Albuquerque Evening Herald

Joe Tinker says there are ten men in a game of baseball. To the nine who hold regular positions Joe adds the coach at third base, and asserts his role is every bit as important as that of any of the others. Of course, there are only nine on the side that is in the field, but the side at bat, according to the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds, is incomplete without a smart ball player in the box a few feet outside the third base line.

"I don't consider the first base coacher a very important person," says Joe. "He may be of some account in catching signs or in disturbing a pitcher, but he has only to take care of the runner at first base, and that runner is in a position to take care of himself. But the man over at third must be alive and must know baseball pretty thoroughly. Innumerable games have been won because the third base coacher knew when to have the runners take chances, and innumerable battles have been lost because 'bone' coaches held up runners or made them go ahead at the wrong times.

"With the Cubs we were always particular about our coaches at third base when a game was tight. I remember one occasion last spring. We were tied up in the eighth inning, and we got a man to second base with two out. King Cole was coaching at third. Some of us said to Chance, 'Will he know enough to send him in?' Meaning had Cole enough experience and knowledge of the game to coach the runner all the way from second on any sort of a hit. Chance immediately called Cole to the bench and sent out Artie Hofman in his place.

The batter hit a ground ball to the infield. It was fumbled momentarily and the play was made to first base too late to get the batter. Artie sent his man home without the slightest hesitation, and the winning run was scored, although the play at the plate was close.

"The other side didn't score in the next inning, and it was our game, but if Hoffman hadn't taken that chance at the right time we might have wound up in a tie or both been beaten.

"Of course, some may suggest that we might have won anyway; that the next batsman might have hit a home run if the runner had been held at third, but the only safe basis on which to figure baseball dope is results. One can never tell what might have happened but always knows what did happen and can make plans for the future.

"I believe a great deal of the recent success of the New York Giants is due to McGraw's efficient coaching at third base. The New York club might have won two straight pennants without his advice, but I have seen lots of close games copped by his team because he knew how to coach."

Roger Bresnahan, the Cubs' new acquisition, always endeavors to shield his young pitchers from whatever cases of rattles may be induced by the conversation of coaches at first and third bases.

"Whenever I catch a coacher trying to upset my pitcher," Roger says, "I shout encouragement to my man as loudly as I can. And I usually succeed in drowning out the coacher."

No one doubts this latter statement for Roger certainly can make a noise when he wants to. In this respect he is the antithesis of Johnny Kling. Johnny usually talks, but his remarks are pianissimo and addressed to the batter or umpire. Bresnahan's voice can be heard all over the lot. Although Tinker and Chance are gone, the Cubs will hardly be known as a quiet bunch of athletes as long as they have Evers, Bresnahan and Zimmerman.