Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-10-06
Billy
FX'ANICl
>laAFS

MoSJ OF Utle players lack Gfle urge
to win.
That was the reply of Eddie Col
Inns, when I asked him if he noted
any striking difference between the
players Of today and those of 20
years ago.
There is little or no difference in
the natural ability of the players,
past and present; it is in the spirit.
I have often heard the "will-to-
win" preached in all forms of COM
petitive sport, but l must admit 1
liked the surge-to-win" of Collins
little better, despite the fact both
mean much the same
am inclined to agree with Collins
in his deductions Too many players
are perfectly satisfied if they get
their quota of basehits, regardless OF
the result Of the game.
Recently, after a certain club had
lost 10 straight games, there was
waited, from the showers in their
dressing room the strains of a popu-
lar number as rendered by the club
quartet. The urge to win wasn't
there.
y
Twenty years ago, for player
4 or players to start singing in the
club house after 10 straight de-
featS would have been regarded
as sufficient cause for a mutiny
by the rest Of the players.
s-tsit #s#
pitcher Ted Lyons of the Chicago
White Sox is, the best example OF
the rather rare species of players,
who have plenty of the urge to win"
continued Collins.
What a great pitcher that boy is
and how he likes to win When he
is on the rubber, he pitches his heart
out. He is happy only when he wins.
Rather Slight of physique, there
are number of pitchers with bet
ter fast ball, but he makes up for
any deficiency in that respect by a
choice. assortment of stuff. He, has
every. style delivery possible in his
pitching kit.
''Incide entally Lyons is more than
just a pitcher. A team really has
five infielders when he is in the box
At the bat he is always dangerous
and when he gets on the bases he
is by far the best base runner in the
league as far as the pitchers are con-
cerned.
"To top off his natural ability, he
has a keen mind and, best of all, the
urge to win. Would there were more
like Ted Lyons Baseball would be
better game" 80
The fact that Lyons could win
more than 20 games for the sec
Ond division Chicago White Sox
is the best evidence that4could BE
offered as to his pitching prowess.
#*
Another member Of the Chicago
White Sox, whose fine work has been
more or less overlooked, because of
the clubs lowly standing, also has
the urge to win of which Eddie Col
Inns speaks. have reference to Out
fielder Alex Metzler.
This spring, When Chicago lost the
services of Johnny Mostil for the sea-
son, it was believed the club had
suffered a handicap that would prove
fatal to its chances to get anywhere.
1t didn't seem as II there was
player in sight who could step into
the breach and deliver without the
absence of Mostil being seriously felt.
That is just what Metzler did. Brought
back from the minors after Connie
Mack had given up claim to him, he
has played brilliant baseball in the
field and batted over 300 all season
What more could one >ask?
How nicely Metzler would now
fit into Connie Mack's scheme for
rebuilding his aged Outfield! Had 4
he been with team up in the
race, Metzler would have drawn
many a headline in the sports
sheets.
----C----
You'll find it in Dispatch want-ads
TYWYY1