The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-08-10
Gand Old Man of Philadelphia
Uses Complicated Sig.
nal System
WON'T REVEAL ANY SECRET
Players Say He Shows Conf
dcnce in Them by Let
ting Them Act
Ry \ l.. FARRELL

"s
Philadelphia, Aug. TO- John Nc
Graw, according to a baseball legend.
orders every ball thrown by a Giant
pitcher by a complicated system of
signals. He also uses the signal sys-
tenn, the story goes. to move his in
fieldcr5 and outficlders from spot to
spot.
1t was the slucgishness Of frankie
Frisch in catching these signals that
caused McCraw to release a player
who was considered to be one of the
best second bascmen in baseball.
McGrav hasn't had a good second
haScman since Frisch was sent down
the baseball river to St. Louis. But
McGraw sticks to his principle.
He missed too many signals and he
was the captain OF the team" Nc
Graw told a friend.
Mack in the Dugout
It is also a baseball legend that
Connie Mack. the grand old mar Of
tho Philadelphia Athletics, flags his
players.
One OF The most familiar pictures Of
the 'old man. shows him standing on
the steps Of the dugout with a score
card in his hand tagging his men on
the field. It has been accepted as a
fact years ago that the Philadelphia
players depend on the motions of that
scorecard in the waving hands Of the
old master.
rs it true. Mr.. Mack. that you di-
rect the pitching and the positions Of
the players with that scorecard?' We
asked him.
Connie Plays the. Fox
The genial Connie beamed one Of
those wide smiles characteristic of
him. And wouldn't reply.
Il would not tell you any of his Sc
crets," mi of his men said. Il am not
saying that he docs or doesn't. I will
admit that at times when we have a
| young outfielder or a rookie infielder
it does no harm to wave a scorccard
one way or the other to get him into
a better position. But I will leave it
to your own judgment If it is ncccs-
sary to order every ball pitched by
such pitchers as Grove, Walberg,
Earnshaw. Rommel. and Quinn.
That reminds me of the old story
he went on, of the manager who
sent up q pinch hitter with the in
StructionS, Hit a home run
There are times, of course, when a
situation arises demanding a message
from the bench. We have a way of
sending those messages. l will ask you
to recall. though. that vi have two of
the greatest catchers in baseball
Catchers Never Look
That much is admitted. and in the
many games VIC have watched we
never have seen Mickey Cochranc or
Cy Perkins or Jimmy Foxx. when he
was catching. look around to the
bench. like a Giant catcher docs, for
the word.
The scorecard waving that Mack
does. according to his men, is in large
part a decoy.
We do get a lot Of signals from the
boss" of them said. But they
don't come always from that score
card. The guys on the other bench
are watching the boss and trying to
steal the signals from that waving
score -card, but the signals are being
P0ooCu W oOIIlCVAIC SAoC Oll VIC UC1lCAI
The boss is just acting as q decoy.'
Catching the Word
The Giant players say also that Nc
Graw does not give the signals and
that ON player on the bench gets
the word from him and passes It on
to the field. The best signal-snatchers
In the league never have been able tc
get the word" from the Giant bench
They watch McGraw and get moth
Ing, and he doesn't permit the same
player to send out the signals two
days in . row.
The same strategy prevails on the
bench Of Connie Mack, ~ informant
told US.
He doesn't order many pitchers
he said, but when there is q cast
where Z man might be walked for Z
double play, OF when q slugger likl
Ruth or 0ehrig Is up there. we LOOT
down to the bench for the word
Sometimes the boss will tell Us. and
other times We won't get Z word. Hei
leaving IT up to Us. And, believe me
It don't hurt when the boss takes tn
attitude that you're . good bah ciul
nd hell' 1eave II W U you. And Il h