The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1895-05-24

made four or five years ago. Boswell
is a young college pitcher. who stood
high among the college amateurs last
season. He has the physique; 1t re
mains to be seen what he possesses OF
the other requisites delivery. head and
heart.
We seldom find two pitchers whose
positions I'm the box" are identical.
Every one has his peculiar attitudes
while delivering the ball to the bats
man. New York's sextet form q strik-
Ing example of these diversities Of at
tftudes. The rules require that while
facing the plate preparatory to letting
1t CO." every pitcher must hold the ball
In plain view of the batsman and the
umpire, behind the bat. This rule was
made to prevent the hiding Of the
ball." and was intended to be a handi-
cap to the pitcher.
All legislation in baseball for years
has tended to handicap the pitcher in
stead OF helping him. Now we find that
while every pitcher obeys the rule by
holding the ball in front while getting
ready, he invariably temporarily puts
1t out of sight behind him just before
his arm swings forward. thus succeed
ing after all in getting it momentarily
beyond the line of vision of the bats
man.
Rusie, as rule, holds the ball very
carelessly while agreeing with Farrell
by sign as to the kind of delivery which
he will send in. Once the agreement is
reached, his work is quick. The right
arm goes back. his mighty body teeters
upon the right leg. the left leg is raised
a foot or more from the ground. bent
into almost rectangle at the knee.
and then the force Of his 30 pounds Of
flesh. bone and sinew is hurled forward
upon the support of his left leg, which
straightens out in the swing and acts
as a spring. In addition the mighty
right arm-the most dreaded by bats
men Of any in the league-adds the
propulsive force of its wonderful
strength to the impetus of the body.
and the result is that marvellous speed
which reduces the appearance of the
ball In the batsman's eye about 60 per
cent from the real circumference.
Such is Rusie's delivery when the
bases are clear. When runners are on
first or second his movements are quick
er, necessarily. There is not SO much
deliberative bending of the body back
ward. raising of the left leg and slow
ness in starting the mighty force of
that forward swing.
Meekin also uses the backward pre-
liminary bend of the body, but he
twists the spine more than Rusie does.
That is to say, when he throws mis-
head and shoulders back he keeps the
left foot usually on the ground, slightly
In front of the right, and twists his
body nearly half way around. as if look
ing toward second base. AS his hand
with the ball comes sweeping forward,
the left leg is raised, and he thereby
gets the necessary body force to the
pitch or throw. Unlike Rusie, too. Nee
kin swings both hands behind him while
making the first, or backward motion
of his delivery. Both Rusie and Nee
kin are tall men. as we'll as men Of won
derful bodily strength, and tallness.
when combined with great muscular
power, has always been recognized as
a winning factor in pitchers make
up. The greater the radius in which
the arm sweeps while delivering the
ball, the more deceptive is the deliv-
cry to the batsman. and the more diff