Evening star., 1925-01-29


tracks. Thanks to him overcame
me making good.
I'D like to be able to eat those
told Griffith one day after an unu:
'If you are half as good as he is,
TIL be satisfied" the veteran leader
replied. Hes the type of second
baseman to watch closely. You can
learn a lot from him. Did you no
tice any good points in his play
when the Sex were in Washington
last Fall?"
He has a system to prevent a
mixup with his outfielders when he
goes after a short fly" I answered.
'I noticed that he waved his arms
to let them know he would take the
ball. I can see they could get that
signal where they might not be able
to hear him shout II the crowd
was making much noise"
You learned something there.
Bucky" Griffith said. He seemed
pleased. Take a leaf out of that
birds book. You may save a few
games some time when they're need
ed. If an inf1elder and an outfielder
really go after a short-hit fly, about
four times out of ten it falls safe
unless some signal system is used"
Learns to Shorten Stride.
The Washington leader did more
than improve my fielding on flies. He
drilled me in pulling up short in my
stride while going after a ball hit
, toward second. l had been In the
habit of running all the way to the
bag before shooting the ball to first.
He taught me to pull up sharp, slide
my foot to the cushion and be set to
make the play at the first corner.
Such instruction also helped me in
going to second to take a throw from
the shortstop or third baseman and
pivot for double play / saved a
good stride by the lessons. Most times
that is all the difference between
making a double play and retiring
only one runner. The margin be-
tween success and failure in base
ball, as in life itself, is seldom very
great. Attention TO the little things,
in learning your business, always
pays in the long run.
l soon learned l needed steadiness
more than anything else. 1 realized
that no matter how speedy l became
/ couldn't be erratic and successful.
l worked overtime in the training
camp and on the transforming trip
with the then world champion Reds to
become steady. l made my full share
of errors and wild throws while
schooling myself. In the long run,
however, the extra effort was worth
while. You can't really improve your
self without hard work and plenty
of it.
Studied Collins Methods.
studied Eddie Collins closely from
the time 1 joined Washington. He is
the greatest second baseman l have
over seen. Plays which are difficult
for even a finished infielder are made
to appear almost ridiculously easy by
the former Columbia University ath-
1etic star. l have never seen his
equal in tagging runners. I have
tried to copy his style in going after
short flies, getting the ball off and
in other ways. 1 never could learn to
ride runner to the bag as he does
"A second baseman could watch him
every day in the season and learn
something.
Close study of Collins style helped
teach me the value of concentration
/ learned that 1t was necessary to
keep mentally as weIl as physically
alert, to figure out the immediate play
and what it might develop. Collins
knew the batting strength and weak
ness of the older players in the
league. He knew their tricks on the
bases. He studied the newcomers
until he knew as much about them
/ could see that when he was in a
game he never thought about any
Thing else. Because he was so intent
upon his business he made few mis-
takes. He was rightly called the
king of second basemen, and vet he
didn't think he knew it ALL With
such an attitude and his wonderful
natural ability he couldn't help but
reach the top and stay there many
years.
Listed as Regular at Last.
Griffith. while working to improve
my fielding, didn't neglect drilling me
at bat in training camp. He decided
l was natural choke style batter.
He thought 1 might succeed as a hit
and-run man. He coached me In the
hope that 1 would fill the place of
Eddie Foster in this respect. Foster
could hit behind a runner with the
best the game has produced His
was a hard position in the batting
order for me to fill. 1 had to do a lot
of work before 1 earned the right to
hit next to the lead-off man.
1 enjoyed the intensive drills before
the opening Of the season. l was
learning something each day. Grif-
nth was a hard taskmaster, but he
was wonderful teacher. He kept
the regulars and recruits on their
toes all the time we were on the ball
field. When the days work was done
we were so tired that no one thought
of keeping late hours. We were sup
posed to be in bed at 10 o'clock. Most
nights l was sound asleep long be-
fore that time.
The discipline in the Tampa camp.
as in most big league training places,
was largely imposed by the players
themselves. The veterans knew they
had to work to get in condition. The
youngsters wouldn't sacrifice a chance
to earn a regular berth by breaking
training. Dissipation in the Sp4 d: g
training season is almost unknown.
The business of getting in condition
to play through a hard season is a
serious one. A players means of live
lihood may depend on his Showing G
over few weeks. When we left
Tampa on long trip with the Reds,
1 had the satisfaction of knowing my
work had not been in vain. l was
listed as Washington's regular second
baseman.
Copyright 1929
Tomorrow: One Hit Puts Me in tn