team so long 1t
Just seems natural for me to run things.
doing the thinking for myself"
Watch for the pepper"
There is one thing that the Boston
club will not lack next summer, one
of the things which make great ball
teams out of collections of mediocre
players, and that is "pep"-the quail
ity known on the diamond as hustle"
The Braves of 1924, unless all of the
players who will wear the uniform
suddenly somersault In their charac-
teristics for years back, will be a
team of hustlers. Perhaps the fans of
the Hub will change the teams nick
namS to "Banny's Bumblebees," for
with Bancroft, as energetic a battler
during the course of game as the
diamond knows, to lead them, there is
no telling where Mickey O'Neil. Earl
Smith. Tony Boeckel and Cotton"
Tierney will stop. Not one 0f this
last named quartet can keep silent
for a moment. and II will be not un-
like a swarm of bees to see them
go 'all over an umpire when an adj
verse decision is rendered.
However, that is the quality that
any successful team must have, and
the canny Bancroft knows it. He
knew 1t when he got the scrapping
Tierney In place of the gentlemanly
Ford. He knew 1t when he got Kel-
ieher as a utility infielder. He wants
who can make the other men
''hustle" for their jobs-for there is
more to this 'hustllng" thing than
the mere mouthing of words and
slapping of gloves. With capable
substitutes waiting on the side lines
regulars will play hard and fast fol
every inning of every game.
VIII Have Five Ex-Giants.
'I won't ask any man to work any
harder than do" says Bancroft. I'll
know we are ding somewhere. Ano
If we have little luck with the
pitching I think We are pretty sure
to get somewhere
Bancroft will have five Giants who
played on the last three champion.
he starts business next spring. Ir
addition to himself at shortstop hi
will have Casey Stengel and Bill
Cunningham. outfielders, and a world
series battery in Jess Barnes and
Earl Smith. He. will have another
pitcher who was'a member of three
other championship teams which Nc.
Graw had in 1911, 1919 and 1913
Rube Marquard. His team will be
well grounded in the McGraw style
of play. Bancroft probably will
adopt the McGraw style, and as he
has been a fairly consistent winnss