Evening star., 1932-12-04
NATURAL AS PILOT,
PLAYERS DECLARE
Believe Joe Has Necessary
Qualities of Leadership,
ShreWd Judgment.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

BY JOHN B. KELLER.
= ONE CT Washington fandom
may lie wondering w1ether
- ice Cronin has the goods to
make him a successful man
ager Of the Nationals, but there's
no doubt as to the youngsters
capabilities in the minds of his
teammates.
Those who worked with him in
the ranks of the Washington base
ball club firmly believe he has
everything needed to make a first
rate pilot.
Several players who were on the club
when Cronin joinsd it bcc, in 1923. and
wlo have toiled With him regularly
through four seasons, regard him as nct
only practical base ball man, but also
q fine type of leader.
He's the kind Of fellow that easily
gets his men to work with him." one
declared. He should be an inspiring
leader, and I am certain he always will
be ready to do more than his share of
the work, too."
In the profession they call Cronin a
"ball players ball player" In other
words, he is SO mechanically clever,
shrewd in Judgment and 50 spirited in
his efforts as to be the ideal type of
diamond performer. Cronin is the kind
of player the profession looks up to.
BY his cleverness and his earnestness
he commands the respect Of his fellow
players.
They are confident he'll shine in his
new managerial role.
A CRONIN trait the ball players
"A particularly admire is the splendid
courage he shows when things are
not going so well with him. They like
the way he fights back; they like the
manner in which he buckles down as
praise his gaIneness.
And he can take it." prominent
member of the Nationals said when
asked whether he thought Cronin might
wilt under adverse criticism. Hes
proved that to my satisfaction. Why,
don't you recall how the fans here rode
him last Summer when he was having
a bad spell at shortstop and booting
them right regularly? Did the booing
and razzing he got then worry him?
Not a bit. 1t only made him work the
harder, and it wasn't long before he
snapped out of his slump to play
better game than ever"
Il know he can take it." said this
player, meaning that Joe wasn't one
to be discouraged by the unfavorable
attitude of the fans. I've seen him
take it in Philadelphia, which is just
about the toughest spot in the Ameri-
can League for the Washington club.
In Philly the fans especially delight to
pix on us, and on Cronin particularly.
They boo him almost every time he
steps up to bat, but he generally makes
EN- respect his ability.
II recall one game last Summer in
which Cronin finally got hand from
a crowd that had been hostile from the
start Of the game. Up at bat three
the bali out Of the inield, and when he
went up the fourth time they razzed
him plenty. Joe was boiling mad, but
he kept his head up. When the pitch
came along he took a healthy swing
and slugged the ball into the left-deld
stand for homer that just about meant
the ball game for U.s. That won the
boys in the stands.
Hes game No doubt of that. They
aren't going to boo him out of mana
gers job"
yXTASHINGTON'S young manager is
w a keen student of the game, ac-
cording to his fellow players.
They say he has been careful OBJ
server of things base ball since he came
up from Kansas City and carries a
wise head on his shoulders.
Cronin has made an especial study of
pitching and pitchers, one of the Ma
tionels stated, and added that's the
main thing a ball club manager must
do" This player, veteran. really en-
Unused over Joe's prospects of success
as manager.
He's the goods as a player and you
can take nv word for it he'll be the
clared. Hes easy to get along with,
but can be stern when necessity re-
uuires him to be. He's real leader
These who have seen him on the ball
field should know that. Joe for the past
three or four years has been the spark
plug Of the Washington inf1eld.
Hes the kind of player always
ready TO give all he has to the game
and when the games gets hottest Joe
seems able to bring the other men up
to his fighting pitch. AS a manager, I
think Cronin is natural"
ANS won't have to worry about the
l. managers job taking anything
from Cronins playing" the vet
eran opined Hes a naturally good hall
player, and really a managers job
shouldn't bring about any great mental
strain
After all. a manager doesn't have
10 Go much more than handle his
pitchers. The remainder of the joo
pretty well takes care Of itself. I be-
1ieve Cronin 10 be shreWd Judge Of
pitchers, which ought to make the busi-
ness of selecting starters and changing
pitchers during a game when neces-
sary not so difficult.
"As TO discipline, Joe shouldn't have
any trouble. He's one to win others to
him The players all like him. There are
no jealousies, because such a young
man was picked for the job The play
ers will work for him and with him
They like him in every way"
With all this coming from his team
mates-and from their hearts, too-it
looks as though Cronin will have a
great deal in his favor when he as
sumes the management of the Ma