The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-07-03
NICHOLS.
SWEETS.

Tho great pitchers OF, Of the Boston baseball
ity to hold out-their ondurnnce-dcpends
largely the Bean Eaters chances to keep
their lead. Young pitchers, however, nro
always unreliable during their first year
In major company. They arc apt to begin
VOL and weaken as tho weather gets warm,
whilo tho veteran usually does his weak
work In tho spring. but warns up to win
ming form during tho hot period
Stivetts, to this date, has pitched better
than he did last year. Ho has his old ire
mendous speed again and splendid control.
Nichols Is Nichols oil tho time. Ho Is not
us strong under the present pitching dis
lance as he was whom tho pitcher stood
nearer to tho batsman, yet he maintains his
right to tho title of one Of class A. His great
distinction has always been on oxtraor-
binary control of the ball and d courage
to put 1t over tho pinto whenever necessity
demands 1t. good pitcher will always
mako the batsman hit tho ball rnther than
risk giving base on balls by ooaxing
with wide delivery. Dad Clarke Of the
New Yorks Is fond Of saying In this con
noction, "Thcrc are eight other men be-
sides myself In this game, and what can't
do they must" presume fewer men get
bases ON balls from Nichols ON the average
than from any other pitcher in tho Ma
tional league.
The Bostons have great team, but the
Baltimores have u greater, barring pitch
ers. If Nichols and Stivetts pitched for the
Orioles, the latter would DO consistent
even money favorite The Baltimores as
fieldcfs battcrs and base runners have no
equals, but they arc weak in tho box.
am inclined to believe the New Yorks
will be q dangerous club to other pennant
OSn{r1pfC DrOvidnd tbakp
Of Ill luck has run itsolf out. The team has
made such q splendid fight with Its stars
oil disabled that Its work should BIO ro
markable when tho crippled big four get
back into harness. Great uncasiness, how
ever, exists as to the real condition Of Nee
kin's arm. Fear Is freely expressed that
tho injury to the nerve In tho forearm will
give him trouble most of the summer IL
1t does not keep him out of tho game en-
tircly But should Meekin regain the use
fulncsSs OF that arm tho team would have
tho finest pitching corps by 10 per cent
ever possessed by ono club Rusie and Nee
Kin lod all tho other pitchers last season,
and now Clarke has shown that he Is n gi
ant in his way and has proved by his work
during the absence of the two star pitch
ers from the nine that his great SUCCESS
with the Erie club in 1899 WAS not a nukc
With three such pitchers alternating on.
ly medium batting and fielding would be
required to win two-thirds Of tho club.
games. That is why / look upon New
York chances as still good in the pen.
nant race.
A moderate team of batters and flcldors
without u full stock of first class pitchers
has no chance to win u high place in tho
National league race. Early In the season
L became very unpopular in Cincinnati for
expressing tho opinion that Captain Ew-
ing had team which had little or no
chance to remain in tho first division. /
bnscd my opinion on n conviction TINT of
all his pitchers Dwyer alone could In the
long run be depended on. Then, as the
team was neither strong In batting nor in
fielding ] could not figure out how it
would cut much of figure in the race.
just after l went on record with that
prophecy the Cincnnatis won those ten
straight games and occupied second place.
One day-May 23-I received n telegram
from Cincinnati newspaper something
like this: "What do you now honestly
think of our weak tcamf Your Cincinnati
friends have the laugh on you. Answer for
publication" did answer and reiterated
my belief i'll the teams weakness, again
explaining it, and reminding my Cincin-
nati friend that the season was quite young
and ti'at he laughs best who laughs last.
Now for the sequel. beginning on that
1ay when l received the telegram, the Gin
,innatis, began to lose, and of the next 90
games played they lost 16 and thereby fell