Evening star., 1926-06-03

game yesterday for the ChisoN.
More than 10 days ago, in New York
on May 20. to be exact, Manager Sis
Ter of the Browns hit upon a combi
nation for his infield that has begun
tn win games for him-and if he is
wise he will cling to that combination
like II r,eGch TO its stone.
Melillo plays serc1d base. Gerber
shortstop, and McManus third base
Sisler. of course, is at first. When
the Browns were training in Florida
SiSler never had the same infield
more than a few times in succession
and he announced he was trying out
l-amOtte, Robertson. Melillo. McMa nus
and Gerber and any others who hap
pened to he infielders. to make them
fight for it," as Sisler put it.
Good Only i'm Theory
In theory that sounds good. because
ii looks as though all the boys are
getting a chance. but old managers
shook their heads when they heard
what Sisler was doing and predicted
a rude awakening.
The old managers insisted that Il
manager who began the season with
out a definite conviction In his own
noodle as to what his infield might be
never would he able 10 put much con-
tidence in his players. who would
either he careless because they lacked
certainty. or OVeranXiOuS because
they were looking for their jobs.
Sisler started the campaign with
Robertson al third Lamolte at short
and McManus at second. McManus
is n good second haseman. but the
others in the combination did not
combine very much. and the next
thing the fans heard was word of d
change in the ST. Louis infield.
Many Changes Made.
In one way or another ii has been
cha nCed many times since then. Some
Of the changes have been due to in
iuries and many were due to the facr
that all the ST. Louis infielders did
not leave Florida's climate in just that
physical condition or frame Of mind
that would win a pennant in anything
except race for spawned colts.
The Browns showed it. Other
managers knew they We're weak in
more ways than one and went after
them hammer and tOngs. The Browns
didn't win and coundnt win. The
Browns played Wretchedly in the
West and then went East and played
worse if anything. They played with
some hard luck. too. because some
players got hurt, Then one afternoon
in New York when Sisler had re-
turned To the lineup after a tempo
rary retirement due to injury, he
started his team with McManus at
third. Gerber at short and Melillo at
second.
More Intelligence shown.
New York won that game. ) to 4.
The next day the Yankees won, TO
2. but the Browns were playing with
moro human intelligence than they
had been using fSr a month. New
York won the following day. TO 6,
hut even if ST. Louis was losing there
was something To the club that made
il look as though hair restorative had
been poured on its scalp. On May %
The Browns lost close 2-to-1 game
10 Detroit. The next day they de-
fcated Cleveland. to ). on the CleVe-
land grounds. and in the next nine
games the Browns won seven and lost
Two.
But the brace began in New York
when Sisler finally hit on combina-
tion that he might have had from the
beginning of the year. and he might
have had il in Florida if he had not
fooled himself with the notion that he
could make the players earn the right
In play their positions. Rall players
can't he made into stars that way.
The best WY to make q player sue
ceed is to tell him that he is booked
for some job or another and TO get in
and make good If he doesn't. that's
up to him. and the canning process
naturally follows.
Copyright 1920