Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-07

impression that the
L career of an ivory hunter
is one of ease and pleasure can
be set Alright through the me-
dunn of a chat with Mr.. Joseph
Engel, who has been on the pay
roll Of the organization headed
by Clark Calvin Griffith as one
such for 10, these many years.
For the enlightenment of any
person who may be bit fuzzy
about the parlance of the
diamond it may be explained
that Ivory hunter" is term
of designation for one of those
worthless whose duty it is to
discover new talent and obtain
an option on it for the partic-
ular team which employs him,
in other words, a scout.
All major league clubs have
a corps of scouts who snoop
around the college campuSes
and the bush loop parks in
search of performers who to
the casual fan may appear to
be just another ball player, but
to the trained eye of the field
investigator discloses certain
traits indicating he has pos
SibilitieS of development.
At this time of the year the
labors of the scouts are con-
fined largely to the playing
fields of the colleges and uni
versities, but after these finish
their seasons, usually in May,
they switch their attention to
the small circuits in organized
base ball and they do not over
look the lads of even more
tender years and fewer adj
vantageS in the way of educa-
ton whose activities are con-
fined to the SandlotS.
In former years a scout was
a sort of under-cover man, who
slipped into a town during the
still hours of night, kept to his
room until the time set for the
game and then sailed forth
adorned with a set of false
whiSkerS or smoked spectacles
to take a seat in an obscure
corner of the grandstand
where he might. inspect the
player he was trailing without
the knowledge of the athlete
In question, his almost invari-
ably rapacious manager or any
of the other of his own fra
ternity who might beat him to
the prize. If prize it appeared to
be.
Then, If satisfied that Whoozis,
the prospect in question, bore the
proper resemblance to pay ore the
scout would lay aside his DISCUSSES,
boldly approach the manager and
proceed to dicker for McGluke,
whom he had no interest whatso-
ever. This artful procedure was de-
signed to conceal the scouts real
intentions, and oftentimes would
obtain WhooZis through the medium
of having him thrown In for good
measure in a deal effected ostensi-
bly, for the purpose of landing the
other fellow.
This, OF course, 1UdS in the old
days NotD the scouts are too UelI
knoDn to escape detection unless
they hare the ingenuity OF Sher-
lock Holmes and the managers are
too Uell acquainted Nth the po-
tentidlities of their charges to be
misled by any phony bidding for a
McGluke tOhene Their is a WhoostS
on his team.
As consequence there is less
gum shoe work to be done by a
scout. But in other respects his
problems have become more COM
plicattd, due to the present trend
toward "chain store" base ball and
brisker competition afforded in his
calling, according to Engel.
Scouts "BIoodhounds" Now.
..AEY Poy Choe," as he
w was best known when
A'A he was signed as a
pitcher by the Washington club
after serving his novitiate at
Mount st. Mary'S, and whose
pictures always showed him
holding a bat, but for what rea-
son no one ever was able to
fathom, is not just member of
the Nationals scouting staff
he is the staff.
A likeable fellow as ever was
known, and a welcome addition
to any sports gathering be-
cause of his fund of amusing
stories, Joe has just blown into
camp to confer with his chief
in the line of duty and un-
burdened himself Of some Of the