Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-16
The Value Of Strategy and Sound
Judgment on the Diamond.
WHY STARS GET BIG SALARIES.
The Secret of ChicagO's Supremacy in Its
Infeld.
COLLEGE.BRED MEN IN THE PROFESSION
WRITTEN FOR THE prsrArcH.1

who are wholly unaware of the course oi
preparation that is necessary to make the
successful ball-tosser, and even those who
think they know something about the ma
tional game do not dream of the strain that
first-class pitcher has TO undergo as the
consequence of hard-earned victory. Many
people stand aghast when they hear of the
large salaries paid to first-class pitchers, and
not few are incredulous when they hear
that man like Timothy Keefe, of the New
York club, can command a salary of S., 900
per annum; that such men as Messrs. Clark
son and Radbourne, of the Boston club, can
command 81, 900 each, and that the number
that can command between s., 900 and s., 600
is very large.
There are but few men, however, who can
command the largest salaries, for there are
very few pitchers that have the intelligence,
the perseverance, the skill and the endur-
ance that characterize the players just
named. There are many men who would
have made great ball players as far as the
physical part of baseball is concerned, but
they lack in brains-they are unable to sue
cessfully carry into operation what they so
well know in theory. In order to reach the
height in their vocation, Messrs. Keefe,
Radbourne and Clarkson, and the success
full pitchers, have been obliged to make
careful study, not alone Of the different de-
liveries, but of the style of every 'batsmsn
that they are to face.
A APITcHER's STUDY.
1t does not take an experienced pitcher
long to find out the weak points of the man
that he faces, and it is in this study of his
man, that his chief value to his club consists.
The brainy pitcher will always endeavor to
deceive the eye of the batsman and cause
him to hit the ball in a manner that will
give his field a chance to secure an out. The
rules of this year place more of a premium
upon the intelligence of the pitcher than
ever. On account Of the reduced number of
bad balls allowed the pitcher, that player is
unable to waste any balls, and he must
therefore cause the batsman to hit at a ball
at an early stage of the proceedings. The
brain of the pitcher is therefore ever active,
not only during contest, but at other
times. He is constantly thinking of some
scheme to outwit the opposing batsmen.
Such thinkers in the baseball business are
constantly practicing new deliveries and
tricks'to work upon the batsmen, so that
the latter may not know what to expect. Of
the three pitchers mentioned, Clarkson is
the Youngest, though he has oficiated so
long in his position that he, with the others.
can be called veteran.
To endure the strain of pitching as long
as has been the case with these three ball
tossers and some others, they must have
been in the pink of condition at all times.
Their habits must be of the best, and they
can take no chances without considerable
risk. Despite the terrible wear and tear of
the arm and body to which these players
have been subjected, they stand to-day in
the front rank of American pitchers. Keefe
and Radbourne have deliveries that are
very easy and not at all trying, compared
with the prodigious efforts of some pitchers.
A man like Radbourne could, ii it was de-
manded, go into the box and pitch game
after game. The strain is so severe, how
ever, in these days that pitcher is seldom
called upon to pitch more than twice week,
and most clubs carry corps of four pitch
ers.
DISABLED CLUBS.
The necessity for this is well shown in the
cases Of the New York and Pittsburg clubs,
both of which have been crippled this spring
by the disability OF their pitchers. In the
case of New York Welch has had bad
side, which has prevented him from play
ing; Crane is laid up with badly strained
leg, and these are two of the best pitchers in
the club. In the Pittsburg club Manager
Phillips has been obliged to send home both
Conway and Morris, on whom the club so
much depends, while Calvin, the veteran
pitcher OF the team, recently hurt his leg so
as to prevent him from playing for some
time. The effect Of this has been to seri-
ously cripple both of these teams.
The skill of the best pitchers is such that
even with three bad balls called on them
and not a strike, they can shoot the ball
many times in succession at the height
called for by the rules, and can do this too,
with changes of delivery. 1t is not the man
with the greatest speed and strength that
counts most in the game of to-day. 1t is the
men with the greatest GOODNESS and command
of the ball. He must be great strategist,
and again and again be will be called upon
to pull his club out of tight position. 1t !
will not do for him to get disheartened, al
though at times his support will be of the
worst possible kind, and when he receives
such support comes his hardest trial, for it
is most difficult to pitch winning game
when the nine are not pulling successfully
with the man at the helm. With men on
bases the intelligence of the pitcher is
deceive the batsman and at the same time
he must keep the base runners close to their
bases so as to prevent them from reaching
home any quicker than can be helped in !
case the ball is hit, or by so doing help his |
6eiders to make double play. Generally |
"a such cases he is subjected to a running
fire of rattling talk from the coachers, and |
these noisy persons are the bane of the ex-
istence of a young pitcher. They simply |
waste their breath when the veterans are in |
the box, as the position of the pitcher is |
called.
CLEVER WORK NECESSARY.
Again, to show how numerous and oner- |
GUS are the demands upon this one player, |
and why it is that he commands so large |
salary, he must be fine fielder in his posi- |
ton. 1t must be remembered that no player |
in front of the batsman is so near to the |
home plate as he, and when balls come hot |
they come uncomiortably so, and there is |
very little time to get out of the way. There |
is considerable danger in facing balls of this |
description, and many player has been in
jured so as to be unable to play for weeks
and months by brave attempt to make a
fine play. When he gets bstted ball in
his position and there are men on bases he
must act very quickly and lose no time.
When balls are hit to the infeld, the pitcher
must in all cases back up the basemen, and
when balls are hit to the first baseman he
must cover that base. Again, he is called
upon to race after foul balls, these plays
being generally Of the most difficult descrip-
ton.
1t will be seen, therefore, that the de-
mands upon the successful pitcher of to-day
are more than of a simnle nhvsical nature