The Washington times., 1931-04-08
MANY DRAW
RELEASE At
THIS TIME
BY BABE RUTH

BY BABE RUTH
UMBIA, S. c., April 8.
Well, it won't be long now. In
less than a week all clubs in the
major leagues will be opening
their season. That means music
and parades and flag raising for
the fans, but it means a lot more
to the players, and especially to
the new ones. For the youngsters
it is a time of joy or disappoint-
ment.
Every pitcher likes to get that
opening day game. 1t is some
thing of an honor to be sent out
to win this one, and there is no
game all year that a manager is
so anxious to win, unless it is in
pennant series. I have heard
many a pitcher express the wish
that the manager would pick him.
Youngsters Enthusiastic
The young player, just breaking
in, often is kept wondering If he
is to be in that game or on the
1anch. Naturally he looks ahead
to opening day as most people
do to a holiday. It is something
different. When a manager shows
enough confidence to pick a
young player to start the season
then there is thrill.
But there are disappOint.
mentS as well at this time.
This is the time when so many
big league clubs find it neceS-
Sary to turn back a number
of young players who have been
working out all spring. 1 have
seen so many players 60 through
the training season with the
idea that they were to stay
with the club, and then have
the dream shattered a day
or two before the opening of
the season.
OF course a turnback of this
kind is not as serious as a young
player thinks it is. Usually it
means that he is not quite ready,
or may be that some veteran,
who is filling the position he
seeks, is regarded as the best
bet. In another year, perhaps,
the young player is ready for his
turn. That is the way in base
ball. Because a player cannot
fill the bill this year it does not
mean that he can never be a
major Lacquer. But I guess it
seems that way to a good many
players.
Think Manager Wrong
Many times these players go
back firmly convinced that the
manager is all wrong. I have
heard them often, after being told
they were to go, explain why they
should be kept. I guess I felt the
same way about it when I was
sent back to the Providence club
after I had been bought by the
Boston Red Sox. And 1 believe
it is a lot better for a player to
feel he belongs in the majors than
to have the feeling that the big
league is too much for him, as
sometimes happens.
AS a matter of fact, q manager
usually does great favor to a
young player when he sends him
back to the minors. In a smaller
league the player has a chance to
work every day and this gives him
an opportunity to improve more
rapidly until he reaches his top
form. Keep the same player in
the majors and have him do moth
ing but sit on bench every after
noon, and what happens? He may
never be the ballplayer that he
would be if permitted to develop
properly.
This is a part of baseball
that 1 often planned to write
about. 1t is my advice to a
young player that he should
never be discouraged when he
is sent back. He is getting a
chance that he might never
have as a big.league substitute.
The yOungster who prefers to
UC q UAS-ACdSuc DCHCH WdEmCE
rather than a minOr-league reg.
ular is not always doing the
wise thing for himself.
Most of the great players of
today had to go back for more
seasoning after their first
chance in the majors. But a
kid is likely to forget this
when he gets the news.
Veteran players are seldom re-
leased at this time of the year.
The managers know just what
can be expected of them and if
they are a little slow in starting
it does not count against them.
Not until the season is we'll
along are the veterans released,
after the manager is convinced
that they cannot make the grade.
That is why I tell the recruits
who go back now not to be dis
couraged. They are young and
their big chance will come later.
Copyright. 1881, by the Christy