Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-03


sisted on swirling about his career.
lie had been in tie big league ten
wears. and with the Maroons eight.
For the first five of his eight years
with the Maroons he had led the
league in batting. But three years
ago he had failed to lead the league
in batting. And two years ago again
And last year he had had bad sea
son-had finished fourteenth-almost
in the ruck.
OF course, there were reasons.
Three wears ago he had slightly
sprained his ankle. And two years
ago it had been a twist of his left
knee.
Last year he had not been hurt
But, then. last year he had been over
trained. He had worked too hard at
the camp in the Spring, and had
started the season drawn too ilne
WHY. he had started the season f1Ve
rounds under weight, With no re
serve at all for the terrific Midsummer
grind!
But there was that newspaper story
he had read about himself last sum
mer. 1t kept coming back TO INN,
complete in every line:
John Kieran is slowing up. John
legs are going back on him, those mar
vicious legs than which swifter, in
decade. none have beeu seen haShlng
across outfielder'S greensward. Inc
old. old law is at work on John. Study
the records and see.
-Four years ago at this time OF the
season. John had made $50 hits.
This year, at the same moment of
the season, John has made 1875 hits.
THE Maroon outfielder is no slug
ger. He is a scientific Slasher OF
we'll placed singles, swift, a fleet run
ner.
"Of the difference between the 139
hits of this season and the 160 of four
wears ago, how many are there that
he could have beat out to the bag
then and which he fails to beat now?
John Kieran is slowing up. John
Kieran's legs are going back on him.
That marvellous figure is passing out
of the picture as many have passed
before. All, Tempus does fugit.
*&
John was enormously anxious 10
y have one more good year.
If he led the league again. he would
be able TO stick on several more
wears. He was anxious to stick
few more years. He had reasons Tor
this.
first of all. he had done most Of
his playing before big salaries were
known. Only of late had he enjoyed
Dlg pay, anu l1SIG were bilooC Ah0ecN~A
ments due on tho farm.
Then there was his daughter Hazel
almost ready to enter high school.
He wanted her to have an education.
But embracing these other reasons
was a third. II was that on the last
few seasons he had begun to use his
head and had discovered in himself
new faculties. Several times a sug.
gestion made by him in the heat Of a
az No. fad N
McManus. the famous and willy
Maroon manager. For one thing,
John had a way of knowing almost
exactly when a. pitcher was begin
ming TO weaken. 1t had been often
of late seasons that his word,
whispered to McManus, had resulted
in a sudden successful assault of an
opposing pitcher who, outwardly. was
going smoothly and well. 1t was a
krlack John had. He did not have to
think about it; he just felt ii, when
the right moment had come.
Well. If he had good year, and
stick on a few more, maybe people
would recognize this in him. And
then. when through. instead of
drifting down into the minors, maybe
he might land a managerial berth!
And sit on the bench like Nc
Manus, and direct a nine. and once
In a while. perhaps. at tense mo-
nient in a critical game, in the
thunder of the crowd, stand pinch
hitter at the plate!
THESE the thoughts of John
kieran as he rode westward AS
soon as he had landed at the camp,
he went to McManus and told him
Of the planning he had done as TO his
conditioning. You see, Mac, last
year OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES was it. Got
into the silk too soon. Started the
season fine-and then / got too fine"
The manager had small, intent
eyes. AS John talked, the eyes sent
streaming along the nose an enigma
tic light, and John was finding it a
little hard TO say what he had to
say
SO this year-that's what I want
TO see you about I'm going TO do it
q new way. Mac. I'm going TO start
slow--awfully slow--that's what
want to see you about I've figured it
all out, and maybe it will look awfuily
allow to you. I'm going to look out
Tor my legs. I'm going to do a. lot OF
running-but awful slow and easy and
gradual. I've got it all planned out,
Mac. TIN be all right. won't it,
Go ahead" said McManus, suit
yoursef-you know. You're no
Spring chicken--you don't need no
handling from me. Go ahead-bust
yourself--you know what you want
TO do. Sure, you can do that. Go
easy as you like"
Somehow, out of this approval
John did not get the satisfaction
which might have been expected.
Macs permission was so large; 1t was
well, 1t was a little bit as if he did
not care what his center.fielder did.
An uneasiness remained in John from
the interview, but he started TO train
as he had planned
The ball park was a mile out Of
town. From the first day. the
younger men took TO trotting out
there and back. John walked. Once
out there, he spent a good deal Of
his time simply tossing" the ball.
The SLOW, lohlD~G throws fioated away
from him through the smooth pivot.
ing OF his body; he did not snap his
arm at all.
At batting practice he did not
swing: simply poked his bat out across
the course OF the ball, exercising his
eye and sense OF speed without strain.
He would 20 out in the field 10
take few flies He accepted orlv
those which he could reach easily
or the trot
lie began 20 take a little run every
afternoon. The first day he trotted
at pace which was just a degree
from a walk, just half the circum.
ference of the grounds. He increased
the distance a little day by day, but
not yet the pace.
He cut down on food. He had been
jb pounds overweight on his arrival.
Five of these melted away so smooth.
~ he was astonished. AS he had
decided TO start the season this year
with five pounds reserve for the ter
rife Midaumner grind he Gee sed 10