Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-30

sic. If have missed any pitcher who in ~
years has earned the right to be rated first
class, it is because of an error in my judg-
ment. Thus in 25 years % pitchers have
lived and played professionally who earned
right to be rated first class. And even
some of the 2S shone in the light Of first
magnitude for only year or two.
If I were asked who are the best four
pitchers playing ball this year, would not
hesitate a moment in my reply. 1t would
be Rusie, Nichols, killen and Young. Take
away these four pitchers from the League
list of over 40, and doubt whether one of
the large number remaining has right to
be ranked first class.
OF the four killen has just stepped for
ward to the side of Rusie, Nichols and
Young. He made his reputation by his
work for the Pittsburg club last season.
He came forward with meteoric sudden
ness and demonstrated his ability to remain
near the head of the class.
killen is particularly valuable because
he is a left handed pitcher Such pitcher
who has control of the ball has always
been considered more valuable than even
the best of right handlers. Among the
pitchers in my list above who pitched left
handed are Richmond, Ramsey, kilroy and
killen 1t will be seen how few left hand
ers ever attained prominence. OF the four
Ramsey was undoubtedly the greatest.
Had he Bet liquor and other forms of dissi-
patton alone, he would have come very close
to taking rank as the greatest pitcher who
ever faced batsman.
Killen is less than "a years old, and he
has the best part of his professional career
before him. With proper care there should
be a brilliant future on the ballfield in
store for him. He was born in Pittsburg
hoI hiJt 10
ally the case he had to go away from home
to get professional recognition. He began
pitching for pay in the Michigan league
and went to Minneapolis and Milwaukee in
1890 and 1891. In 1892 he had worked his
way into the National league as member
Of the Washington club, for which he pitch
ed Sc games. Seven of the Sc were against
the Cleveland team, and he won six of
them.
After four years of wandering the young
man convinced his fellow townsmen that
he was ball player, and one particularly
after the style they needed in their business
at the forks of the Allegheny and Monon-
kahela. The hated foe of the Pittsburg
club was the Cleveland team. Here was
a Pittsbure youth who had almost single
handed beaten the Clevelands six times
out of seven trials. Pittsburg must have
him back home at any price So they &C
cepted the Washington's price-a trade for
Catcher Farrell And that is how killen
stepped into professional greatness among
the friends of his native city. This year he
is expected to exceed even the good work
which he did for Pittsburg last year.
In recent game between the varsity
nine of the University of Pennsylvania and
the graduates of the same college five
home runs were made Among the specta-
tors was A. J. Reach, the veteran second
baseman of the original Athletics. 1t re-
minded him of day in the career of that
celebrated club back in the sixties when
they went to an interior town in Pennsyl-
vania to play the local team In the morn
ing game Reach made IS runs and one out
In the afternoon he scored ~ runs ana an
out. So his record alone for the day was
40 runs and two outs.
Reach in those days was a terrific bats
man. Senator German of Maryland at that
time was an outfielder on the National team
IF Washington. Recently Reach and Cor
man met at the Fifth Avenue hotel in New
York. They were both in the basement get
ting their shoes blacked. Senator German
looked at Reach steadily for few seconds;
then he exclaimed:
"Al Reachl AL Reachr'
II see you recognize me, senator, snilleu
Reach.
Recognize your" replied German. After
chasing the balls you batted to my field in
those old days, do you think I'll ever forget
your"
And here, after nearly quarter of CEN
fury, the two old ball players-one the most
prominent figure in the United States SEN
ate, the other wealthy manufactures
worth half a million-met and exchanged
"reminiscences o. z. CAYLoR