Evening star., 1925-06-07


The young player coming up from
minor league knows that he must be
at his best during the training season
so as to make a showing. Some OF
the college men failed to understand
that. These boys reported so much
over weight from careless eating and
little exercise that | was never able to
tell whether they really had ability or
not. As. a result they were sent to
minor leagues for further observation.
Already they have been released.
This condition applies to several big
league clubs. So I sincerely hope the
college boys will heed my warning or
suggestion.
To succeed in an athletic profession
a boy should certainly remember the
training given to him in college. To
succeed in business it is just as impor-
tant that he take advantage of his
mental training and develop it.
Colleges Source of Recruits.
In the next few years a ma jority
of our major league stars are likely to
be recruited from the colleges. I'm
less these boys watch themselves and
report in condition we still will have
to depend on the minors as we did
years ago. Their main fault, | think,
is overeating and physical laziness.
Perhaps they do not realize that be-
coming a professional ball player is a
serious undertaking.
veteran goes to the camps to get
in shape. The recruit goes there to
show his ability. Possibly these col
lege boys imagined that they were
veterans. If Sc, they have been dis
illusioned.
The biggest surprise of the season
so far has been the continued strength
of the Athletics as American League
leaders. In the National the teams
are lined up just about as l expected
when we started in April. 1 have felt
right along, and have so declared, that
Brooklyn and Pittsburgh are bound to
be contenders. They have overcome
their. bad start now and it is sure to
be hot fight all season.
Has, Confidence in Griffmen.
The great success of the Athletics
really is not so much a surprise as
has been the failure of the Yanks and
Tigers. With those two naturally
strong clubs losing, the Athletics are
practically without strong opposition
with the exception of the Nationals.
The world champions have stuck
steadily to their job and. in my opin-
ion, eventually will climb to the top.
y
hind that even a great winning streak
would harly pull them on an even
footing with the leaders.
Despite their Slowness the Athletics
have had good pitching and steady
hitting. They have thrown a brand
new interest in the American Leag
race, which is a mighty good thing
for the game in general. Connie
Mack deserves lot of credit and is
to be congratulated.
The return of Babe Ruth is bound
to add much to the morale of the
Yanks. Still, they viii have to be
world beaters now to overcome their
early losses.
Robinson and Hornsby.
Now that I am back in harness, two
most interesting events in base ball
to me are the naming of Wilbert
Robinson as president of the Brooklyn
club and the promotion of Rogers
Hornsby to the field management OF
the Cardinals. Both these moves
are good for base ball.
Robbie's new position adds a lot to
the sentiment of our game and already
the fans of Brooklyn are feeling the
presence of a playing and managing
veteran at the head Of the club
Brooklyn Is one of the greatest base
ball cities in the whole country. They
love the game there for itself. More,
over, the fans there know the game
1t is more to them than a mere show
or exhibition. Their heart is in ii
and now more so than ever because
a great player. a great manager and
a great character man who has
grown up with the game-is the ex.
ecutive.
The sentiment in the game that we
all love will grow in direct proportion
to the number of its own players who
become heads of the clubs. 1t offers
future to ball players and increases
their ambition.
This same feeling applies to the ap
pointment of Rogers Hornsby. The
fans of st. Louis admire Hornsby
For several years he has been theil