The Washington times., 1936-02-28
RookieTest
Ht Miss
r. Affair
By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

cade Of nondescript verdant
ball players report for big
league scrutiny, you must have
wondered just what is the proc
ess Of determining who has the
baseball earmarks and who are
the Elmer the Greats.
Let me set you straight in the
beginning by assuring you this
business of recognizing an embryo
bali player Is no fixed science. At
best it is q hit and miss process.
but there are certain traits, men,
tai and physical, all definite quail
ties, for which the experienced
manager looks. that stamp young
athlete as at least having the
makings Of a player.
Unmistakable Signs
To the eye Of men like Clark Grit
fifth and Nick Altrock, reformed
pitchers themselves and men who
have seen the suns of thousands
Of ball players rise and set over
the past 40 years, there are un-
mistakable characteristics they
must seek before they will finally
say player will or win not do.
The same goes for Bucky Harris,
no longer the boy wonder of 1924,
bat a seasoned baseball man whose
career has embraced the plotting
of. three major league ball clubs,
one of them, Washington, with
considerable success at first.
Mike Martin, the local clubs
trainer, too, with his profound
knowledge Of what physical attri-
butes the great men like Cobb and
Ruth and Grove, yes, and Walter
johnson, too, have possessed, looks
for symptoms which indicate dura-
bility and agility, as wen as bodily
Wen:being. ....
The Board Of Strategy
In WaShington's case, that is
the board Of strategy.
A budding player undergoes
what practically amounts to a mi.
croScopic examination after that
quartet has gone in q huddle over
him, charting strong and weak
points and deciding whether he
will absorb development, how
quickly and just what his future
utility to the club might potentially
be.
So when you see those pictures
in The Times of Griff and Nick
and Mike and Bucky standing
around Tinker Field in Orlando,
they are not just looking wise.
Griff is by no means only put
tering away his time.
Bucky isn't posing as, the best
looking man in baseball uniform.
Nick isn't Just ciowning.
And Prof. Mike Martin isn't
taking a sun bath.
It would surprise you the
thoughts that are being turned
over in their heads. It is a seri-
Gus business, this one Of finding
replacements to fill the gaps on
q ball club that is eternally get
ting no younger.
We all know a bali club is as
strong as its reserves and since the
chief duty Of both the extremely
young and the mellowing veterans
is to plug up the gaps as they ap-
pear, it isn't difficult to under
stand how vital a thing it Is to
be able to Judge these striplings
who we find coming up this time
Of year to face the acid test.
What Pitchers Need
And what do these grim judges
who carry this responsibility look
for in these seedlings who come
tromping on to the semitropical
ball fields early every Spring2
Well, in yearling pitchers they
look for Suppleness Of deliverey
almost the very first thing. An
easy, natural pitch means few
sore arms and little tendency to
wildneSs. A smooth movement
from the shoulders in the wind-up
is an attribute and inherent
ruggedneSs to withstand the rigors
Of long, grueling mound duelS Is
also important.
AS for baseball, well, almost any
lad with a noodle on his shoulders
can be taught orthodox baseball
If he has the easy action in his
body and limbs to lend grace to
his task. # he has speed he can
be taught control, but a smooth
delivery and an absence OF aWK
wardness are the first hall marks
Of a potential pitcher.
All Of these elements do not
necessarily come ready made, but
o smart manager or coach can
detect their slumberfng presence
and with q hint here or q sug'
gestion there bring them to the
surface. From then on 1t Is an
experiment pure and simple and
like every other new task, strictly
up to the pupil.
What TnfieIders Require
For recommendation as an in
fielder, the kid coming up for trial
needs an alert eye: as near like
OSsie Bluege's as possible. If thai
drives home the meaning. He
should be shifty. He should have
or try to develop a quick get
away and be- able to move with
the bat. Pivoting and throwing
are aOldom as fully developed In
raw recruits as are taking ground
balls or lire drives and this phase
Of fielding q position requires
hours Of patience on the part oi
the manager and his assistants
We have q couple Of cases Of thaf
a. M AN4T4A NsfEFtA