Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-09
OF PITCHERS.
CAYLOR AWARDS THE CROWN TO BIG AMOS
RUSSIE.

Hany Twirlers Knocked Outflow the New Pitch
ing Rnls Has Retired Numerous Stars = The
Magnates Intended That Il Should Make Good
Pitchers Plentiful and Cheap, but the Plan
Failed.
The unusual spectacle of three Ma
tional League clubs tied for first place
for four days was seen recently. In all
nv experience as historian OF the
American game l have no recollection
of this incident having a precedent.
Three clubs have held similar percent
ages TOR a day, but not as leaders.
What makes this feature Of the Ma
tional League race still more remark
| able is the fact that each of the three
clubs won and lost the same number OF
games. Under the percentage system
clubs frequently tie for position and
pet iffer in the numuer Of games won
and lost. The positions held by the
Phlladephias, Bostons and Brooklyns
on the 2sth and goth OF June and on the
succeeding days certainly made won
deriul chapter in base ball history.
The fact that OF these three cluostwo
were OF the number which were not at
the beginning Of the year considered
prime factors in the race adds to the in
terest. Three clubs, on the other hand,
which were considered dangerous are
we'll down In the list-namely, the
Clevelands, Pittsburgs and New Yorks.
The last named team seems to be
| almost hopelesslY beaten already. 1t
has been particularly unfortunate in
pitchers. When the season opened
il was thought that with Rusie, Crane
| and King the New Yorks were better
equipped in the pitching line than any
other League club. The out and out
failure Of the last two named was a
singing disappointment to the metro
pelltan ''cranks." Toen the club Sc
cured Baldwin, who for time pitched
great ball and then suddenly went TO
pieces. He may, however, recover his
powers. His weakness may be merely
temporary.
The problem Of pitchers is one that is
troubling nearly every club In the
League. Old tried standbys under the
new pitching rules are going down like
tenpins. Hutchison, Clarkson, Stivetts.
King, Crane, Haddock, Lovett, Duryea,
Ehret and weighing have suffered most.
Cham berlain, Rusie, Stratton, Terry,
Young, Cuppy, Nichols, Gleason, Car
sey and Mcmahon are the "twirlers"
who have done the best work under the
new conditions, and yet each one OF
| them has taken his medicine" at times
during the last month.
! The New York, Chicago and Boston
clubs are the three which need pitching
| talent most, and they stand ready to
| shovel out the shekels TO obtain such
| coveted timber. Successful baseball
pitchers are just as much in demand
| now as special session OF Congress.
| They are jewels, precious stones-mem-
bers of the Wonder family.
Whom the new pitching rule was
framed, it was announced as the inten-
ton OF the magnates to take away that
powerful Importance from the pitcher
which made him so necessary 10 the
men who conduct baseball as a business
| that he could command almost his own
price for his services. The intention
|
carried. A good pitcher is now high
er priced article than ever, because ne
is so rare. Had the rule wiped out the
breed altogether the purpose OF the rule
makers would have been served, for
then every club would have been on an
equal footing and equally content. But
| instead OF killing off the dominance OF
| the pitchers the rule merely dec mated
| their numbers.
While the additional five feet has
much to do with the loss Of effective
ness to so many pitchers, it is not that
| alone which has virtually forced out oil
| business stars who last season were
sought after at salaries OF $500 and $500
| q month. The angle has more to do
with IL than the distance. Last year the
pitcher had four feet leewaY In taking
his position. This year he is anchored To
a 12-inch plate. Last season he changed
| from one corner OF the "boK" "a
| the other, according TO whether he was
pitching TO right field hitter or left
field hitter. This year he is compelled
to use the same angle IN facing all man
ner of batsmeD. That seems TO be a
very little matter, does 1t notP But just
ask an intelligent pitcher how much
mower that privilege OF changing his
angle gave him and see what he has 10
say about It. The angle was very small ,
but II was enough to handicap the bat
ter materially.
The college clubs are uslug the old
rules with the SIS feet inches distance
and the by 50 feet box. This fact
| should be borne in mind when students
of the national game compare college
games with those played by the Ma
tional League. Besides very few COL
lege batsmen could hold even mediocre
place among the heavy hitters Of the
| professional league teams In the recent
J Yale. Harvard games the feats perform
ed by Carter and Highlands seem al
most marvellous. Yet men like Rusie
! and Chamberlain under similar circum-
stances would probably do as well fnot
better. In the game at Cambridge,
J Highlands OF Harvard struck out 10 OF
his o. men, and Carter did almost as
well for his side. Had they been placed
back s feet and confined TO l2-inch
plate with the Bostons or Philadelphias
| TO face them they would have done
good work to strike out nine men be-
tween them.
Young Hawley, OF the St. Louis team,
struck out 81 men in one game at Fort
Smith last year. Now he can hardly
, hold an engagement 10 the National
! League. Rurie In 1891 struck out II
men In a single game, which. consider
| ing all the circumstances, was most
remarkable pitching feat. Rusie is prob
ably the best pitcher 10 the country to-
day, and on June 20 he gave
evidence OF 1t in that remarkable